Haven’t I Seen You Somewhere Before?

Review of Kim’s Convenience at Olney Theatre

Watching Kim’s Convenience, the new production at Olney Theatre, is a strange exercise in déjà vu.  Those who have seen some or all of the five-season TV series derived from it can’t help but run mental comparisons, but they’re still in for a good time.

Can a ninety-minute show contain all the complexity of relationships among a family of Canadian-Koreans and their customers that were explored on cable?  Well, no.  But it can provide a window into the family dynamics of Appa (Stan Kang), the father with limited English but fierce protective instincts; Umma (Tuyet Thi Pham), his wife, and mother of Janet (Justine “Icy” Moral), and Jung (Zion Jang), two very assimilated young adults.

Most of the family interaction occurs between Appa and Janet.  Appa wants Janet to take more of an interest in running the store, but Janet has her own life as a photographer (while still living at home).  A gentrifying neighborhood and an attractive offer to sell the store provide tension and a measure of suspense to the plot.  Appa isn’t getting any younger, and Jung has long ago left home in a flurry of temper.  Appa hasn’t seen him since, but Jung has kept in touch with his mother.  In a poignant scene with Umma (an otherwise underwritten part), Jung returns and shows her a picture of his firstborn.  Later, a reunion of Appa and Jung provides a satisfying, if just a bit facile, resolution.

The cast is uniformly first-rate.  There’s one additional cast member: Jonathan Del Palmer, playing multiple roles as customer/neighbor/friend/policeman (and Janet’s romantic interest).  It’s a tribute to his versatility that I didn’t realize it was all him until his third appearance!

Another shout-out must go to the set, a painstaking re-creation of an urban convenience store.    Getting a close-up look at it as we exited after the performance, I noticed Canadian brands of snack food as well as such details as a rack of Toronto-area road maps. What fun the production staff must have had dressing the set!

The convenience store setting speaks to the immigrant experience in North America.  Appa was a teacher in Korea, but his limited English led him to seek other avenues to succeed in his adopted country.  Like many other Koreans, he found a corner store to be his way to the (North) American dream.

Some members of the cast mingled with the audience after our matinee performance.  I met Mr. Kang, so much unlike Appa that I was amazed at his acting skill.  And, bonus: Joy Zinoman of Studio Theatre was with him.  “My mentor,” he explained.  She should be very proud.

Kim’s Convenience is playing at Olney Theatre Center through July 27.