Kimberly Akimbo

We went to see Kimberly Akimbo at the Pantages last night. It’s always an adventure going to Hollywood. You have to dodge the homeless, crazy traffic…even the sidewalk was closed to through pedestarian traffic last night. We paid $28.50 to park across the street (when the most you pay to park all day is $25 but what the hell), navigated our way through sidewalk blocks, the security line, and the mobs in the lobby to get to our seats. A couple who has been behind us for years introduced themselves. I think they were feeling a bit lost. The couple who sat next to them for the last ten or so years quit their subscription because they lived out in Westlake and the drive was just too much for them. So I guess we’ll have to hang together as the last old-timers standing.

I didn’t know anything about Kimberly Akimbo. The title comes from an anagram made by a fellow student on the main character, Kimberly whatever her last name was. Kimberly has porphyria, a genetic condition that ages her. She’s 16 but looks much, much older. She’s new to town for reasons that come to light in the second act so she’s lonely. The show starts with her at the skating rink wistfully watching the other kids and waiting for her father to pick her up. Turns out the kids she’s watching are outsiders too. They all know there are parties all over town but they’re not invited to any.

The kids finally find each other and get strong-armed into a check stealing scam  by Kimberly’s crazy, criminal aunt. Kimberly’s dysfunctional family plays a major part in Kimberly’s decisions. Her father is a hen-pecked drunk, her mother is a narcissist, and they both blame Kimberly for their lousy lives.

People with Kimberly’s condition don’t survive long past their 16th birthdays and on Kimberly’s Sweet 16 party (she finally has a party!) she decides to quit letting her toxic family stop her from living. She and her lab partner, who’s another abandoned child),take off for an adventure with the aunt’s ill-gotten gains.. Good for them!

It’s an enjoyable, life-affirming show. None of us knows how much time we have so we should live our best lives and not be dragged down by negativity. I think the moral of the story is: If you have to run to save yourself, do it. We all deserve some happiness

I enjoyed the show although I think it would have been more effective in s smaller venue, like the Taper. There are only 9 people in the cast, and they’re all great, but they get swallowed up in a theater the size of the Pantages. But it wasn’t politics and that’s worth a lot.