Kimberly Akimbo, Book & lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Janine Tesori, Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, London NW3 | until 07 November 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell

Photo credit: Marc Brenner

Kimberly Akimbo

Book & lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire

music by Janine Tesori

Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, London NW3 | until 07 November 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell

“Friedman triumphs in a dazzling, different show.”

Hampstead has a hit on its hands with this frankly immoral take on the high school musical in crime pays partly because the score by Janine Tesori is packed with melodic numbers, partly because it has a superb cast all of whom can sing, and partly because in the role of Kimberly, a sixteen year old living in New Jersey suffering from a rare disorder – she ages four to five times faster than is normal – facing up to no future us played by Maria Friedman. She delivers a marvellously touching performance and manages, given that she is in her sixties now, ungallant though it may be to say so, to convince us that she is a teenager. Kimberly has a drunken wastrel of a dad, a pregnant mother who is busily filming her life for the baby to come, and an aunt who is a crook. She is also a member of the school choir and the nice young man at the skating ring rather fancies her. The kids want money for a choir trip and Aunt Debra, who has a criminal record, suggests a way of raising the cash which the kids set about implementing. As Debra Alice Fearn matches Friedman in show stopping moments, while as Kimberly's less than perfect parents Peter Hannah and Niamh Perry are wonderfully self-centred while feeling reasonably kindly towards their hapless daughter. As Seth Weets the nerd from the skating rink where the kids congregate – there are some very disturbing moments when wearing skates, they must do a dance routine or two – Gilli Jones sings sweetly and creates a nice young man who really deserves more than life is going to give him. Will they choir get the money to go on that trip? Somebody does. The set by Soutra Gilmour is a superb creation which revolves to reveal the Skating Rink desk for issuing the skates, then Kimberly' home, from the basement living room to the room where mum sits filming and above that Kimberly's bedroom, as well as a series of clock faces marking the passage of time. The show is based on a play by David Lindsay-Abaire and quite why he and Tesori thought there was a musical there is one of life's mysteries which the extensive programme note does not solve. But there was, and there is Maria Friedman who even puts on those lethal skates. It has been staged on Broadway where it won several Tonys, but this production directed by Michael Longhurst in Hampstead's own – and a triumph.

Cast

Alice Fearn – Debra

Maria Friedman – Kimberly Levaco

Sara Hajhzadeh – Teresa Benton

Peter Hannah – Buddy Levaco

Ronav Jain -  Aaron Pockett

Gilli Jones – Seth Weetis

Robin Simoes Da Silva – Martin Doaty

Aviva Tiley -Delia McDaniels

Rachel Flynn & Daniel Walford – Swings

Creatives

Director – Michael Longhurst

Designer – Soutra Gilmour

Musical Director – Nigel Lilley

Choreographer -Matt Cole

Lighting Designer – Jack Knowles

Sound Designer – Paul Groothuis

Video Designer – Luke Halls

Dialect Coach – Aundrea Fudge