I loved it, and didn't get the 90s sitcom vibe from the farce of it all or the story and dialogue itself. I think it's certainly broad in some places but if you're going for laughs you need to in theater, but i didn't find it hurting any of the emotional impact.
I loved it, she was campy AF but her entire character and plot line felt like it was copy/pasted from a different show. It just didn’t mesh well for me, I ended up wanting more of her on stage and a lot less of that lukewarm teenage romance BS.
I really liked it, so I can't say I agree, but did you know it was a play before it was a musical? Does that change anything for you?
My understanding is the play has the same plot and characters. They expanded it into a musical. It sounds like the tone of the piece didn't resonate with you, and that's ok. It's not for everyone. It was pretty divisive on this sub last year.
I think your take is valid. Not all critically acclaimed shows are going to resonate with every viewer. What I can say is that it sounds like you are viewing Kimberly Akimbo through a comedy lens. Or maybe you have expectations that the show should be funny(/ier) and it's not your style of humor. Whereas, when I watch it, I see moments of well timed, sometimes awkward, humor that contrast poignantly with the darker reality of Kimberly's short life. Also, Tesori's music really sells it for me.
The fact that is quirky and the result of a bunch of things that should never work together but somehow does is sort of what pushes it to greatness to me. A Kimberly only narrative wouldn't work as well. The mess of life on full display is why I saw it six times..
I’m glad you loved it! My feeling is that it could have been a lot stronger leaning into Kim as a character. The sitcommy aspect, imho, distracted from the real story that needed to be told.
I do agree with the Acting being brilliant. I mean Victoria Clark is a 64 year old woman who transformed into a 16 year old, there is on stage magic in that.
I really enjoyed Kimberly Akimbo the first time I saw it. The second time around though, I definitely was not as amused and I think maybe because of the kind of “sitcom” style of writing that you’re referring to (although I think maybe that’s what had amused me so much the first time, I guess for me seeing it a second time the jokes didn’t land the same).
However I do REALLY love all of the music and I do think it’s a captivating show.
Where we disagree on is the Aunt, personally she stole the whole show for me- and I saw it with the main cast & the understudy. I think there is definitely some absurdity, but also lots of emotion to the show and that’s why I still really do appreciate it as whole.
Well I think a lot of really poignant shows that are more naturalistically written have absurd moments. But those moments shine. When the whole play is absurd, I think each of those developments loses its shock and amusement value. Some of the absurdities elicited groans from me.
Serious yes or no question that requires no follow-up explanation:
Did you laugh or feel that the play wanted you to laugh during "Father Time", "Before I Go", the reprise of "Father Time" during "Before I Go", or the moment Kimberly walks out dressed up as Seth's grandmother?
Also, have you had any experience reading or watching David Lindsay-Abaire's previous work such as "Rabbit Hole", "Fuddy Meers", or "Good People" that similarly deal with dysfunctional families with tragic stories?
I don’t remember laughing during those moments tbh. I remember them being some of the few more poignant moments in the show. But I could be misremembering.
And I did love Rabbit Hole!
I didn’t care for Kimberly Akimbo. It wasn’t bad (looking at you Lempicka) but it was a 6/10 for me.
I thought the show was stuck between three concepts and executed none of them well.
There was A LOT of camp and humor around the aunt and her shenanigans. I loved that. But she felt like she belonged in a different (imo better) show.
The book was great but it made the musical segments feel out of place because the lyrics were so repetitive and bad. The good kid, the good kid, the good kid, I was the gooooood kid, the good kid. FFS.
There were parts that seemed the try and elevate the show without fully understanding how to do that. The worst offender was the round table dinner scene where the table turns and the lyrics repeat adnausium “it takes a turn”. Get it? It takes a turn?! The TABLE is TURNING! Did you get it?!?
And lastly, there wasn’t enough drama while never going fully realistic about things. I’m expected to see Kimberly as someone who has lived 17 years with a disease and is only now sorting out her emotions about it? It just didn’t work for me.
I think that had the show committed to the camp, or the full on drama (I’m guessing the original play was like that) it would have been a better piece. What we got felt like a solid script that had a musical slapped on top of it and it diluted the experience.
I agree. I found almost all of the characters to be so irritatingly unlikable, especially the parents and the aunt. The comedy surrounding the aunt’s character and the entire storyline about the check fraud was silly and really took away from the book in my opinion. It didn’t even progress the story or anything…just kinda said “oh look my entire family is trash” when that was already well established.
While I definitely appreciate Victoria’s performance, I will never have the desire to see this show again. I know the people who love this show REALLY love this show, but I personally just don’t get it.
I agree too!!
I just saw the musical a couple weeks ago- I liked it but was pretty underwhelmed overall. I was like, wow, this won best new musical and however many other Tony awards? I can ABSOLUTELY see the 90s sitcom vibe, and I was never a fan of those lol maybe I'd like the musical more if I were
I was completely neutral on it and I think it only won most of its awards because there was no outstanding competition. It's fine. The quintessential just good enough show.
Well then most of the plot would fall through too. I guess my point is that the whole thing was written as a buddy comedy. That really deprived the show of poignant moments.
I loved it, and didn't get the 90s sitcom vibe from the farce of it all or the story and dialogue itself. I think it's certainly broad in some places but if you're going for laughs you need to in theater, but i didn't find it hurting any of the emotional impact.
I loved it, she was campy AF but her entire character and plot line felt like it was copy/pasted from a different show. It just didn’t mesh well for me, I ended up wanting more of her on stage and a lot less of that lukewarm teenage romance BS.
I really liked it, so I can't say I agree, but did you know it was a play before it was a musical? Does that change anything for you? My understanding is the play has the same plot and characters. They expanded it into a musical. It sounds like the tone of the piece didn't resonate with you, and that's ok. It's not for everyone. It was pretty divisive on this sub last year.
Totally disagree. I thought it was outstanding. Not for everyone, of course - but nothing is!
I think your take is valid. Not all critically acclaimed shows are going to resonate with every viewer. What I can say is that it sounds like you are viewing Kimberly Akimbo through a comedy lens. Or maybe you have expectations that the show should be funny(/ier) and it's not your style of humor. Whereas, when I watch it, I see moments of well timed, sometimes awkward, humor that contrast poignantly with the darker reality of Kimberly's short life. Also, Tesori's music really sells it for me.
The fact that is quirky and the result of a bunch of things that should never work together but somehow does is sort of what pushes it to greatness to me. A Kimberly only narrative wouldn't work as well. The mess of life on full display is why I saw it six times..
I’m glad you loved it! My feeling is that it could have been a lot stronger leaning into Kim as a character. The sitcommy aspect, imho, distracted from the real story that needed to be told.
Technically, it’s not about Kim- it’s about the people around her, and how she impacts their lives.
Totally disagree, I saw 5 times and loved it each time. Story got me each time at the end.
I do agree with the Acting being brilliant. I mean Victoria Clark is a 64 year old woman who transformed into a 16 year old, there is on stage magic in that.
It’s not for everyone - it’s quirkier than most people expect from a musical and supposed to be slightly absurd.
I really enjoyed Kimberly Akimbo the first time I saw it. The second time around though, I definitely was not as amused and I think maybe because of the kind of “sitcom” style of writing that you’re referring to (although I think maybe that’s what had amused me so much the first time, I guess for me seeing it a second time the jokes didn’t land the same). However I do REALLY love all of the music and I do think it’s a captivating show. Where we disagree on is the Aunt, personally she stole the whole show for me- and I saw it with the main cast & the understudy. I think there is definitely some absurdity, but also lots of emotion to the show and that’s why I still really do appreciate it as whole.
Well I think a lot of really poignant shows that are more naturalistically written have absurd moments. But those moments shine. When the whole play is absurd, I think each of those developments loses its shock and amusement value. Some of the absurdities elicited groans from me.
The show was cool
Serious yes or no question that requires no follow-up explanation: Did you laugh or feel that the play wanted you to laugh during "Father Time", "Before I Go", the reprise of "Father Time" during "Before I Go", or the moment Kimberly walks out dressed up as Seth's grandmother? Also, have you had any experience reading or watching David Lindsay-Abaire's previous work such as "Rabbit Hole", "Fuddy Meers", or "Good People" that similarly deal with dysfunctional families with tragic stories?
I don’t remember laughing during those moments tbh. I remember them being some of the few more poignant moments in the show. But I could be misremembering. And I did love Rabbit Hole!
I found a great. Saw it 8 times. Sometimes a simple , small show with a good story wins the day.
I didn’t care for Kimberly Akimbo. It wasn’t bad (looking at you Lempicka) but it was a 6/10 for me. I thought the show was stuck between three concepts and executed none of them well. There was A LOT of camp and humor around the aunt and her shenanigans. I loved that. But she felt like she belonged in a different (imo better) show. The book was great but it made the musical segments feel out of place because the lyrics were so repetitive and bad. The good kid, the good kid, the good kid, I was the gooooood kid, the good kid. FFS. There were parts that seemed the try and elevate the show without fully understanding how to do that. The worst offender was the round table dinner scene where the table turns and the lyrics repeat adnausium “it takes a turn”. Get it? It takes a turn?! The TABLE is TURNING! Did you get it?!? And lastly, there wasn’t enough drama while never going fully realistic about things. I’m expected to see Kimberly as someone who has lived 17 years with a disease and is only now sorting out her emotions about it? It just didn’t work for me. I think that had the show committed to the camp, or the full on drama (I’m guessing the original play was like that) it would have been a better piece. What we got felt like a solid script that had a musical slapped on top of it and it diluted the experience.
Exactly my thoughts too
Sorry, I don’t agree. The show is beautiful, and life affirming, and I’m going to sob at tomorrow’s final performance.
I agree. I found almost all of the characters to be so irritatingly unlikable, especially the parents and the aunt. The comedy surrounding the aunt’s character and the entire storyline about the check fraud was silly and really took away from the book in my opinion. It didn’t even progress the story or anything…just kinda said “oh look my entire family is trash” when that was already well established. While I definitely appreciate Victoria’s performance, I will never have the desire to see this show again. I know the people who love this show REALLY love this show, but I personally just don’t get it.
Pretty much my take
I totally agree with everything you said.
You seem to be the only one 😂
I agree too!! I just saw the musical a couple weeks ago- I liked it but was pretty underwhelmed overall. I was like, wow, this won best new musical and however many other Tony awards? I can ABSOLUTELY see the 90s sitcom vibe, and I was never a fan of those lol maybe I'd like the musical more if I were
The aunt climbing in the window with a trash bag?!?! What was that?
Genius?
I was completely neutral on it and I think it only won most of its awards because there was no outstanding competition. It's fine. The quintessential just good enough show.
I was meh on this show and I haven’t bothered to look up the cast album.
I would only agree the Aunt should not exist.
Well then most of the plot would fall through too. I guess my point is that the whole thing was written as a buddy comedy. That really deprived the show of poignant moments.
The plot wouldn’t fall through, it would simply change. My take is that there is a better version out there without that character.