In April, local amateur dramatics society, Rutland Musical Theatre, are staging their production of Kinky Boots the musical at The Corby Cube, and the Boss in Boots has stepped in to give them a helping hand.

Steve Pateman, the man behind the real-life story of Charlie Price and his Kinky Boots, has spoken with Oakham Nub News in an exclusive interview as Rutland Musical Theatre, Oakham's local am dram society, get ready to strut their stuff.

Based on the 2005 British film Kinky Boots, written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth and mostly inspired by true events, Kinky Boots the musical tells the story of Charlie Price. 

Having inherited a shoe factory in Northampton from his father which is on the verge of bankruptcy, Charlie forms an unlikely partnership with cabaret performer and drag queen Lola to produce a line of high-heeled boots and save the business. In the process, Charlie and Lola discover that they are not so different after all.

However, this Broadway and West End smash hit doesn't quite tell it the way Steve Pateman does…

Steve Pateman's 'Boss in Boots' cover. Image credit: Steve Pateman.

Steve was running the WJ Brookes shoe factory in Northamptonshire, and saved the family-run business by branching out into footwear for men who like to dress as women. 

Steve Pateman explained: "The factory was on the brink. Then I got a call from a lady called Sue Shepard. She was running a store down in Folkestone, but was struggling to source enough stock, and asked me if I would be able to make ladies shoes but in men's sizes.

"I thought it would be a small market, but Sue was waiting 6 – 9 months for delivery, and it all went off from there - not quite as dramatic as it is depicted in the musical!"

In 1998, the BBC caught wind of Steve's story, and began making a documentary, Trouble at the Top – The Kinky Boot Factory, about the astonishing new direction for this established fine shoe maker.  The series was released in 1999. 

Steve said: "The programme followed me for 9 months making these boots and shoes and going to exhibitions and to see customers, as well as how I made them in the factory. From there, it was picked up by Harborough Pictures."

In 2003, Harborough Pictures were finishing up the filming of the ever-popular British classic Calendar Girls, and were on the search for their next release, which would be Kinky Boots.   

Steve said: "Harborough Pictures saw the BBC production and reached out, explaining that they wanted my story to be the basis of their next British film release.

"I was a consultant on the film and helped them out with lots of elements. I even had a cameo role with the family. It was a great experience.

"Something I struggled to come to terms with is how Charlie is portrayed in the film. He isn't very clever, and Lola takes the credit for his, or my, creations," he laughed. "It is odd to watch."

He credits the creative team for coming up with Lola, a "larger than life character" who was a mix of multiple individuals that had been involved in Steve's story from the start.  

Steve's involvement in this iconic story came to a halt with the creation of the 2012 Kinky Boots musical, with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper and script by Harvey Firestein.

The original production of Kinky Boots premiered in Chicago in October 2012, directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. The production starred Stark Sands as Charlie and Billy Porter as Lola. 

It wasn't until 2015 that the show returned to the UK, opening at the West End's Adelphi Theatre, where it ran for over 1,400 performances. 

'Lola' and other stars of the show. Image credit: Rutland Musical Theatre.

Steve explained: "The musical was taken from the film in a way that we weren't involved, but it was great to see the story being kept alive in such a way.

"Now the amateur dramatic societies are performing the show, I am more involved again. Basically, what I try and do is offer my services, go and have a chat at rehearsals and explain what parts of the story are truth and which are embellishments, and as a part of that return I attend the performances to host meet-and-greets and sell my book."

Steve released his title, Boss in Boots, in 2018 alongside David Saint, a Northampton-based author and historian who helped Steve write the book in under 10 months, ready for the beginning of the UK tour of the Kinky Boots musical.  

Steve said: "I am not a literary person, so I was very lucky to have the support of a local man and a very close friend David Saint, who was writing local history books at the time. It was a big challenge getting the book ready in such a short timeframe for the launch of the UK tour, which took place at the Royal & Derngate theatre in Northampton.

"It was an incredible experience, writing the book, and nice to revisit. I felt as if I was researching my own story. It was also a pleasure to have the involvement of so many people – Jerry Mitchell and Robert Lindsay, who performed the voiceover for the original BBC production – most of whom I have kept in contact with."

Now, Steve makes an effort to attend as many amateur productions of Kinky Boots as he can, assisting the cast and selling his book to theatre-goers who just can't get enough of this one-of-a-kind story. 

He will be at The Corby Cube on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 April when Rutland Musical Theatre host their production of the show, meeting audience members and answering any burning questions you may have for the 'real Charlie Price'.

Rutland Musical Theatre will be performing the show from 5 – 8 April 2023 at The Corby Cube. 

See the RMT Facebook page for further show details, or book online. 

Image credit: Rutland Musical Theatre.