Kimberly Akimbo is a joyful, heartfelt musical comedy with loads of fun action. This show has lots of ribald humour and sweet life lessons making for a very entertaining night at the theatre. It touches on themes of growing up vs. aging, adventure vs. chaos, and the pursuit of happiness.
Kimberly (Louise Pitre) is a teenaged girl with a rare genetic disorder that causes rapid premature aging. Her body ages four times the rate of her chronological age. She is turning 16, the life expectancy for someone with her disease. She has five friends in high school, one of whom is a bit of a nerd but they like each other. The whole gang is supportive of Kimberly, and they all have crushes among each other. Kimberly’s parents live with regret over lost opportunities from having Kimberly at a young age. In spite of their resentments, they are expecting another child. The family is at times insensitive to Kimberly and her medical situation. Her aunt, Debra (Kristen Peace), however, is a tornado choosing chaos and crime to get a better life. Debra hooks Kimberly and her friends in a get-rich-quick scheme that involves multiple felonies. It’s hilarious how a little felony can change someone’s life!
Kimberly is quite resilient. In spite of her disease, she is not a fatalist. She is unafraid to confront people, and to open herself to new friends. She has the courage to seize life with a purpose instead of wallowing in the futility of fate like her parents. Debra is a bull in a china shop but much more fun. Kimberly’s delightful friends are right there with her, even if they are wary of committing crimes. Everyone is coming to know who they are, their capabilities, and to accept that they cannot control everything.
Ms. Pitre plays Kimberly with a lot of strength, maturity, and confidence. Ms. Peace brings great comic timing and vulnerability to a messy character. As the parents, Tess Benger and Cyrus Lane, are comical, infuriating, and oddly relatable. The kids are wonderful too! Everyone has great voices. The songs are witty. The choreography is fun, especially the scenes of ice skating. The action is so compelling, everything moves smoothly. Even the quieter scenes seize attention.
Time is finite. It’s important to spend your energy with purpose. Just make sure that purpose doesn’t necessarily involve crime!
Photo credit: Emilia Hellman
Kimberly Akimbo a musical. Lyrics and Book by David Lindsay-Abaire. Directed by Robert McQueen. Show continues until December 21, at Segal Centre, 5170 Chemin de la Côte-Ste-Catherine, Montreal. Call the box office 514-739-7944 or go to www.segalcentre.org .
