★★★

“a polished, enjoyable production with plenty of charm”

After a multiple Tony award-winning Broadway run, ‘Kimberly Akimbo’ arrives in the UK. Though brimming with heart and hope, it never quite finds the edge it needs to resonate deeply.

Kimberly is running out of time. Born with a rare condition and ageing four times faster, Kimberly hatches an unlikely plan to make her dreams come true.

With a Tony-winning book and lyrics from David Lindsay-Abaire, ‘Kimberly Akimbo’ blends an offbeat coming-of-age story with a poignant bucket-list tale. Kimberly’s impending mortality – tragically on the cusp of adulthood – gives the story emotional weight, while her spectacularly dysfunctional family justifies her quest for autonomy. Yet despite a cast of flawed, often unlikeable characters, it rarely mines enough grit to offset its rather relentless optimism. The cheque-fraud strand feels oddly consequence-free, sidestepping the real stakes of Debra’s scheme, while Kimberly’s condition – inspired by a very real condition called progeria – is treated more as a narrative device than a lived experience. Overall, teen angst and premature mortality make for a compelling setup, but the emotional payoff falls short.

Jeanine Tesori’s score is consistently inventive. The conversational, quirky ‘Hello Darling’ offers an insightful glimpse into Pattie’s psyche, while ‘How to Wash a Check’ turns criminal activity into comic chaos through the teenage gang’s ineptitude. The finale, ‘Great Adventure’, lands with real poignancy, shifting between major and minor chords as it captures hope and heartbreak. Not every song may stick in the memory, but together they form a distinctive and effective whole.

Director Michael Longhurst makes impressive use of a relatively small cast, with inventive staging and a versatile revolving set conjuring multiple locations with ease. The transitions are slick, the pacing brisk, and the characters feel well rounded. Again, the sweetness could use more bite to sharpen its emotional impact, and some relationships feel a little lightly drawn. The central romance may also raise eyebrows given the actors’ age gap. Still, it’s a polished, enjoyable production with plenty of charm.

Soutra Gilmour’s design is a triumph, centred on an ingenious multi-level set that effortlessly shifts locations while incorporating lighting and projection surfaces. Jack Knowles’s lighting adds flair and focus to key moments, while Paul Groothuis’s sound design is atmospheric if occasionally overpowering the vocals. Luke Halls’ video design delivers a poignant glimpse of the life Kimberly fights to experience.

Multi-Olivier Award winner Maria Friedman captures Kimberly’s youthful optimism and insecurity with real sincerity. While there is room for greater emotional contrast in places, she remains in fine voice, delivering every song with warmth and honesty. Alice Fearn’s deadpan Debra cuts through the sweetness at just the right moments, providing the perfect counterpoint to Friedman. Peter Hannah and Niamh Perry as Buddy and Pattie Levaco expertly portray flawed parents whose love is buried beneath years of baggage. Gilli Jones brings both sweetness and resolve to Seth, making his connection with Kimberly wholly convincing. Meanwhile, Sara Hajizadeh, Ronav Jain, Robin Simões da Silva and Aviva Tulley form a superb teen quartet, their impeccable harmonies and comic chemistry providing some great highlights.

‘Kimberly Akimbo’ may be more charming than profound, but its warmth, wit and strong performances make the adventure worthwhile.

EVERY BRILLIANT THING

@Sohoplace

★★★★★

“The contrast between melancholy and hilarity is the essence of the production’s potency”

They are the most dreaded two words in the English language after perhaps “world war” and “admin fee”.

Audience participation.

Eek.

But don’t worry, in this atmosphere of non-judgmental glee, you’re in safe hands. The host is the genial Lenny Henry, comedy legend and close personal friend, or so it always seems.

This is vital. Because volunteers relax, lean in and Henry creates an atmosphere of ramshackle fun.

And, besides, mostly the guests are pre-selected. In a wonderful innovation, the star wanders around pre-show, chatting, meeting the audience and selecting his co-stars based on decades of experience reading an audience.

The worldwide phenomenon that is Every Brilliant Thing began life in 2006 as a short monologue Duncan Macmillan wrote for actor Rosie Thomson. Co-director George Perrin encouraged him to expand it, and the pair gathered hundreds of “brilliant things” from a Facebook group. Comedian Jonny Donahoe later pioneered its interactive style – he takes over from Henry later in August.

It premiered in its full form at the 2014 Edinburgh Festival Fringe before transferring internationally to over 80 countries. While the events in the play sound autobiographical, they are crowdsourced. They draw on genuine experiences, research, and real audience contributions, so that’s why it feels so authentic. It’s not true and gob-smackingly true at the same time.

Audience members play parts large and small: his girlfriend, his father, the librarian (with sock puppet Graham). Their real-life sincerity dealing with the character’s woes melts hearts. Others, dotted around the auditorium, read out cue cards of “every brilliant thing” when their list number is read out.

The narrative begins on 9 November 1965, when our character, aged seven, finds himself in hospital because his mother, a chronic depressive, has tried to kill herself. His artless solution is to write a list of every brilliant thing that might persuade his mum to stay on this earth.

“One…” calls out Lenny Henry.

“Ice cream,” says a man reading from his cue card.

And so on…

His mother survives but does not shake off her illness and over decades the list grows from the original target of 1,000 to one million.

The character’s own life is a simple story of growing up, moving away, meeting a girl and living with the legacy of a suicidal mother while coping with the illness himself.

It is part lecture on mental health, part improv night, part alchemic magic show. Henry creates such a remarkable sense of supportive goodwill that when he announces he – a shy lad – has kissed a girl, the audience whoops, as though their BFF has just made the revelation on the group chat.

Lenny Henry plays this part for now. Others take over in the run, including Minnie Driver and Sue Perkins. Wonderful though they will likely be, it will be a challenge to top Henry’s masterful control. He has to act, yes, but also direct a troupe of amateurs. From this, there is random blundering and Henry’s improv instincts and natural charm let him ramp up the fun exponentially.

The contrast between melancholy and hilarity is the essence of the production’s potency. Laughter through tears: the sweet spot of teachable moments.

Tag Archives: Jack Knowles

KIMBERLY AKIMBO

★★★

Hampstead Theatre

KIMBERLY AKIMBO

Hampstead Theatre

★★★

“a polished, enjoyable production with plenty of charm”

KIMBERLY AKIMBO

Hampstead Theatre

Reviewed on 24th September 2026

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Marc Brenner

KIMBERLY AKIMBO

KIMBERLY AKIMBO

KIMBERLY AKIMBO

EVERY BRILLIANT THING

★★★★★

Sohoplace

EVERY BRILLIANT THING

@Sohoplace

★★★★★

“The contrast between melancholy and hilarity is the essence of the production’s potency”