It is not every day that Hampstead Theatre stages a musical – it’s been more than eight years since Caroline, or Change and twelve years since Sunny Afternoon. Better known for showcasing a mix of bold new writing and revisiting classics, this intimate 325-seat venue seems an unlikely home for a Tony Award-winning Broadway hit. Yet Kimberly Akimbo fits here perfectly. It offers a rare treat: a big-hearted musical in a room small enough to catch every subtle emotional flicker.
It’s 1999, before mobile phones and social media took over kids’ lives, and we’re somewhere in Bergen County, New Jersey. Now imagine the inverse storyline of Benjamin Button, add in the intense domestic turbulence of Next to Normal, and an exquisite score from Fun Home’s Jeanine Tesori. Add a dash of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’s misfit teen warmth withsome of Matilda’s darkly eccentric adults, and you get the wonderful, bittersweet story that is Kimberly Akimbo.
The story centres on Kimberly Levaco, a teenager living with a rare genetic condition that causes her body to age at four times the normal rate. Mentally and emotionally, she is like her teenage peers. Visually, she is an older woman facing a painfully short life expectancy. Against this backdrop, she has to navigate the usual high-school angst, schoolgirl crushes, teenage awkwardness, and embarrassment, all whilst living in a deeply dysfunctional home. Her parents are drowning in poverty, neglect, alcohol, family dramas, and their own untreated trauma. It may sound a bit complicated and a lot to cram in, but book writer and lyricist David Lindsay-Abaire makes light work of it. The result is both engaging and compelling, earning him the Tony for Best Book of a Musical.
West End royalty Maria Friedman delivers a sensitive lead performance in the title role. She captures the vulnerability of Kimberly’s youth, trapped inside a failing body, without ever letting the role slip into stereotypes. Beside her, Niamh Perry and Peter Hannah present an honest, unsanitised portrait of her deeply flawed parents, Pattie and Buddy. They do not shy away from the darker moments of parental failure, yet their messy love for their daughter remains clear.
Alice Fearn, as Aunt Debra, has incredible comic timing and powerhouse vocals. Her performance of the song ‘Better’ stands out as a high-octane vocal and comedic highlight. Who doesn’t want to make their shitty life better (to quote the lyrics)? Meanwhile, the supporting quartet of school friends – Sara Hajizadeh, Ronav Jain, Robin Simões da Silva, and Aviva Tulley – brings joy and humour to the subplot. Their vocal harmonies are absolute perfection and their characterisations credible, funny, and endearing. Gilli Jones matches them with a warm, tender turn as Seth Weetis, Kimberly’s anagram-obsessed companion.
Visually, Michael Longhurst’s production makes clever use of space. An overarching clock dominates the stage, serving as a constant reminder of ticking time. Beneath it, Soutra Gilmour’s set shifts effortlessly between a suburban home, an ice-skating rink, and a high school. Positioned on either side of the stage, an eight-piece orchestra led by musical director Nigel Lilley delivers a rich, textured sound that fills the auditorium.
Tesori’s score works beautifully in the moment. Lindsay-Abaire’s dialogue flows naturally, his lyrics drive the plot forward, and the music offers light whenever the narrative turns dark. There’s enough musical variety to keep you captivated, with a thread connecting the songs to each other and to the story. This is a score built for narrative cohesion rather than standalone pop hooks, and every song has a role and lands with purpose.
Kimberly Akimbo deals with some heavy themes, yet it doesn’t feel dismal. It is a story about finding joy, light, and connection even when time is short and the odds are stacked against you. This is one show where you’ll come out with your heart feeling a lot lighter than when you went in.
Just two minutes from Swiss Cottage tube station, Hampstead Theatre offers a rare opportunity to see a production of this calibre up close. One hopes a West End transfer will follow, so catch it in this intimate setting while you still can.
Kimberly Akimbo is playing at Hampstead Theatre until 7 November 2026.
Book your tickets at hampsteadtheatre.com
Words by Helen Keegan
Photography by Marc Brenner
