Review 43: Kimberly Akimbo

 Hello and welcome back! A few weeks ago I was able to see the Tony Award-winning musical, Kimberly Akimbo. Is this show as heartwarming as they say? Find out in this review. 

Plot: Set in the 1990s, Kimberly Levaco is a teenager inside a seventy-year-old body. She has this disease where she ages four times faster than the average person, making her stand out amongst her teenage peers. Kimberly is going to be sixteen years old, which is the average life expectancy for someone with her disease. All that Kimberly wants is to embark on a fun road trip to all the places she wants to go to. However, Kimberly has to face many challenges such as dealing with her dysfunctional family, having her first crush, and possibly facing felony charges. Will Kimberly ever get to go on that great adventure? Find out in Kimberly Akimbo. I have to say I felt that this show was very wholesome and entertaining to watch. Not all Broadway shows need to have a crazy plot for it to be good, and Kimberly Akimbo proves that a simple plot can be an amazing one. I also have to say it is so refreshing to see an original musical that isn't based on a movie, a television series, or a novel. It's always fun to see some original ideas up on the stage. For people who are looking for a simple teenage drama to see on stage then I definitely recommend seeing Kimberly Akimbo. 

Characters: Before going into the show I didn't think I would love these characters as much as I did. All of them were so interesting and fun but they all had depth to them which I really liked. I felt like the Levacos were a family you would see in a television series. Kimberly is a teenager trying to cope with her illness along with what's going around her, Buddy is Kimberly's alcoholic father who is trying to be sober and is also protective of his daughter, Pattie is Kimberly's mother, who is pregnant with another child and wants this child to be perfect. However, I think one of the highlights is Kimberly's aunt, Debra. Debra is not the best influence on Kimberly or her friends but it doesn't stop her from making schemes, and her comedic timing is always on point. Other than the Levacos, I really adored Seth's character. He has that surfer boy personality and even though he also doesn't have the best family life, he always has a bright smile on his face. The only thing I wished they changed was Seth and Kimberly's romance. I was confused if they were going to have a platonic relationship or a romantic one cause it seemed like Kimberly liked him but I felt like Seth only saw her as a friend so it was weird that they never mentioned his feelings towards her. Either way, I found these characters to be funny, charming, and delightful to watch. 

Songs: I felt that a lot of the songs in this show were cute and pleasant to listen to. Although not all the songs are masterpieces, I felt like they had some songs that I would go back and listen to. Some of the songs that I enjoyed were "Skater Planet", "Make a Wish", "Anagram", "Happy For Her", "Better", "This Time", "How to Wash a Check", "Hello, Baby", "Our Disease", "Before I Go", and "Great Adventure". So if you are looking for some new musical theater music to listen to, I would definitely give this cast album a listen.

Sets: I thought the set designs were really cool to see. It was fun seeing the school transform into the Levaco's house or even just seeing the lockers flip over to reveal Kimberly's bedroom. I also loved the set of the skating rink, because the way they showed both the inside and the outside was so cool. I also loved the way they were able to make the cast ice stake on stage which was really incredible to see. So if you like cool set designs then you should check out this show. 

Overall, Kimberly Akimbo was a wholesome musical to watch on stage. It was simple yet adorable and amusing. If you like teenage dramas or are a fan of the 90s you should check this show out. I do want to mention that this show does involve cursing, committing crimes, and it does mention death. If you are uncomfortable with any of those things you should consider seeing another show. Other than that you should go check out the award-winning best musical, Kimberly Akimbo!