NEW YORK — Some kids get called “old souls,” a reference not just to surprising maturity but the hint of melancholy in their demeanor. They seem to intuit life’s pending pain and losses when they’re supposed to be inhabiting the joyful intensity of youth.
The 16-year-old title character in the fascinating new Broadway musical “Kimberly Akimbo” at the Booth Theatre is precisely one of those teenagers, forced as she is to deal with juvenile parents, a crazy aunt and, oh, a body aging four times as fast as normal kids.
A consequence of a rare genetic disorder, this weird situation means Kimberly of New Jersey has the outward appearance of a 62-year-old woman, which is awkward when you just want to think about junior prom. But in the theater, it’s a truly remarkable opportunity for actress Victoria Clark, a star who always relishes a deep dive into the agony of how the world only spins forward, and usually far too fast for our sanity.
