Kimberly Akimbo – Hampstead Theatre

Maria Friedman and Gilli Jones in Kimberly Akimbo at the Hampstead Theatre, London. Picture: Marc Brenner

Kimberly Akimbo continues at the Hampstead Theatre, London until 7 November 2026.

Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Kimberly Akimbo (book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Jeanine Tesori) began life as a 2001 play by Lindsay-Abaire. Two decades later, this musical version took New York by storm, won five Tony Awards, and has now made its way to London’s Hampstead Theatre. It may strain credulity that a musical about a terminally ill teenager is one of the most purely enjoyable and heartwarming shows of recent times, but that is the case I’m going to make over the next few hundred words.

UK theatre royalty Maria Friedman stars, imbuing the show’s titular protagonist with an instant likeability, impressive energy and spark. Beyond the challenges faced by many teenagers – moving to a new school, unstable home life, fears about fitting in, etc. – Kimberly has a condition whereby her body ages rapidly, making her appear older than her 15 years. Friedman’s performance is confident and convincing. As her classically West End vocal cords strain against the pop-punk ‘Nu-Broadway’ style of Tesori’s score, that sadness at the heart of the plot bleeds through into even the most joyous of musical numbers.

As Kimberly expresses her wishes for a normal life, we melt into empathy. She dreams not of a miracle cure, but a simple road trip or a home-cooked meal with her family. For all the experiences that will never be possible for her, there is even greater tragedy in the theoretically possible but practically unavailable. She suffers not only because of her medical condition, but because of her home situation.

Kimberly lives with Buddy and Pattie, a couple who struggle with parenthood. They are a family struggling with poverty, alcoholism and dark secrets. Peter Hannah and Niamh Perry are a formidable team who play the pair with a twinkle of heart, despite their abundant shortcomings. A particular highlight comes as Hannah performs a patter song nervous breakdown while coming to terms with Kimberly’s new love interest Seth Weetis, a puzzle enthusiast and tubist played with affably nerdy charm by Gilli Jones.

As engaging as these characters and performers are, the show kicks into an even higher gear with the entrance of Alice Fearn as scene-stealing agent of chaos, Aunt Debra. This charismatic criminal recruits Kimberly and Seth into a nefarious cheque fraud scheme, promising money that could make Kimberly’s dream of a family road trip come true. Fearn’s performance is a canny distillation of the entire show: dark subject matter presented through a wildly entertaining lens.

Also roped into this unlawful scheme are Kimberly’s friends: her school’s show choir, who provide yet more comic relief and a refreshingly straightforward queer love quadrangle. Sara Hajizadeh, Ronav Jain, Robin Simōes Da Silva and Aviva Tulley have superb chemistry and exhibit vocal harmonies well beyond anything I’ve ever heard from a high school show choir. Sorry, Glee.

Tesori’s score has nods to the classic musical theatre sound but is built on a driving contemporary pulse. All characters are given their chance to shine, but none of these solo moments feel crowbarred in and nor do they slow down the action. Nigel Lilley serves as music supervisor for this production and directs his tight eight-piece band in sizzling arrangements of these pop-rock earworms.

Hampstead Theatre is a marvellous space. Beyond the modern bar and foyer areas, nearly all seats have an excellent view and feel close to the action, despite the stage being large enough for full West End spectacle. Designer Soutra Gilmour’s colourful dolls’ house set is made even more striking by Jack Knowles’ lighting design and Luke Halls’ video projection work.

Of course, the biggest challenge for a show like this lies in its tone. Director Michael Longhurst has done a masterful job here, cleverly weaving a chainlink fence of farce, capers and hilarity between the audience and an inescapably sad backdrop. That tragedy is always evident in the background, but we are never pushed too near. The show mercifully leaves a lot of the experience up to us and the overwhelming expressions visible on the faces of the audience as they exit are joy and gratefulness. Kimberly Akimbo is an exceptionally entertaining evening out with exactly as much to give as you are emotionally able to take.

Ian Bowkett