Kimberly Akimbo releases rehearsal photos ahead of European premiere at Hampstead Theatre
Rehearsal photographs for the European premiere of Kimberly Akimbo have been released, offering a first glimpse of the cast at work before the musical begins performances at Hampstead Theatre on 28 August (WhatsOnStage). The images, taken by theatre photographer Marc Brenner, show the company in the rehearsal room ahead of a run booked through to 7 November.
The musical follows 16-year-old Kimberly Levaco, who lives with a rare genetic condition causing her body to age at four times the normal rate. It was written by David Lindsay-Abaire, with music by Jeanine Tesori — a pairing that took the original Broadway production to five Tony Awards in 2023, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book.
Maria Friedman leads the cast in the title role, returning to the stage in a part that demands both comedy and weight. Around her, the company blends experienced musical-theatre names with two performers making their professional stage debuts. Alice Fearn plays Debra, with Peter Hannah as Buddy Levaco and Niamh Perry as Pattie Levaco. Gilli Jones takes the role of Seth Weetis, Robin Simões da Silva plays Martin Doaty, and Aviva Tulley is Delia McDaniels. Sara Hajizadeh as Teresa Benton and Ronav Jain as Aaron Puckett both step into their first professional stage roles.
Michael Longhurst directs. The creative team includes designer Soutra Gilmour, musical supervisor Nigel Lilley, choreographer Matt Cole, lighting designer Jack Knowles and sound designer Matt Peploe, with casting by Anna Cooper and Jane McMurtrie as associate choreographer (WhatsOnStage).
Tickets start at £51 (London Theatre).
Hampstead Theatre announced Kimberly Akimbo as part of its new season last November, alongside a Stanley Tucci-led production (WhatsOnStage). The musical had already been confirmed for a UK premiere in 2026 at that point, though the full cast was not revealed until June.
For audiences who have heard the Broadway cast recording but not seen the show live, this European premiere is the first chance to experience the material in a British theatre — and at a subsidised venue, meaning the production sits outside the commercial West End model of capitalisation and recoupment that governs most musical transfers. Whether it later moves into a larger house will depend on how it lands with Hampstead audiences across its ten-week run.
