Giant Kinky Boots created in time for Northampton carnival

For those of you attending Northampton Carnival on Saturday might be able to guess that it was a giant pair of Kinky Boots which was one of the many floats.

The boots were created for several events which will be used to promote the first ever UK tour of Kinky Boots which opens at the Royal & Derngate in mid September.

They have been created by Milton Keynes based firm Festive Road and said that the challenge of creating the boots was a little bit like the story of the film.

Clive Doherty, creative and technical director at Festive Road said: "The biggest challenge for us in creating this piece is something that I had no knowledge of at all. I've never even looked at pairs of boots.

"There is a certain sense of satisfaction at seeing them created and knowing that we overcame the challenges that were thrown up while we were created them."

It took the team of two, made up of Clive as well as the company's executive director Martine Frost as well as four volunteers to create the boots. Linda Hewitt was responsible for sewing while volunteers Sara Mattu, Heather Frost and Abigail Stephenson also helped in their creation.

Martine added: "We started looking at the creating of them and saw that there were several different designs in all the various productions and the film. Therefore, we had plenty of scope to make them ourselves.

"It was a challenge we set with ourselves and I am glad that we did them this way because the impact looks tremendous."

The theatre was delighted to have them created for the show.

Jo Gordon, marketing and sales director at the Royal & Derngate said: “We’re really excited to have Kinky Boots The Musical coming to Northampton this autumn, to start its national tour. Northampton Carnival was a great occasion to start celebrating the imminent arrival of this joyous, feel-good show, which has the roots of its story in this town. The gigantic boots that Festive Road have created were a spectacular centrepiece for our float and helped spread the word about this fantastic show over the coming months.”

The commission and the funding for the boots came from Northampton Borough Council who are delighted that the show is returning to its roots.

Cllr Anna King, Northampton Borough Council cabinet member for community safety and engagement, said: “Kinky Boots is coming home to Northampton this year and we’re going all-out to make a big splash about it.

“It is a tale of real resilience, innovation and inclusion – things that run through the core of Northampton’s psyche.

“We’re thrilled that the Royal & Derngate is hosting the hit musical in September and October, right at the start of its UK tour, and even writer and pop icon Cyndi Lauper has expressed her excitement about her stage show returning to the story’s roots.”

The boots will also be used at a screening of the film taking place later this year plus a gala event at the Guildhall.

For more details about the show visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk.