An unforgettable musical drama treasure
The subject matter of Hampstead Theatre’s latest show is eyebrow raising and may well provoke a frisson. Kimberley Levaco is in her mid-teens – but looks like a woman in her sixties. She suffers from a rare genetic condition (a clever invention of the writers) that is ageing her four times faster than her peers and means her days are numbered.
The extraordinary energy and – yes, joie de vivre – with which she lives the life she has been granted is both admirably exhilarating and especially poignant. And if you’re assuming that following her tragic trajectory is the sum of the drama, moments into the action you’ll think again.
A real coup is the casting of the terrific Maria Friedman (aged 66, herself) as Kimberley. Still beautiful, she looks wonderfully at ease and natural in her role as the teenager undergoing a unique life experience – but so far for only 15 years of it.
Another unexpected joy – and challenge – is the twists and turns of a plot that doesn’t simply revolve around age and time. Designer Sutra Gilmour’s miraculously versatile set opens at an ice-skating rink, Skating Planet, a magnet for New Jersey teenagers. And although Kimberley is right there in her skates, at the centre of the action is Seth, a fellow student at her high school, whose job, part-time in name and pay only, is to be the ‘man of all work’ at the rink. He hires out lockers, expertly fits skates, sells snacks and is master of the loudspeaker system that carries warnings and instructions. Gilli Jones’ Seth is convincingly all knowing and self-assured. On top of that, he’s a tuba-playing, Elvish-speaking Tolkien fan.
In a telling glimpse of Kimberley’s home life, her barely thirty-something dad, Buddy (Peter Hannah) is an alcoholic and can’t be depended upon to even pick her up from college on time; while her very pregnant mum, Pattie (Niamh Perry), records a song on video ‘Hello Darling’ to the baby “in my belly”, that is full of personal revelations. Meanwhile Kimberly’s rogue Aunt Debra is trying to move into the family home, armed with a crazy plan for stealing cheques.
In the midst of it all is Seth’s attraction to Kimberley. All the high school students are working on autobiographical projects about life challenges they face. He proposes they work together and do the presentation on Kimberley. He means her condition, she’s chosen glaucoma. Eventually they get together – in the library – where it becomes clear how much they share.
With an engaging (and at times emotional) score by Jeanine Tesori (Caroline or Change; Fun Home) and assured direction by Michael Longhurst, the show arrives trailing clouds of glory: it has already won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical. After seeing this absorbing, complicated but surprisingly hopeful show, it’s clear to see why.
By Judi Herman
Photos by Marc Brenner
Kimberly Akimbo runs until Saturday 14 November. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only). From £35. Hampstead Theatre, NW3 3EU. www.hampsteadtheatre.com