Kimberly Akimbo → State Theatre SA

 This Tony Award winning musical is making its Australian Premiere in Adelaide thanks to the State Theatre Company of SA. It’s a heartfelt, hilarious and wonderfully quirky show that leaves you with a stark reminder about how precious life is! 


This coming-of-age tale follows Kimberly, who is living with a genetic condition that causes her to age four times faster than others. She turns 16, and is navigating first love, her dysfunctional family and her desire to fit in. I enjoyed the simplicity of the plot, in that the remaining characters are raw, flawed yet still all well-meaning. Her high school peers are the loveable group of misfits, played by Allycia Angeles, Marty Alix, Alana Iannace and Jacob Rozario. Together with Kimberly’s love interest Seth, performed by Darcy Wain, they portray a heartwarming bunch of teens! Their quirky group dynamic and underdog status make them relatable to one’s inner teen, and their performances captured their adolescent view of the world. 


The gem of this bunch is Seth, who sees past Kimberly’s condition, and values the human she is. Darcy Wain shone in this role, he grounds the show in his portrayal of Seth’s unwavering loyalty and loveable charm. 


What is heartbreaking about Kimberly’s character, is that she yearns for, and clings to her youth. Despite the real-life age difference to her peers in the show, Marina grasped the essence of a teenager in a 70 year-old’s body, balancing Kim’s youthful innocence, wit and vulnerability. Her ‘young dreamer’ archetype is brought to life in a gut-wrenching way, as we all know her time is running out. 


As to be expected, Casey was a hoot as Aunt Debra, earning many outbursts of laughter at her crude humour. Her character is one to contrast against the show’s sadder themes and moments, yet Casey reminds the audience that life is too short to not start a little chaos! 


Christie Whelan Browne as Pattie and local legend Nathan O’Keefe as Buddy are Kimberly’s deeply-flawed parents. They evoke sympathy from the audience as they navigate their tragic family dynamic. They're the kind of characters you laugh at until you realise how deeply they've failed the one person who needed them most.


This show’s strength lies in the connections between the characters, creating a feel-good energy that’s both heartfelt and deeply human - a refreshing feeling to be left with when you leave the theatre. 


This is a stellar production by the State Theatre, with an epic team of homegrown South Aussie’s behind it.



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