A moving, heart-warming and joyful night at the theatre – a ‘must see’ production
Presented by: State Theatre Company South Australia and Melbourne Theatre Company in association with Wagnan Productions Sarah Rohsheim Presents
Reviewed: 11 July, 2025
Kimberly Akimbo is a triumph for State Theatre Company South Australia. This production is world class and checks every box — strong book, excellent score, sensational cast, creative set, lighting and costumes, tight direction, top-notch music direction and band, snappy choreography and lots of emotions to take you on a rollercoaster ride.
Winner of five Tony Awards and a long list of other accolades, Kimberly Akimbo is an incredible musical that tells the story of teenager Kimberly Levaco (Marina Prior) who suffers from a condition that causes her to age rapidly, giving her the appearance of an older woman. The show, set in 1999 in New Jersey, is a sea of teen angst, family dramas and Kimberly’s yearning to just fit in. Add in scenes at an ice-skating rink, complete with rollerblading choreography, Kimberly Akimbo is the sort of production we all need to fill our souls with hope and love this winter.
It is so pleasing to see a musical come through town that is original. There is no movie that is based on, no best-selling novel and it’s not part of a huge franchise, though it is based on David Lindsay-Abaire’s play from 2000 with the same name. Kimberly Akimbo is a wonderful, much needed breath of fresh air to the musical theatre stages. The book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire (Shrek the Musical, A Devil Inside and High Fidelity (musical)) and score by Jeanine Tesori (Shrek the Musical, Violet, Fun Home) are full of incredibly moving moments, with an emotionally-driven score, laughter, tears and so much heart.
Director Mitchell Butel has done a magnificent job with Kimberly Akimbo. With a cast that includes a mixture of young, fresh-out-of-uni performers and veterans of our stages, Butel has found the perfect middle ground in how they work together. He has directed this production with the perfect level of restraint, never letting one cast member play for a laugh; everything is thought through with the utmost care, letting this moving, funny and beautifully written script shine through.
The small cast are the heart and soul of this production, led by the incredible Marina Prior. Having seen Prior in many productions over the years, this would have to be one of her greatest. She plays Kimberly with such conviction. Her teen mannerisms are crafted brilliantly, her work with the younger cast makes you believe she is one of their peers, and vocally, Prior handles the score with such finesse. Her powerful act two number, Before I Go, is one of the many highlights of this sensational show.
Casey Donovan once again reminds us all why she is one of the queens of Australian theatre. Her performance is dynamite. Playing Kimberly’s Aunt Debra, Donovan brings the perfect level of humour to the role. Never playing for laughs, she lets the script do the work for her. Add in her trade-mark belt and powerhouse vocals, Donovan brings the house down with her act one number “Better”. Like Prior, this is one of the finest performances this reviewer has seen from Donovan.
Like Donovan, Christie Whelan Browne, as Kimberly’s mother Pattie, doesn’t play for laughs. She has found this magical line between comedy and heart-warming with the role. We can see this beautiful switch in numbers such as “Hello, Darling” and the gut wrenching “Father Time”.
Playing Kimberly’s father Buddy is State Theatre regular Nathan O’Keefe. What a voice! When you get a brilliant actor who is also a brilliant vocalist, you are treated to such an incredible performance. Whelan Browne, O’Keefe and Butel should be commended for finding the right level of comedy and drama with the parents. It would be very easy to take the comic, cartoon direction with these two characters (think Mr and Mrs Wormwood in Matilda), but they toe the line perfectly.
Darcy Wain as new friend/love interest, Seth Weetis, is excellent. He has found such a warmth to the character, and you cannot help but love everything about him. There is a wonderful puppy-dog innocence to Wain’s performance. Vocally, Wain’s voice melts your soul.
The remaining four cast members, Marty Alix, Allycia Angeles, Alana Iannace and Jacob Rozarlo and so good, you forget that this is the first major professional musical for most of these performers. Together, they play other students at Kimberly’s school who get swept up into Kimberly’s world and her Aunt Debra’s crazy schemes. All four have created incredible characters. Vocally, each is exceptional, but the true magic lies when they combine their voices to produce such a rich and strong harmonic blend.
Music Director Kym Purling’s work only enhances the top-notch quality of this production. The work he has done with the cast is brilliant, and he has assembled such a strong pit-band who never falter between the ever changing styles in the score. The band, placed off-stage, are Adelaide locals — another strong reminder of the exceptional talent we have here in our state.
Choreographer Amy Campbell has also done a remarkable job matching Butel’s vision. When a production team (director, music director and choreographer) works seamlessly together, it always results in a memorable performance. Kimberly Akimbo is the perfect example of this. Campbell’s choreography is fresh and innovative. It comes across as natural for each character and it is clear she has worked to each cast member’s strengths.
Jonathon Oxlade’s set design is innovative. The use of geometric shapes and a pastel palette, rotating sets and trucks (often aided by crew dressed as ice-rink workers) allow the scenes to glide in and out around the cast. Costume Design by Ailsa Paterson perfectly captures the late 1990’s, with so much attention to detail given to each outfit. Matt Scott’s lighting design is perfectly unobtrusive, and adds an emotional depth through the colour palette used. After seeing several recent performances in Her Majesty’s where the audio design has been very hit and miss, it is a relief to hear Andrew Poppleton’s perfect Sound Design, with the cast just sitting above the level of the band so every note can be heard.
Kimberly Akimbo is one of those shows that will be talked about for a long time to come. It’s playing for a very limited season (closes July 19) at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Do what you can to get to see this incredible production. Following its Adelaide season, Kimberly Akimbo will have a short season in Melbourne. However, a production of this quality needs a full scale Australian tour — it’s a ‘must see’.
Reviewed by Ben Stefanoff
Photo credit: Sam Roberts
Venue: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Season: 8th – 19th July, 2025
Duration: Approx. 2 hours and 30 minutes including an interval
Tickets: From $68 (plus booking fees)
Bookings: https://statetheatrecompany.com.au/shows/kimberly-akimbo/
Content Warning: Contains strong language and adult themes
