In a capital bursting at the seams with musicals based on established intellectual property, it always feels like a breath of fresh air when something genuinely original comes along. New to London at least, David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori’s Kimberly Akimbo has already enjoyed a Tony Award-winning run on Broadway and now receives its UK premiere at Hampstead Theatre in a production directed by Michael Longhurst.
Set at the turn of the century in suburban New Jersey, the story follows Kimberly Levaco, who, like any sixteen-year-old, is trying to find her feet in a new town and a new school. At the local skating rink she finds friendship and acceptance from a group of outsiders who prove far more dependable than her own family.
Kimberly, however, is not like any other teenager. She suffers from an extremely rare genetic condition that causes her body to age four times faster than normal. While her classmates are enjoying the first flush of youth, Kimberly inhabits the body of a woman in her mid-sixties and faces all the physical challenges that come with it.
It’s a premise that allows Kimberly Akimbo to explore familiar coming-of-age themes from a strikingly original perspective. Beneath its wit and eccentricity is a story about time, mortality and making the most of the life you’re given. While her friends can dream endlessly about the future, Kimberly is painfully aware that hers may be far shorter than anyone around her is prepared to acknowledge.
Adapted from Lindsay-Abaire’s earlier play, there are occasional moments when you can sense the material’s theatrical origins and a handful of songs feel more functional than organic. Yet the story ultimately flourishes in musical form. Tesori’s score may be more straightforward than some of her most celebrated work, but its accessibility is a strength, effortlessly balancing heartfelt ballads with quirky, character-driven comedy numbers. The music mirrors the show’s emotional duality, finding humour in darkness without ever diminishing its emotional stakes.
And Kimberly Akimbo is genuinely funny. The comedy arrives not through punchlines but through sharply drawn characters and delightfully odd situations. Kimberly’s friends Teresa, Aaron, Martin and Delia form an endearingly awkward high-school chorus, navigating an ever-shifting web of crushes and misunderstandings while providing some of the evening’s biggest laughs.
The comedy reaches another level whenever Alice Fearn’s gloriously chaotic Aunt Debra enters the stage. Having already upended the family’s life once, Debra arrives in New Jersey armed with yet another terrible idea, recruiting Kimberly and her friends into an increasingly absurd cheque-washing scam. Fearn delivers a masterclass in comic timing, creating a character who is both outrageously irresponsible and strangely irresistible.
The show’s emotional heart lies in Kimberly’s relationship with Seth Weetis. Gilli Jones is superb as the anagram-obsessed, tuba-playing teenager who sees beyond Kimberly’s appearance and values her for who she truly is. Jones brings an unaffected warmth and sincerity that prevents Seth from becoming merely quirky, while the chemistry between the pair gives the musical its sweetest and most affecting moments.
Peter Hannah and Niamh Perry are equally impressive as Buddy and Pattie Levaco. Their parenting is frequently inadequate and often frustrating, but both performances refuse easy caricature. Hannah captures Buddy’s immaturity and desperate optimism, while Perry skilfully reveals Pattie’s exhaustion and disappointment. Together they create flawed, recognisably human parents whose love for their daughter remains visible even through their mistakes.
At the centre of it all is Maria Friedman in the title role. It’s a brave performance that asks both actor and audience to continually navigate the tension between Kimberly’s chronological age and physical appearance. There are moments when that balance wobbles, and you become aware of an older performer playing younger. Yet Friedman’s skill ultimately carries the day. She captures Kimberly’s yearning, awkwardness, intelligence and resilience with remarkable precision, ensuring we never lose sight of the teenager beneath the condition.
Soutra Gilmour’s ambitious design is equally effective. Beginning beneath New Jersey’s famous Colgate Clock, the set rotates to reveal the Levaco home across multiple levels before transforming seamlessly into classrooms, skating rinks and other locations. Clocks recur throughout the production, serving as a subtle reminder that while everyone around Kimberly is looking towards the future, she is painfully aware that time is slipping away faster than it should.
Following the success of Next to Normal, Michael Longhurst has once again demonstrated a keen understanding of how contemporary musical theatre can balance emotional honesty with theatrical invention. His production finds the perfect equilibrium between comedy and heartbreak, allowing neither to overshadow the other.
Kimberly Akimbo is funny, touching and profound, a musical that celebrates life precisely because it understands how fragile it can be. In a theatrical landscape crowded with familiar titles and safe bets, this feels thrillingly original: a beautifully judged and utterly life-affirming musical that deserves a long future beyond Hampstead.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
