Ottawa theatre lovers, you're going to want to clear your calendar — Ottawa Little Theatre is currently staging Kimberly Akimbo, and if early buzz is anything to go by, it's one of the most compelling productions to hit the local stage this season.
Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, Kimberly Akimbo is a dark comedy with a deceptively simple premise: a teenage girl named Kimberly is just trying to be a normal kid. The catch? She has a rare genetic condition that causes her body to age at roughly four times the normal rate — meaning at 16, she physically resembles a woman in her 70s. Oh, and her family is a spectacular disaster.
A Comedy That Sneaks Up on You
Set in the early 1990s, the play mines its premise for both laughs and genuine emotional depth. Lindsay-Abaire has a gift for finding dark humour in deeply uncomfortable situations, and Kimberly Akimbo is no exception. The play opens with an older-presenting woman — Kimberly herself — navigating the chaos of a dysfunctional household, a hypochondriac mother, a checked-out father, and an aunt with a very questionable side hustle.
It sounds bleak, and in lesser hands it might be. But the script's warmth for its characters keeps the whole thing buoyant. Kimberly isn't a tragic figure — she's sharp, funny, resilient, and deeply human. The laughs land, and so do the gut-punches.
Ottawa Little Theatre Brings It to Life
Ottawa Little Theatre, one of the oldest and most beloved community theatre companies in Canada, has built a reputation for tackling ambitious material with skill and heart. Kimberly Akimbo fits squarely in that tradition — it's the kind of show that demands strong ensemble work and a willingness to commit fully to both the comedy and the tragedy.
The production design reportedly leans into the '90s nostalgia with period-appropriate set dressing and costuming, grounding Kimberly's story in a very specific, recognizable world. For Ottawa audiences who came of age in that era, there's an extra layer of warmth in the details.
Why You Should Go
If you've only encountered Kimberly Akimbo through its acclaimed Broadway run or Tony Award-winning musical adaptation, this straight-play version is a fascinating contrast — rawer, more intimate, and arguably even more emotionally direct without the songs as scaffolding.
Ottawa Little Theatre's intimate venue means you're close to the action, which suits a play this personal. There's nowhere to hide from the emotional beats, and that proximity makes the funnier moments land harder too.
Whether you're a regular on the Ottawa theatre circuit or someone looking for a reason to finally check out OLT, Kimberly Akimbo is a strong entry point. It's the rare show that can make you laugh out loud and quietly break your heart in the same scene.
Tickets are available through Ottawa Little Theatre's website. Don't sleep on this one — runs like this have a way of selling out fast.
Source: Ottawa Life Magazine
