The 16-year-old title character in the fascinating new Broadway musical “Kimberly Akimbo” is forced to deal with juvenile parents, a crazy aunt and, oh, a body aging four times as fast as those of normal kids. Read Chris Jones' review of the musical here.
They seem to intuit life’s pending pain and losses when they’re supposed to be inhabiting the joyful intensity of youth.
In the musical “Light in the Piazza,” the masterful Clark played a woman overwhelmed by the question of whether to let go of her still-needy daughter. Years later, she’s flipped the page and is now playing a girl who has so little time that clingy angst on the part of her parents feels like selfishness incarnate.
These are fertile and long-established themes for Broadway musicals — at its core, “Hamilton” is really a show about mortality, regret and work-life balance — but it’s striking to see them emerge so powerfully in such a small, seemingly idiosyncratic package . On the one hand, your are watching nerdy teens familiar from “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” or “The Prom.” On the other, there is a heroine about to die. Then again, so are we all. It’s just a matter of time.
But Lindsay-Abaire’s treatment of Kimberly’s parents is far from funny. Rather, it’s a rich portrait of 50 shades of denial and obliviousness that outweigh their strong love for their girl. Alli Mauzey takes a sad voyage into the mom, Pattie. And, at the performance I saw, understudy Jim Hogan was moving as the dad, Buddy .
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘Kimberly Akimbo’ review: A weirdly wacky, but sweet Broadway musicalThe mounting insanity of the cute new show almost becomes too much. Almost.
Read more »
‘Kimberly Akimbo’ Broadway Review: Growing Up And Growing Old In A Musical StunnerKimberly Akimbo, one of the unlikeliest, most exhilarating and unfailingly moving musicals to hit New York in years, opens on Broadway tonight having lost none of its immense charm since its Off Br…
Read more »
‘Kimberly Akimbo’ Is the Standout New Musical on Broadway Right NowThere is something about “Kimberly Akimbo” that feels springy and light at its heart. With music by Jeanine Tesori, it’s a delight, the standout new Broadway musical of the season so far.
Read more »
Review | Great adventure with ‘Kimberly Akimbo’ | amNewYorkOn the other hand, David Lindsay-Abaire’s 2000 dark comedy “Kimberly Akimbo” depicts a 16-year-old girl who has the same medical condition and consequently
Read more »
‘Kimberly Akimbo’ Theater Review: David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori’s Wonderful New Broadway Musical Is Happy-Sad HeavenTony winner Victoria Clark stars as a New Jersey high school student with a rare rapid-aging disease in this poignant comedy about adolescent outsiders grasping life.
Read more »