Review: KIM’S CONVENIENCE, Rose Theatre Kingston - Tour
Photo credit: Victoria Davies
Kim’s Convenience is a comedy play about a family run Korean store in Canada. Having been inspired by the Netflix show with the same name, it’s now touring the UK. Written by Ins Choi, it is his “love letter to his parents and to all first-generation immigrants who now call Canada their home.”
The show is a funny, yet poignant, reclamation of Korean culture and the stereotypes often experienced in the likes of Canada, the US and UK. The chemistry is electric between James Yi and his on-stage daughter Caroline Donica, creating those relatable comedic family moments – with great use of physical comedy too. In between the funny light-hearted parts are some important moments about families and the relationships within them, as well as what happens when things go wrong. The multi-roling by Andrew Gichigi is superb, playing every non-family member (four in total) in the show.
At times, the show feels a little slow, possibly needing to be a bit faster paced. However, that’s not to say that the show doesn’t need the occasional slowing down for some of the more serious moments; just that these slower parts perhaps should be used more sparingly.
The biggest standout of Kim’s Convenience is the set design by Mona Camille. It is incredibly visually pleasing, bright, colourful and just an all-round joy to look at – even before the show has started. It looks like a genuine convenience store, but not just any convenience store. To be specific, it looks like the kind of convenience store that people drive hours to get to just to make TikTok videos of because it is that exciting!
Upon arrival at the theatre, we were given our ticket and pointed towards the bar and toilets. There was an usher on the door to the auditorium who pointed us towards the wheelchair space and, once we were in position, checked if we had enough room. There was more than enough room, and the walkway and doorways were wide enough to easily fit through. All the staff at the Rose Theatre were very helpful, ensuring we had what we needed.
Kim’s Convenience is a funny yet poignant show about first-generation immigrant family life, and an important watch for those who do not fall into this category. Whilst there is certainly room for improvement, it is a promising show and worth seeing if the content interests or resonates with you.
*** Three stars
Reviewed by: Kate Soper