Award-winning musical Kimberly Akimbo brings ageing tale to UK stage

Kimberly Akimbo, the acclaimed musical about a teenage girl living with a rare condition that causes her to age four times faster than normal, is set to make its UK debut, according to The Guardian. The production has been developed by composer Jeanine Tesori and writer David Lindsay-Abaire, based on Lindsay-Abaire's original play.

Speaking to The Guardian during rehearsals in London, Tesori described the show's central themes of ageing and growing up as deeply personal, drawing partly on her own reflections about her mother, who is 95 and unwell. "She would look in the mirror and be like, 'I can't believe I'm old.' It's always a surprise, always," Tesori said, according to the report. "There's an interiority about ageing, especially as women. You stay playful and you stay curious, but the world has other ideas."

According to the source, Tesori has also cited her friends who died young during the Aids crisis as an inspiration for the musical's exploration of mortality and the idea, as referenced in the show's framing, that "we all have an expiry date."

The London production stars 66-year-old actor Maria Friedman as Kimberly, the teenage protagonist. Tesori told The Guardian that Friedman's natural energy suits the role without requiring exaggerated effort. "She has such a bright young energy that she doesn't have to do anything to play 16," Tesori said.

The musical previously won critical acclaim and awards in New York, where The Guardian described it as having "electrified" audiences with its blend of humor and poignancy. The show is now transferring to the UK, marking a new chapter for the production as it reaches British audiences for the first time.