The heroine’s full name in this Tony Award-winning show is an anagram of “cleverly akimbo”. And that pretty much sums up what’s going on. David Lindsay-Abaire’s intelligent take on the high-school musical, which brings a different perspective to the genre, with music by Jeanine Tesori, is close to fantastic.
There are some excellent songs: for the school choir quartet, a budding romance and a fantastic finale to the first act. The lyrics are smart and, like the score, always interesting. Michael Longhurst’s direction is assured; the set, by Soutra Gilmour, is superb, and every performance deserves praise. So why any reservations?
The show’s big twist is that an older performer plays the sixteen-year-old lead. This isn’t blind casting: Maria Friedman takes the titular role because the character has a genetic disease that ages her. It’s the antidote to shows where kids’ problems are just problems for kids. Kimberly’s limited life expectancy is real; we know this is going to get grim. Friedman embraces the challenge, sounds great and is a true star. She is joined by the school’s “good boy” Seth, a fantastic performance from Gilli Jones, and the exploration of their tentative romance is as smart as it is sweet.
It should be enough. But Lindsay-Abaire adds more. Kimberly’s parents are troubled, not just by their child’s condition but by a criminal subplot that the kids are drawn into, and a family divide that is dismissed too awkwardly. It makes uncomfortable roles for Alice Fearn, Peter Hannah and Niamh Perry, who try hard but never seem to know how useless and nasty they are supposed to be (my answer would be very). There’s a similar issue with the choir. These are strong performances – from Sara Hajizadeh, Ronav Jaim, Robin Simões da Silva and Aviva Tulley – but it isn’t quite clear how interested we are supposed to be in these thin characters.
The distractions still manage to be fun. Fearn deserves special praise for bringing some restraint to her role. They make sure the tragic heroine isn’t the only surprise in Kimberly Akimbo. Dark humour and bleak moments meet sincerity and sentimental touches. There are simple lessons alongside an acknowledgment of how messy life can be. If credulity is pushed too far for some tastes, Kimberly has no choice but to grow up fast. Her tragedy brings the show to a strong conclusion: not great or grand, bittersweet, of course, but very special in its own way.
Until 7 November 2026
Photo by Marc Brenner