VOICE CHOICE, a must see

“Acting performances at their finest.”

Korean Canadian Mr. Kim (playwright Ins Choi), also known as Appa, runs a family-run convenience store in Regent Park, Toronto, with his wife, Mrs. Kim (Esther Chung), also known as Umma. Regent Park is becoming gentrified, with many condos going up and the possibility that a Walmart will move in and kill all the surrounding family-operated stores.

The Kims’ 30-year-old daughter Janet (Kelly Seo) lives with them. She is a freelance photographer. Appa and his son Jung (Ryan Jinn) are estranged. They got into fisticuffs many years ago, and there was also a question of missing money from the store’s safe. Brandon McKnight rounds out the cast as several supporting players who enter the convenience store. One of them is a friend of Jung’s who also takes a personal interest in Janet.

Mr. Kim wants his daughter to take over the store when he retires, but Janet is not interested in running it. Instead, she would like to focus on her career as a photographer.

There’s so much right about this opening-night production that must be celebrated.

At the beginning of the show, Nicole Eun-Ju Bell’s projection designs of people entering and exiting a local convenience store encapsulate what ‘Kim’s Convenience’ is all about – a community and family supporting one another. While the play addresses the immigrant experience, the themes of family and community are universal and speak to all of us.

Joanna Yu’s incredible set and Wen-Ling Liao’s appropriate lighting designs capture the authentic essence of the Canadian bodega-style convenience store. Every inch of space is utilized to its fullest extent. Near the end of the play, the Kims’ son Jung states he can smell the familiarity of the convenience store. That’s exactly how I felt, too. Fan Zhang’s sound design and original music composition nicely underscore each of the scenes in the play.

Weyni Mengesha’s compassionate direction of Ins Choi's family first script remains outstanding. Several key developments in the plot create a profound emotional impact that resonates deeply. At one point, Janet expresses how wronged she feels because Appa has not shown much appreciation for her work in the store. When she goes on to calculate how much she believes her father owes her financially, Appa magnificently remains stoic, absorbing everything in silence. However, when he finally responds, there is a remarkable shift in events as he effectively puts his ‘selfish’ daughter in her place for all he has done for her. This moment took my breath away as I sat silently pondering what I had just heard, which felt and looked genuinely authentic.

Playwright Ins Choi imbues quiet dignity and grace in his Appa, sustaining that aura throughout the entire production. Designer Ming Wong clothes Choi in comfortable-looking clothes. There’s nothing flashy at all. Personally, I like the Adidas slippers because they suit Appa perfectly. When he first appears at the top of the show, Choi remains completely silent. Appa engages in his daily routine as he opens the store. However, what may seem mundane and dull is transformed for Appa into a moment of purpose, leading him to express gratitude for what he possesses. He even discovers a touch of humour by making his tea, eliciting the audience's laughter. Choi’s Appa is one to be remembered.

Esther Chung’s Umma resonates deeply when she encounters her estranged son, Jung, in church. Chung portrays Umma as emotionally conflicted but thankfully avoids making her overly dramatic or melodramatic to the point of being unbelievable. When Jung delivers important news to Umma, her reaction is yet another credible and solid moment of performance. Chung allows the information to sink in, ponders and reflects, breathes, and continues. Wonderful work.

Kelly Seo’s portrayal of Janet initially appears flashy and stylish. Wong outfits her in black ripped jeans, a blouse, a black leather jacket, and coordinating boots. Seo’s Janet is also genuinely authentic. She’s courageous and spirited while grasping the significance of family. She seeks to understand and appreciate her parents' contributions to her life.

Yet Janet also understands that she needs to have a life of her own. Her scenes with Jung’s high school troublemaker friend, now cop Alex (Brandon McKnight), are delightful to watch, as one can sense the growing attraction between them.

One cannot help but feel empathy for Ryan Jinn’s Jung. His Jung is an unhappy man who wishes to mend his relationship with his father; however, that thing called manly pride can sometimes hinder the rebuilding of trust. The final scene in the store, where father and son see each other after a long absence, is initially tense, thanks to Choi and Jinn maintaining their strong sense of self. But what works nicely here is the give and take between father and son that initiates the healing of a critical parent/child relationship. Again, watching this scene unfold between two solid actors who do not turn the moment shmaltzy or ‘sitcomish’ is befitting.’

‘Kim’s Convenience’ is definitely worth the trip to the Distillery District. It also highlights how family and community remain paramount, regardless of who we are.

In his Playwright’s Programme Note, Ins Choi writes how his Appa and Umma hugged him when they saw the play’s premiere in 2011 at the Toronto Fringe Festival. His parents told their son they were proud of him and thanked him.

Thank you, Ins and company, for sharing your love letter with all of us.

Running time: approximately 90 minutes with no interval.

The production runs until March 16 at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in the Distillery District, 50 Tank House Lane, Toronto.

A SOULPEPPER PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATRE AND ADAM BLANSHAY PRODUCTIONS present

‘Kim’s Convenience’ by Ins Choi
Directed by Weyni Mengesha
Set Designer: Joanna Yu
Costume Designer: Ming Wong
Lighting Designer: Wen-Ling Liao
Video/Projection Designer: Nicole Eun-Ju Bell
Sound Designer: Fan Zhang
Stage Manager: Robert Harding

Performers: Ins Choi, Esther Chung, Ryan Jinn, Brandon McKnight, Kelly Seo

(Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured: Esther Chung and Ins Choi)