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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. Kim's Convenience Also see Susan's reviews of Duel Reality and Wipeout
The Olney Theatre Center's production of Kim's Convenience is a charmer, but audiences interested in seeing it should get their tickets immediately. The run ends July 27 in the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, which has fewer seats available than usual due to the configuration and details of Debra Kim Sivigny's scenic design. The play by Ins Choi follows the day-to-day life of a Korean immigrant family in Toronto in 2012. The parents, Appa (Stan Kang) and Umma (Tuyet Thi Pham), operate a convenience store in the Regent's Park neighborhood, largely inhabited by recent immigrants like themselves. But while Appa wants his adult children to take over the business, daughter Janet (Justine "Icy" Moral) has other plans and son Jung (Zion Jang) has become estranged from his parents. A secondary plot involves the rumor of a Walmart moving into the neighborhood, which would make Appa's store redundant. Director Aria Velz displays a light touch with the material, which inspired a Canadian television series that ran from 2016-2021 (episodes are available for streaming). The tone is light and empathetic, but undergirded with the uncertainty immigrants and first-generation residents may face regarding their role in society. Minjoo Kim's lighting design complements the set, largely naturalistic but with moments that highlight the drama. First of all, the set. The seats surround a detailed and realistic depiction of the store's interior, to the extent that a viewer might be tempted to pick up a bag of chips or some candy from the shelves. The family lives upstairs, above the shop, and Appa considers himself a self-appointed neighborhood watch officer, ready to pounce on people who park their cars in the no-parking zone just outside the store. (He also holds grudges against fellow Asian immigrants from countries other than his.) "My store is my story," Appa says when a local businessman offers to buy him out in advance of the possible gentrification of the neighborhood. Both parents shake their heads over college student Janet's plans for a photography career: Umma wants her married and Appa thinks she's turning her back on her family. Meanwhile, Appa has cut off communications with Jung, while churchgoing Umma sees hope for a family reconciliation. The play is only about 80 minutes long, with no excess baggage. Velz has used her rapport with the actors–also including Jonathan Del Palmer in several roles–to create a believable bond among the family members and a clear examination of the stresses they face. Kim's Convenience runs through July 27, 2025, at Olney Theatre Center, Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney MD. For tickets and information, please call 301-924-3400 or visit www.olneytheatre.org. By Ins Choi Cast: |
