Review: Kimberly Akimbo at Her Majesty’s Theatre

Laugh-out-loud one moment, heartbreakingly beautiful the next – Kimberly Akimbo is pure magic.

This Australian premiere of Kimberly Akimbo is proof that some stories have no boundaries – and, if they land in the right hands, they take hold and become something new, yet deeply moving. Under the inspired direction of Mitchell Butel, this offbeat treasure unfolds with a pitch-perfect balance of tenderness, surprise, emotional richness and a touch of lovely chaos that couldn’t be more at home on an Australian stage.

At the centre of it is Marina Prior as Kimberly – a casting choice that delights and surprises at every turn. Prior brings to Kimberly the warmth, mischief and painful vulnerability that make this improbable teenage hero so indelible. Seeing her navigate the craziness of a life lived too quickly – first love, lousy parents, an actually criminal aunt – is by turns hilarious and heartbreaking.

She’s aided by a great ensemble who balance out the show’s goofy humour with genuine pathos. Darcy Wain is adorably awkward, earnest and incredible as Seth, Kimberly’s nerdy partner-in-crime whose anagram affection conceals a quietly subversive streak. Christie Whelan Browne and Nathan O’Keefe are ideal as Kimberly’s riotously dysfunctional parents – their comic timing sells every outlandish twist, but they never lose the sad reality beneath the gags. And Casey Donovan is a scene-stealing sensation as Debra, the plotting aunt whose large schemes are only matched by her even larger mishaps.

The teen misfits, played with contagious enthusiasm by Marty Alix (Martin), Allycia Angeles (Delia), Alana Iannace (Teresa) and Jacob Rozario (Aaron), add to the zing of the chaos, bringing Amy Campbell’s clever, lively choreography to life with a youthful vigour that elevates the entire production.

Musically, the production is in excellent hands. Kym Purling leads the band with playful precision, ensuring Jeanine Tesori’s deceptively intricate score shimmers in every corner of the theatre. Numbers like ‘Anagram’ and ‘Our Disease’ showcase the cast’s vocal chops while letting the score’s sly humour and quiet heartbreak shine through.

The design team matches the musical’s oddball tone with vibrant style. Jonathon Oxlade’s set turns suburbia into a candy-coloured, cartoonish playground of garish lounge rooms and surreal skating rinks, perfectly echoing Kimberly’s strange reality. Ailsa Paterson’s costumes exaggerate everyday suburban life into bold, comic silhouettes, while Matt Scott’s lighting bathes scenes in rich, playful hues that pivot effortlessly to reveal moments of genuine tenderness.

What’s amazing about this Kimberly Akimbo is how it manages to encompass so many contradictions at the same time; it’s zany and understated, absurd and realistic, gut-laugh funny and softly devastating. Butel’s direction never lets us forget the gentle heartbeat at the centre of Kimberly’s story – an exhortation to seize life, messy or short or unfair as it may be.

In a scene too frequently starved of new musical theatre, Kimberly Akimbo feels like a begrudging, wild breath of fresh air. With this cast and creative team, it’s more than a musical – it’s a love letter to life’s bizarre, lovely, fleeting moments.

Catch it while you can – this is the kind of show you’ll be carrying with you long after the curtain call.

5 Unbearably Happy stars

Lia Loves.