Johannes Radebe to Make His West End Musical Debut in Kinky Boots at the London Coliseum
Johannes Radebe, known for his appearances on Strictly Come Dancing, will make his West End musical debut in Kinky Boots at the London Coliseum. He will reprise the role of Lola from 17 March to 11 July 2026, following a successful run on the UK and Ireland tour. Radebe is widely recognised for reaching the Strictly Come Dancing final in 2021, where he danced alongside John Whaite in the show’s first all-male partnership.
Kinky Boots to Transfer to the West End with Johannes Radebe as Lola
The Kinky Boots production at the London Coliseum follows a week of previews at Curve, Leicester (where the tour first opened) from 3 March 2026. The musical, based on the 2005 film, features a book by Harvey Fierstein and a score by Cyndi Lauper. It tells the story of Charlie Price, who inherits a struggling shoe factory and teams up with drag performer Lola to save the business.
Johannes Radebe for Kinky Boots - photography by Charlie Flint.
Johannes Radebe Reflects on His Kinky Boots Journey
Johannes Radebe shared his excitement about his West End debut, saying: “I left my township in Zamdela at the age of 21 to dance in the ensemble on a cruise ship. Every night we did ABBA. That was my dream come true. Never then, nor since then, was it in my wildest dreams that I would have the opportunity to star in a musical in London’s West End. And not just any musical – my favourite musical... Kinky Boots.”
Radebe continued: “My involvement in Kinky Boots has been six years in the making, and Lola was the only role I ever wanted to play. Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper have written a show about accepting people for who they are, and the love our production has received across the UK has been overwhelming, beautiful, and life-changing.”
Creative Team Behind Kinky Boots at the London Coliseum
The production will be directed by Nikolai Foster, Curve’s artistic director, with choreography by Leah Hill and set and costume design by Robert Jones. Lola and the Angels’ costume design is by Tom Rogers, with musical supervision by George Dyer, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, and sound design by Adam Fisher. Harry Blumenau will handle casting, and Campbell Young Associates will be responsible for wigs, hair, and make-up design.
Tickets for Kinky Boots at the London Coliseum
Tickets for Kinky Boots at the London Coliseum go on sale from 15 July 2025. This exciting production is presented by ROYO, Runaway Entertainment, and Curve. Don’t miss your chance to see Johannes Radebe as Lola in one of the most iconic musicals in the West End!
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