Kimberly Akimbo (MTC) ★★★★

Book & lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. Music by Jeanine Tesori. Based on the play by David Lindsay-Abaire. Melbourne Theatre Company & State Theatre Company South Australia. Arts Centre Melbourne Playhouse. 26 Jul – 30 Aug, 2025.

Five-time Tony Award-winning musical Kimberly Akimbo is quirky, charming, and completely original. We all need to give director Mitchell Butel the full “Paddington hard stare” until he programmes it at STC.

Kimberly Levaco (Marina Prior) is on the verge of turning 16. Born with a rare genetic disorder that causes her to age four to five times faster than normal, she looks like a middle-aged woman but has the mind and heart of a teenager. Settling into a new school, she meets nerdy boy Seth (Darcy Wain), whose blunt lack of social graces and awkward charm get past her defensive nature. Meanwhile, her less-than-honest Aunt Debra (Casey Donovan) has cooked up a get-rich-quick scheme that hinges on Kimberly’s unique condition.

The adults in Kimberly’s world are… well, calling them “a mess” is being generous. They’re callous and cruel in their own ways. Narcissistic mum Pattie (Christie Whelan Browne) is pregnant again and recovering from surgery on both hands. Her dad Buddy (Nathan O’Keefe) is a drunk with a grudge against his sister-in-law Debra. Kimberly is not only physically ageing too fast — she’s had to grow up emotionally to take care of the useless adults who should be looking after her. And in the background, always, is the reminder that people with her condition rarely live beyond 16.

Which all sounds depressing as hell, but like the best comedies, there’s desperate humour baked into the chaos that keeps Kimberly Akimbo grounded in real emotion. Debra’s scheme is ridiculous, but the stakes are real for Kimberly, who wants the money so she can have an adventure before her time runs out. David Lindsay-Abaire’s book gives us slightly exaggerated but vividly drawn characters — more than you’d expect from most musicals.

And while the subject matter can be heavy, the show handles it with a remarkable lightness of touch. Tesori fans hoping for the weight of Caroline, Or Change or Fun Home might be surprised by the levity and silliness here — as I was when I first saw the show back in 2021. This is a gentler piece, leaning into the zany, 90s indie-cinema / Sundance crowd-pleaser vibe rather than tortured emotion. It’s not a frivolous show, but it doesn’t cut quite as deep as Tesori’s heavier works.

Marina Prior is instantly winning as the young Kimberly. She captures Kimberly’s quiet heartbreaks and fears with subtlety worth watching closely. Christie Whelan Browne and Nathan O’Keefe turn two highly unlikeable parents into layered, interesting people — not redeemable, but understandable in their desperation. Casey Donovan sings the pants off her numbers, but I’ll be honest — her comedy felt too broad compared to the rest of the cast and occasionally threatened to throw off the balance of a scene.

The real standout is newcomer Darcy Wain as Seth, Kimberly’s new friend and possible first love. His joyful, blissfully unaware performance radiates innocence and honesty, which lifts Prior’s Kimberly and throws her family’s toxicity into sharper relief. His own pain draws them together, and his openness gives her a new lease on life. Wain’s vocals are bright and his performance layered. 

He’s joined by a quartet of fellow students — Marty Alix, Allycia Angeles, Alana Iannace and Jacob Rosario — caught in an unrequited love-quadrangle (love-rectangle? love-polygon?). They don’t just keep the energy up; they nearly steal the show. As choruses go, they’re a dynamic, funny bunch — I’d happily watch a spin-off from their perspective.

Director Mitchell Butel again proves his deep understanding of musical theatre, delivering both spectacle and heart. Jonathan Oxlade’s set, full of childlike geometric shapes, highlights Kimberly’s innocence and naivety. The stage crew deserve their own standing ovation for wrangling the occasionally unwieldy set pieces. Ailsa Paterson’s costumes evoke the 90s without veering into cliché. And kudos to whoever picked the 90s pop bangers for the pre-show playlist — inspired.

Kimberly Akimbo hits that sweet spot between crowd-pleasing & thoughtful without being bland or patronising. It’s commercial with an art-house edge. The score doesn’t feature big Broadway belters you’ll be humming on the train home, but it’s filled with sharp, ear-catching phrases that stick with you long after the final bow.

So if you’re a musical theatre fan, don’t wait. Get to Melbourne before Kimberly Akimbo disappears — there’s no telling if Sydney will get its chance.