KINKY BOOTS to win the Tony over MATILDA? — Page 8

so newintown is not so new in town!

I'm a little confused bout all the posters proclaiming genderqueer heroism regarding Lola. I saw the show's first preview in New York -- a baffling event surrounded by screaming cheering throngs that convinced me I need never return to this show that was so not working for me. That aside, Lola had a line I'll badly paraphrase that sort of said: "I'm not gay because I don't want a bloke who wants to be with blokes." Is that line gone from the show now?

Saying she doesn't want a guy to love leaves her either asexual or straight in my book. Given that Billy Porter's performance seemed miles away from straight to me, I tag Lola asexual, and what kind of genderqueer breakthrough is that?

You know what show is cutting edge when it comes to gender, sexuality, and queerness? Hedwig. That's a cutting edge, complicated look at at those topics. Nothin better sums up "queer" than the scene in the movie adaptation with Hedwig and Yitzhak in bed. And it's over a decade old!

Kinky Boots is toothless queerness. It's drag queens who exist to impart life lessons and be sassy and fierce.

If Lola is assexual- awesome. Explore that in the text. How the character has to manufacture sexuality to hide their lack of sexuality. That's compelling and interesting.

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You think the fact that the protagonist sometimes refers to herself as Lola and sometimes to himself as Simon, sings a big number ("What a Woman Wants") that is entirely about the intentional ambiguity of masculinity, femininity, and desire, and boasts about doing the opposite of what people want isn't in the show?

Those are moments in the show, but I'm saying they weren't effective in conveying a "message" about a subculture of society. There is a statement being made about masculinity in What a Woman Wants, but taking it out of context and applying it more universally doesn't change its affect on how I viewed it in the show. And perhaps you are connected the dots intended by the creators, but I'm saying they are not going to be so obvious to everyone else, especially if the "genderqueer" aspect is supposed to be a profound topical and relevant message. It gets buried in the more common template of the underdog protagonist structure of the story.

Or you think it isn't about being genderqueer?

This. I think it's an interesting talking point, but not an intentional statement or stance based on a trendy concept in LGBT studies. Well, an old conversation given a new trendy name. I remember having these conversations in the 80s about Morrissey.

Your comments make me wonder whether you saw the show.

I did.

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I don't recall -- how did Hedwig do with the Tonys, and at the box office?

You have to admit, Kinky Boots sure seems to be tapping into something of the moment about what it means to be a real man or a real woman and acceptance in way that a lot of folks are relating to joyfully. I recall some of the doubters sniffing from the first preview that the enthusiastic crowds were all comped and would immediately die away. Not!

There are plenty of great shows this season, and lots of good, healthy competition. One thing is for sure: the Tony race isn't dull. Personally, I think folks are loving Kinky Boots in a way like no other show this season for a reason.

Marlothon, I think you're proving my point but don't know it.

"I think the line is in reference to Don insinuating that Lola "tarts it up" (dresses like a girl) to get men, to which she replies, "why would I do that, blokes who like blokes, like blokes." Meaning, that she wants men who like men, not men who would be attracted to women."

I think the line says the opposite, that she DOESN'T want a man who likes men. Either way, this sort of ambiguity to me still seems like cowardice, not a brave new world of genderqueer barrier busting, notwithstanding Cyndi and Harvey's queer rights pedigrees.

Updated On: 5/9/13 at 08:32 PM

Yeah, Kad, you missed it earlier; it was the walking-by-the-theatre-as-they-let-out which-audience-looks-happier test. Happened way back in this thread. Scientifically conclusive: MATILDA apparently is a snooze and will close in a matter of months.

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With Matilda winning the New York Critics' Circle Award (and probably the Drama Desk coming up), the race is far from over. We've got a race this year!

I tag Lola asexual,

You tag wrong.

Obviously, you missed the message, but sex is in the boot.

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Kinky Boots definitely has the better campaign going on... actually, I have not heard one thing about Matilda in regards to the TONY Awards besides stuff on this website and walking by the theatre, but this just popped up on my news feed:
EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT KINKY BOOTS!

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Kinky Boots has definitely turned up the marketing to eleven. It's all over my social media sites, and they've certainly been promoting it hard with all the TV appearances and forum posts.

Say what you want about the actual show, but no one can say this is not fantastically produced.