Danny Becker
The music in Kinky Boots is legendary. What’s your favourite song from the musical and why?
I’m a massive fan of the entire score, Cindi Lauper certainly knows how to write a catchy song! I think my favourite would have to be My Fathers Son. I find it such a moving song which always seems to get me choked up, and I just love this moment of true connection between Lola and Charlie.
The relationship between Charlie and Lola is central to the story. How do you approach building chemistry with your co-star to convey the depth of their connection?
I cannot wait to get into the rehearsal room with Duane-Lamonte, and start exploring our characters beautiful relationship. I think the way you build chemistry is just by being kind, open and becoming friends in real life. Along with a great rehearsal process where we get to explore the nuances of our relationship throughout the show.
Charlie undergoes a significant transformation throughout the musical. How do you approach portraying his journey from a reluctant businessman to a passionate advocate for acceptance and diversity?
The show is written so beautifully that I feel it takes me, as an actor, quite naturally on Charlie’s journey. Two big factors of this change come from his relationship with his father, who I think motivates his determination to save the factory. Along with his passion to keep his colleagues and friends in work. This is coupled with his new relationship with Lola, which I think allows Charlie to see parts of himself in Lola. This changes Charlie to accept both Lola and himself, in turn saving the factory, himself and bringing about a beautiful diverse workforce.
Kinky Boots explores themes of acceptance, individuality, and self-discovery. How do you think Charlie embodies these themes, and what message do you hope audiences take away from his story?
I think Charlie embodies this when he opens his mind up, and eventually his heart, to bring Lola on as a business partner, listening to her ideas and actioning them. I hope the audience walk away with the same open-mindedness, lots of joy and ultimately a feeling that they can follow their heart and be exactly who they are!
What aspects of Charlie’s personality or experiences do you find most compelling to explore as an actor?
For me it’s Charlie’s shift from his nervous, go-with-the flow attitude to life, to not running away and facing his destiny head on. I love the confidence Charlie gains throughout the show, and I can’t wait to explore this deeper with every performance!
Charlie faces pressure from various sources, including his family and societal expectations. How do you navigate portraying his internal struggles and external conflicts?
For me, I think it’s about getting the balance between the stakes of the situation, which I think comes from how much the factory matters and means to him, with his overall objective of saving the factory. But also I feel I can relate to Charlie in a lot of ways, and hopefully use that to empathise with Charlie struggles and journey to overcoming them.
Kinky Boots celebrates the power of acceptance and embracing one’s true self. How do you personally connect with the message of the musical, and what do you hope audiences take away from Charlie’s journey?
As I have personally gone on a journey of self-acceptance, and I think most of us have, I can certainly connect with Charlie on a personal level. I also believe this is a continued practice throughout the seasons of life, as I find that we constantly change, grow and need to continue accepting the new versions of ourselves. I think this can sometimes be quite challenging for a lot of us.
To see this reflected in Charlie, I hope this will remind audiences that it’s okay to ‘fail’, make mistakes, and sometimes by doing that, you can find an unexpected path that might feel scary but can lead you back to your true self.
And if not that, I would love audiences to feel seen and a little less alone within this very human experience of ultimately, self-love.