A joyous story of Brit grit to high-heeled hit: Cyndi Lauper talks ahead of Kinky Boots coming to Birmingham Hippodrome

Featuring songs by Grammy and Tony winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper, Kinky Boots will transport fans from the factory floor to the glamorous catwalks of Milan.

Hippdrome spokesman Ben Wooldridge said the story was familiar to many. “Charlie Price is struggling to live up to his father’s expectations and continue the family business of Price & Son. With the shoe factory’s future hanging in the balance, help arrives in the unlikely but spectacular form of Lola – a fabulous performer in need of some sturdy new stilettos.

“West End star Kayi Ushe will be putting on the boots to play Lola. He will be joined by Paula Lane as Lauren, best known for her role as Kylie Platt in Coronation Street, and Joel Harper-Jackson, who recently starred in the The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time UK tour, will be playing Charlie Price.

“Inspired by true events, this joyous story of Brit grit to high-heeled hit is the ‘Freshest, most fabulous, feel-good musical of the decade ’ – The Hollywood News. It’s the ultimate fun night out for you and your loved ones, so book now and experience the energy, joy and laughter of this dazzling show.”

Kinky Boots has dazzled audiences in London for some years and Cyndi Lauper is not surprised that it’s proved so popular.

She believes it tells an important story that many can relate to. “I hope the audience take away that they see that people evolve, and also a message of acceptance – when you accept yourself, you accept others too, and those six steps of happiness (even though originally there were 12 but they were cut because it had to go quicker).”

Kinky Boots has given Lauper a new lease of life. She’d found fame in the earlier part of her career with a string of hit records.

“Do I recommend fame? Fame is tricky. You need it to continue your work, but it is tricky and there is no book out, How to be Famous for Dummies, because I would have bought it. But if you want to continue your work, it has to be viable enough to earn money to live off of, for other people to live off of, so it has to be somewhat viable and you have to be somewhat famous, for your craft. Not fame for 'I don’t know what you’re famous for' like the Kardashians.

“I don’t know what exactly they do. That kind of fame, I wouldn’t want. I would suggest developing your craft and that whatever you do in life you do it with passion and love and devotion, and if you are going to become famous, become famous for some contribution you’re giving to the world.”

Fame is also something that Lauper has found easier to deal with as she’s got older. “I’ve realised that I know less than I thought I did and to really try, even though everyone told me then, but to really try and take a moment here and there, to see where I am, stop working for a second and just breathe the air for a minute.”

The star is pleased that Kinky Boots has provided a new focus to her career. For one thing, it’s helped her to move on from She Bop, a song that seemed risqué at the time.

“I did get away with it because I did not mention anything about hands. I just mentioned all the clichés of what happens to you when you do bop. And it was fun! I mean, I laughed pretty hard writing that song. A friend of mine, it was his idea. And I said, true.

"We went to research this, I said there must be Playboy for women or something, and I found this magazine, Blueboy, had no idea it was for gay men. And so that’s why Blueboy magazine is in there! And it just sang well, Blueboy.

"You know, I only really got in trouble when I went on Dr Ruth’s show, then I got in trouble, then all of a sudden I was on the Filthy 15 list. I had to tell my mother what it was about and she was in the video – and all my aunts! That was all my aunts! They had no idea.

"Captain Lou – no idea. And he’s so Catholic that when you walk into his house he has a big crucifix on the outside of the door, and a big crucifix on the inside of the door. He was an incredible guy, really sweet, and it didn’t seem to bother him, and then he did Goonies with us and he was so wonderful.

"That video had to be my favourite video of all time – it was so our gang. And Dave Wolf, my manager, boyfriend, was so spectacular – he did this physical stuff that was amazing. All flailing arms, and then in the end Andre the Giant comes and saves the day.

"And the Bangles were in it. She Bop – again, all my friends and family. But calling up my mother and telling her that, she had to go back to my aunts because it was all over the news that all of a sudden She Bop was about down-there-of-which-we-do-not-speak!”