A Review of Kim’s Convenience at the Oxford Playhouse

When I was looking through the upcoming shows at the Oxford Playhouse, I’ll admit that I wasn’t familiar with the play Kim’s Convenience or the subsequent Netflix show. However, upon mentioning it at dinner I soon discovered that it is beloved and was instantly curious to find out whether it lived up to the hype. It’s always interesting to attend shows where there is so much expectation, my plus one loving the series and being desperate for the play to be as good. No pressure!

Written by Ins Choi and first produced for Toronto Fringe Festival in 2011, Kim’s Convenience tells the story of a small Canadian convenience store in an area that is rapidly being redeveloped. The shop is run by a Korean family and over the course of the play we gain an insight into both the family dynamics and some of the more unique interactions one can have while working in customer services. As with all good comedy, there are plenty of opportunities to laugh but there is also a deeper and more emotional undercurrent running through the piece. The family is headed by James Yi’s Appa, a serious and strict shop owner whose judgements on his customers are rapid and unwavering. Yi’s performance is compelling as he fills the role of overbearing father and lost soon to be retiree. At his side for much of the show is Caroline Donica’s Janet, who is as much petulant teenager as thirty year old creative. Both actors bring strong performances, carrying the show as the other characters satellite around them.

The world of this small shop is brought to life through the amazing set, complete with shelves stocked with crisps and energy drinks, a light up ‘open’ sign and the classic falsely cheerful doorbell as the door is opened and closed. This elaborate creation is a wonderful sight in a time of stripped back sets and adds a true authenticity to the whole production. The audience are not forced to imagine the shop, for every element is carefully accounted for… right down the price gun. It is also worth noting that the one set change that does take place is wonderfully simplistic and excellently exucuted.

For me it is the opening which holds the most power. While the use of language and sound is compelling throughout (particularly the use of untranslated conversations), it is the first few minutes which stuck with me. Following a sitcom-esque music opening, Appa prepares the shop to open in absolute silence. In today’s society, silence is not something we are really accustomed to. There is always noise coming from somewhere and our ability to sit perfectly still and allow something to simply play out is massively diminished. However, in this moment, the whole auditorium holds its breath as Appa goes about making his (extremely sugary!) tea. That ability to maintain an audience’s attention with no real sound whatsoever is pure magic.

I feel that I have barely touched upon this play and that there is so much more I can say. But in a bid to keep this as light and entertaining as the play it discusses, I will end with a promise that this play is well worth a watch if you get the opportunity and I am now very much looking forward to exploring the Netflix spinoff.

Ultimately this is a story about family and legacy, dissecting what can tear a family apart and what can reunite them. What could potentially be a hard hitting rough ride through the challenges of creating a home in a new country becomes an entertaining romp through the most unusual of customer service encounters. Dissecting the community, we are given an insight into the chaos of the every day, as performed by multi-rolling Andrew Gichigi. As with any good comedy, it is well balanced, deep and meaningful while still providing plenty of opportunities for a good laugh.