Kimberly Akimbo: Book Tickets Now

See Kimberly Akimbo at Hampstead Theatre on Eton Avenue, a minute's walk from Swiss Cottage station, in the musical's first production in Europe.

Kimberly Akimbo

Highlights

Experience the musical that won five 2023 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book.

See four-time Olivier Award winner Maria Friedman star as Kimberly.

Catch the European premiere in a new production by director Michael Longhurst.

Follow Kimberly’s adventure as she meets a first crush at the ice rink and gets caught up in her ex-con aunt’s get-rich-quick scam.

Good to Know About Kimberly Akimbo

The show runs about 2 hours 35 minutes: That includes one interval.

Suggested for ages 14 and over: This is Hampstead Theatre’s own guidance for the production, so weigh it up before booking for younger teens.

This is a limited run: Performances began on 28 August 2026, and the production now closes on 14 November 2026, a week later than first announced.

Evening shows start at 7.30pm: Matinees are at 2.30pm on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Captioned and audio described shows are scheduled: Stagetext captions the 7.30pm show on 3 November, and the 2.30pm matinee on 7 November is audio described, with a touch tour beforehand.

The whole building has level access: Every floor and both performance spaces can be reached without steps.

The Café Bar opens at 9.30am: It stays open until 11pm, Monday to Saturday, so you can eat at the theatre before curtain up.

About Kimberly Akimbo

Kimberly Levaco is about to turn 16, but a rare genetic condition ages her body roughly four times faster than normal, so she looks like a woman in her seventies. Her family has just left town under suspicious circumstances, her parents are barely holding things together, and then her ex-con aunt Debra turns up with a get-rich-quick scam. Kim signs up anyway. With Seth, a boy she meets at the ice rink, and a few show-choir classmates in tow, she decides that if her time is short, she wants it full of adventure.

David Lindsay-Abaire wrote the book and lyrics, and Jeanine Tesori composed the music. Michael Longhurst directs this new production, with four-time Olivier Award winner Maria Friedman as Kimberly.
Soutra Gilmour designs the show, Matt Cole is choreographer, and Nigel Lilley is musical supervisor.

Interesting Facts About Kimberly Akimbo

Lindsay-Abaire adapted the musical from his own earlier play of the same name, which followed the same teenager and her family.

The musical had its world premiere Off-Broadway with Atlantic Theater Company in New York in 2021.

It opened on Broadway at the Booth Theatre on 10 November 2022 and played 612 performances before closing on 28 April 2024.

At the 2023 Tony Awards it won five prizes: Best Musical, Best Book, Best Original Score, and acting awards for Victoria Clark and Bonnie Milligan.

The entire original Off-Broadway cast moved with the show to Broadway and stayed until the final performance there.

The story is set in Bergen County, New Jersey, in 1999, before teenagers carried mobile phones.

Hampstead Theatre's run is the show's European premiere. Director Michael Longhurst has worked with Tesori at this theatre before, on Caroline, or Change.

After Broadway closed, a North American tour opened at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in September 2024.

Kimberly Akimbo - Highlights in Pictures

Hampstead Theatre

Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, London, NW3 3EU, right outside Swiss Cottage station

A 325-seat Main Stage auditorium, plus Hampstead Downstairs, a studio of around 80 seats used for new writing

Purpose-built in 2003 to a design by Bennetts Associates, which won a RIBA Award for the building that year

The company started in 1959 in Moreland Hall, a church school hall in Hampstead, then spent almost 40 years in a portable cabin in Swiss Cottage before moving here

Getting There

By Tube
By Bus
By Car

By Tube

Swiss Cottage station on the Jubilee line is about a minute's walk from the theatre. Use exit 2 for Eton Avenue.

Finchley Road (Jubilee and Metropolitan lines) is around 10 minutes on foot, and Belsize Park on the Northern line is about 15 minutes.
South Hampstead on the London Overground is roughly an 8-minute walk.

Hampstead Theatre - Facilities and Accessibility

The building has a ground-floor entrance with a push-button door and level access to every floor, including both stages. The Café Bar serves food and drinks from 9.30am, and you can reserve a table by emailing reservations@hampsteadtheatre.com.

Wheelchair spaces are available in the Main Stage auditorium and can be booked online.
A hearing loop is fitted in the Main Stage auditorium.
The free Access Scheme offers discounted tickets to members with access needs, along with large-print cast lists and audio show notes on request.
Assistance dogs are welcome, and staff can dog-sit during the show if you'd rather not bring yours into the auditorium.

FAQs about Kimberly Akimbo at Hampstead Theatre

What is Kimberly Akimbo about?

Kimberly Levaco is nearly 16 but looks decades older, because a rare genetic condition ages her about four times faster than usual. Between a chaotic family, a first crush and her aunt's plan for a heist, she sets out to have the adventure she's always wanted.

How long is Kimberly Akimbo?

About 2 hours 35 minutes, including an interval.

What age guidance applies to Kimberly Akimbo?

Hampstead Theatre suggests the show for ages 14 and over.

Are there content warnings for Kimberly Akimbo?

The theatre notes that its warnings may be updated during the run. For questions about specific themes, call the Box Office on 020 7722 9301 or email boxoffice@hampsteadtheatre.com.

Who is in the cast?

Maria Friedman plays Kimberly. Alice Fearn plays her aunt Debra, Gilli Jones plays Seth, and Peter Hannah and Niamh Perry play Kim's parents, Buddy and Pattie.

How long is Kimberly Akimbo playing at Hampstead Theatre?

The limited run opened on 28 August 2026 and ends on 14 November 2026.

What are the performance times?

Evening shows start at 7.30pm. Matinees are at 2.30pm on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Are there captioned or audio described performances?

Yes. The 7.30pm show on 3 November is captioned by Stagetext, and the 2.30pm matinee on 7 November is audio described, with a touch tour beforehand.

Is Hampstead Theatre wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The building has level access to all floors, and wheelchair spaces are available in the Main Stage auditorium.

What is the nearest tube station to Hampstead Theatre?

Swiss Cottage on the Jubilee line, about a minute's walk away. Take exit 2.

Which bus routes serve the theatre?

Routes C11, 31, 113, 187 and 268 stop around Swiss Cottage.

Is there parking near Hampstead Theatre?

Street parking nearby is pay-and-display and limited. Regency Car Park, next to the Swiss Cottage Odeon, is about 4 minutes' walk away. The theatre is outside the Congestion Charge zone but inside the ULEZ.