KIMBERLY AKIMBO Reviews — Page 14

Saw this for the 7th time last night with understudies on for Kimberly, Aunt Debra, and Pattie and it really just solidified for me what an absolutely beautiful piece of theatre this is. Every performance was in excellent shape - especially Justin Cooley, who is still finding so much in his performance almost two years into playing this role - from the teen ensemble all the way up to Colleen Fitzpatrick’s Kim.

Colleen has really found a perfect balance of the warmth and joy Victoria Clark baked into the role and a more hardened, hurt side of the character that I think works perfectly considering her circumstances. The scene where she finally lets her anger out at Buddy on the morning of her birthday is so believable and just a gorgeous calibration of the performance.

Betsy Morgan was hilarious as Aunt Deb. I thought I was going to miss Bonnie Milligan, but Betsy really killed it. She has more of a Cheri Oteri vibe, and she makes the character a bit more manic. And she absolutely blows the roof off with her voice. I hope she gets to do it on tour, because she’s phenomenal and will only get better with time.

Emily Koch was also fantastic as Pattie. What I appreciated about her performance by the end was how she shifted the energy from Alli Mauzey’s zaniness to a more subdued take. You believe she wants to try to be a good mother, where I usually feel Alli’s Pattie is totally unfit to parent.

This show just doesn’t get old, for me. It leaves me feeling so elated and sad and grateful all at once. Every time I see it, I leave with my face soaked in tears and absolutely giddy. Rarely do I feel so moved by a piece of art, but this really checks all the boxes. I’ll be so sad to see it go in a few months.

Updated On: 1/21/24 at 10:08 AM

Does anyone know why Emily Koch and Valerie Wright still aren’t listed in the actual Playbill? Despite being with the show for some time as swings/understudies, they’re still listed as “joining the company” in a paper insert and have significantly shorter bios than the rest of the cast. I know it probably has something to do with how they’re contracted, but I’m curious what that is.

ColorTheHours048 said: "Does anyone know why Emily Koch and Valerie Wright still aren’t listed in the actual Playbill? Despite being with the show for some time as swings/understudies, they’re still listed as “joining the company” in a paper insert and have significantly shorter bios than the rest of the cast. I know it probably has something to do with how they’re contracted, but I’m curious what that is."

Odd they're just inserts. I've heard Wright is staying with the show through closing. Essentially gives Colleen a cover on Tuesdays and Sundays.

That's because they reduced her schedule so that she would stay longer. ( And she's been sick once or twice) but there doesn't seem to be a set schedule - or want initially, anyway 

 

I'd suggest, if you try again, ask at the box office. 

I'm hoping someone familiar with the Booth's seating layout can help me.  I am taking my teen daughter to the show in early April and for her birthday she really wants to sit in the front row,  For every day I'm looking at availability, row AA is not available.  Is there actually a center row AA or is BB the front center row?  I tried asking Telecharge by phone and they were no help.  

Thanks for the info MemorableUserName!  Disappointing that I can't seem to find anything in the front row for the rest of the run, but oh well.  Thanks again!

I revisited Kimberly Akimbo on Sunday evening for a second time around after seeing it with the full cast shortly after opening.  Colleen Fitzpatrick was on for Kim and Jim Hogan was on for Buddy. The main distinction for me with Fitzpatrick vs. Clark was that Fitzpatrick played Kim as more mature/adult than Clark did, leaning less into the teenage mannerisms.  Though some moments in the second act hit me less hard as a result, like after The Inevitable Turn, I found Fitzpatrick's performance very moving.  As for Hogan, I felt like he played Buddy broader than Steven Boyer did (from what I remember), but I enjoyed his performance overall.  While I preferred Clark and Boyer, you're in great hands with these two.

Seeing this again reminded me just how fantastic Justin Cooley, Bonnie Milligan, Alli Mauzey, and the delightful show choir kids are.  Well worth the return trip, and I'll miss it when it closes.

PipingHotPiccolo said: "Whats Victoria Clark's schedule?"

She is scheduled for all performances except Saturday matinee and Sunday evening. For the final month of April, no Wednesday and Saturday matinees.

 

I have a random question for anyone who has seen Justin Cooley's understudy? Do they do all those "oh"s that Cooley says or is that a Cooley thing? It's hard to imagine another actor doing it the same way.

Wait!  She says the "oh"s in that song, not him.  

Ignore me.  

Saw this finally.

Huh. I don't think I really liked the show overall.

It's a lot of absurd suspension of disbelief and "let's throw this plot in!" (The aunt was living in a school library for days? What? That seemed there just for the joke)

It reminded me of those quirky Showtime 30 min comedies from the early aughts that would just make bold over the top plot choices like Shameless, Nurse Jackie, Weeds.

Kimberly and Seth are sweet and worked for me. Mostly everything else did not lock in for me at all.

Kimberly's condition and person arc is already so interesting and odd and melancholy that I thought it wasn't supported by anything around it.

Maybe I'm minority opinion here!

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "Maybe I'm minority opinion here!"

Probably, but there's nothing wrong with that. I loved Kimberly Akimbo, but I hated everything about the last revival of Anything Goes despite the fact that most people loved it.

I need to clarify. The performances are great.

And Victoria especially in the end is so beautiful and it moved me where the character ends up. 
 

but I just felt like the rest of the story being told felt often very cartoonish. And this is a weak score.