Kimberly Akimbo
Hampstead Theatre
Playing until 7th November 2026
Photo credit: Mar Brenner
Review {final preview performance}
Afflicted by a genetic condition that makes her age 4-5 times quicker than other people, Kimberly Levaco (Maria Friedman) has the physical body and appearance of a 60-year-old. Not only is she plagued by her medical condition, she also has a complicated home life and was forced to move away from her hometown due to a recent event caused by her aunt Debra (Alice Fearn). Despite this, Kimberly tries her best to live a normal life and integrating herself into a new school.
Kimberly is evidently damaged by her upbringing, lost any semblance of trust towards her parents and has a rather grim outlook on life. The book by David Lindsay-Abaire is strong, showcasing the distance between Kimberly and the people around her, including her parents. The only people who are able to instigate any kind of positive response appear to be her aunt and classmate, Seth (Gilli Jones), who is also a bit of an outcast in his own family. The feeling of being different to other people is what draws Kimberly and Seth together. Arguably, this is also the case for Debra, who is an eccentric troublemaker ostracised by her own sister, Kimberly’s mother, Pattie (Niamh Perry).
This story is complemented by a remarkably well-designed set by Soutra Gilmour. Taking the shape of a 3 storied building with a giant clock that spans the 1st and 2nd floor on the exterior, this provides the platform for a range of settings, including the ice rink, a garage and classroom. Through a rotating platform, this set can also be transformed into a 3-storied house inhabited by the Levaco family. Fittingly, each of the family member has a preferred floor they occupy, highlighting the avoidance of effective communication and fragmentation that already exists in this family unit.
Under the direction of Michael Longhurst, this production leans towards implications and subtlety. In Act I, Kimberly has few direct interactions with her classmates (Sarah Hajizadeh, Aaron Puckett, Martin Doaty, Delia McDaniels), hinting at either subconscious avoidance of Kimberly due to her physical appearance or Kimberly is actively avoiding engagement with the people around her. However, it is also because of this, I feel Kimberly’s feeling of isolation is not sufficiently highlighted and there is potential to make it even more prominent. This would have made her letter to the Make-a-Wish Foundation even more impactful, and would also better position the setup that led to her participation in Debra’s crime ring in Act II.
Friedman’s portrayal of the Kimberly captures the emotional weight she carries. This is accompanied by the doubt, reservation and hesitation in nearly all of her early interactions with her parents and her schoolmates. In this production, Friedman does a phenomenal job at depicting both the older mature persona and the childlike behaviour. However, what is missing is the teenage angst. Bearing in mind that Kimberly is 16 years old, this is the ripe age of rebelliousness. Instead of anger and snark, we see something more akin to a child’s tantrum, creating too big of a swing and deviation from a character that could almost be described as wise beyond her years.
Aunt Debra’s character is at the centre of almost all humour in this show. To this end, Fearn has done a good job in the creation of a humourous character that stimulates howls of laughter. However, I can’t help but think the character could be wilder with larger-than-life movements.
The production appears to be sitting on the fence in many aspects, including the subtle implication of Kimbery’s loneliness, Seth’s status as an outcast, and Debra’s eccentricity. It would have been interesting to see these select elements to be pushed further to maximise the impact it could achieve.
Creatives
Book and Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire
Music: Jeanine Tesori
Director: Michael Longhurst
Designer: Soutra Gilmour
Musical Supervisor and Musical Director: Nigel Lilley
Choreographer: Matt Cole
Lighting Designer: Jack Knowles
Sound Designer: Paul Groothuis
Video Designer: Luke Halls
Comments