Kimberly Akimbo has always been a musical that has punched above its weight. After winning the Tony Award for “Best Musical” in a star-studded 2023 line up, the show had a lengthy Broadway run before embarking on a US national tour. Now, the State Theatre Company of South Australia, in collaboration with the Melbourne Theatre Company have brought the production down under for its Australian premiere. The team, led by Sydney Theatre Company artistic director Mitchell Butel, has assembled a stellar cast for the production, with Marina Prior in the titular role and Casey Donovan as Aunt Debra. 

The show centres around Kimberly Levaco, who is 16 years old and trying to make friends in her new school. Only, she suffers from a debilitating illness that ages her four times faster than the general population and has a life expectancy of 16 years. With a narcissistic family and a group of school colleagues who look down on Kimberly based on her appearance, life is difficult for the teenager who has the body of a 70-year-old. 

This is a defining role for Australian theatre legend Marina Prior who is extraordinary as Kimberly. Playing a grown adult with the mind of a teenager is not an easy feat but Prior handles it with such ease, performing with heart and emotion as well as stellar vocals. It’s a meaty and complex role and it’s fair to say that Prior really makes the show with her interpretation. 

For the night of the review, Donovan was out sick, but the role of Debra was filled admirably by Millicent Sarre, who performs with all the gravitas and charisma that the role of the criminally inclined, slightly crazy aunt demands. While some of the higher notes in “Better” (a very challenging song) are not perfect, Sarre’s embodiment of the character is flawless and works very well in conjunction with the rest of the company.

All of the performers on stage are superb but special mention must go to Darcy Wain as Seth, who is on the path to great things with his awkwardly endearing performance which contrasts perfectly to Prior in the lead. The quartet of Marty Alix, Allycia Angeles, Alana Iannace and Jacob Rozario are also fantastic and very amusing in their roles as choir-loving school children. 

Set designer Jonathon Oxlade has eschewed the Grease-style set of the Broadway production (that has been done ad nauseam in every musical set in high school since), instead creatively opting for a cavernous and clinical space, assembled with geometric precision. This is very deliberate and allows for seamless scene changes and highlights the isolation in Kimberly’s world. Matt Scott’s lighting design and Ailsa Paterson’s costuming are also superb, resulting in a superb collaborative production experience.

I was fortunate enough to see the original Broadway production in 2023 and so have a strong comparison point for this production. For all the magic of the original Broadway show, this tops it by a distance. This production has an incredible cast, a clever design and harnesses the energy of the story perfectly for a synergetic performance. But most importantly, the production has heart and soul which cannot perfectly be encapsulated in a review but can be felt by everyone in the audience. While it a shame that it is not touring further around the country (especially to Sydney, where hopefully Butel can bring the production at some point in his new role at STC), without doubt, this is the musical of the year, combining technical mastery with pure emotion so make sure you see it while you can. What a wonderful ode to the strength of Australian theatre.

Rating: ★★★★★

Kimberly Akimbo plays at the Arts Centre Melbourne until 30^th August 2025. For more information, click here.

All photo credits: Sam Roberts