Writer – Ins Choi
Director – Esther Jun
You can’t imagine that the success of Kim’s Convenience could have been predicted by anyone. What started out as a short piece that won the new play contest at the Toronto Fringe Festival has gone on to tour Canada for three years, performed Off-Broadway and also turned into a five-series sitcom that became a global success courtesy of Netflix. The original play was remounted at Park Theatre earlier this year and, due to that success, is being revived again at the Riverside Studio.
It’s the story of Kim (Ins Choi), a first-generation Korean immigrant running a convenience store – imagine Open All Hours with an East Asian filter. He lives there with his wife, affectionately called Umma (Namju Go), and daughter, Janet (Jennifer Kim). He also has a son, Jun (Edward Wu) but they’re estranged and he’s rarely mentioned. The play offers a snapshot of their lives running a local shop and living as an immigrant family.
The main relationship on display is that of Kim and Janet which resonates with many an intergenerational relationship that has a cultural dimension too. Kim is Korean. Canada is his adopted home, but Janet is fundamentally Canadian, and her ideals, desires and emotions vary considerably from those of her father. This causes frustrations on both sides of the generation gap but also makes for some very funny interactions.
Choi’s script is a fine example of less is more. It effectively covers a lot of ground in a very compact timeframe, giving the piece a sprightly feel despite the, sometimes, deep subject matter. Esther Jun’s direction is equally simple, but it’s Mona Camille’s detailed set design that steals the show. You’re transported to a convenience store. There’s real product on the shelves and there’s a lovely blend of Canadian and Korean products in the mix.
Those familiar with the TV show may find that the humour here is not as prevalent, but that’s not to say it’s not funny. It is, extremely so. But there’s more story crammed in here and more than the TV show takes several seasons to cover. This production does it in just over an hour.
Runs until 24 October 2024
