★★★★

“funny and warm, balancing real laughs with touching moments”

This is the U.K. premiere of a beloved Canadian play, originally staged in 2011, which spawned a highly successful five season CBS TV series. The show became an international hit after being broadcast on Netflix.

Ins Choi, who wrote and starred in the original, has returned to the cast, but is now starring as the father of his previous character. There is something moving in the cycles of time that this represents. It is in keeping with the themes of the play, which explores intergenerational relationships, and the very different struggles of first and second generation immigrants.

The play follows Mr Kim (Choi) known as Appa by his family, as he wrestles with plans for the future of his convenience store. For him, his wife (Namju Go), his daughter, struggling photographer Janet (Jennifer Kim) and his estranged son Jung (Brian Law) this place represents far more than just a store – it is a burden, a legacy and a curse.

Choi’s script is funny and warm, balancing real laughs with touching moments that makes the play feel genuine and moving. Esther Jun’s directing is energetic and joyous.

“Ins Choi’s performance is sublime”

There are some moments which are played for laughs in a way which may detract from the deeper emotions. I struggled with some of the comedy violence, especially in light of the discussions throughout the play about Appa’s history of violent temper tantrums. Controversial comedy is at the heart of this play, and some of the shock factor moments still feel as taboo in 2023 as they must have in 2011. Much of this comes through discussions of race, especially when Mr Kim talks about black people. Miles Mitchell, who multi-roles all non-Kim family parts in the play, is black, and Mr Kim interacts with this in a way which is at times hard to watch. Some moments are hilarious, in a cringe comedy way, but some are truly difficult.

Ins Choi’s performance is sublime, he keeps the tragedy of Mr Kim bubbling under the surface, allowing us to forgive his more unpleasant moments. Namju Go is also powerful as Mrs Kim. Her performance is subtle and moving. At some points she and Choi speak in Korean, but the strength of their performances means non-Korean speakers can follow along easily. It adds to the feeling that the audience is peeking into a private moment in the lives of this family. Miles Mitchell is also a particular standout, effortlessly shifting between roles and bringing depth to every minor character.

Mona Camille’s set is built as a convenience store, with actual snacks and packets of cigarettes. It is meticulous and evocative.

Jonathan Chan’s lighting design manages to conjure both the strip store lighting of the corner store, as well as shifting to create memory sequences. It plays both with extreme naturalism and a nod to the opposite, and is beautifully thought through.

This is a play about people who are rarely the stars of plays. It is a small snippet of a very real life. I can see why this play was vital in 2011 and why it has enjoyed such success in Canada. Nearly 15 years on, it does feel less fresh, but the warmth and charm has remained.

21 ROUND FOR CHRISTMAS at the Park Theatre

★★★★

“There is an ease to the performance that disguises the daunting task of being alone on stage for an hour and a quarter”

There are plenty of theatre shows that pop up at this time of year that like to describe themselves as an ‘alternative’ Christmas gig. Not all live up to the accolade. “21 Round for Christmas” is one that does. Its originality sneaks up on you like the punchline of a shaggy dog story, hiding for much of the time behind the kitchen sink drama of a meandering monologue that, at times, veers as far away from ‘festive’ as the Grinch on speed.

Tracy is holed up in the kitchen, attempting to prepare Christmas Dinner, while a motley crew of assorted members of her extended family are making merry (a loose term) across the hallway. The turkey (and various substitutes to cater for multiple dietary demands) is, literally, left on the back burner. She blames us – the audience – for distracting her and allowing her to unleash her candid and foul-mouthed reminiscences while mother-in-law’s vegan tart burns. She often addresses a photograph stuck to the fridge door – a snapshot of her absent, best friend Jackie. It is the past escapades of the two of them that comprise the bulk of the narrative, the humour and occasional moments of pathos. The anecdotes gush forth, but too often they have little connection to the dramatic frame around which they are structured, and they become off-the-shelf recollections that could fit any scenario.

Cathy Conneff, as Tracy, is brash, profane, unashamed, and wonderfully charismatic. Her natural affinity with the audience gives the character an unaffected authenticity. There is an ease to the performance that disguises the daunting task of being alone on stage for an hour and a quarter. One of a kind, Tracy is also ‘everywoman’ as she unwraps her regrets and throws them onto the pile of spent joys and tribulations like unwanted gifts.

“She has the makings of becoming a seasonal staple”

Conceived in lockdown as part of the Hope@Home series of monologues, writers Matt Ballantyne and Toby Hampton (Hampton also directs) display a sharp insight, but the script is a bit unbalanced. Some yarns are stretched too far while others are left hanging. Alex Forey’s lighting cleverly transports us to past locations in Tracy’s mind while in the here-and-now the set (Hampton, again, with Laurel Marks) evokes the class-defined, London suburban kitchen with precise detail. There is a film maker’s eye at work here, enhancing the realism that Conneff already provides in abundance. Unfortunately, Emily Rose Simons lifelike sound design, that conjures up the rabble next door, doesn’t match the naturalism; which could probably be rectified by a re-jigging of the venue’s sound system.

There are bound to be comparisons to Willy Russell’s ‘Shirley Valentine’, which is no bad thing. Like the eighties’ forerunner, “21 Round for Christmas” (a clumsy title I have to say) has an existential quality, and Conneff skilfully manages to reveal the depth beneath the froth. We are teased in this respect, wanting to know more about Jackie who we learn is lying in a hospital bed at the Royal Marsden. The comedy is dished up loudly and haphazardly, but garnished with intimate detail that almost goes unnoticed. Something in Conneff’s eyes betrays a crisis unfolding. No wonder Tracy ends up hurling the roast potatoes. Her defiance, steeped in humour, has more than a double edge.

We come away feeling like we’ve caught up with an old friend. A bit of a black sheep. Flawed, but somebody we love. In small doses perhaps. For about an hour or so maybe. See you next Christmas, Tracy. We hope we do. She has the makings of becoming a seasonal staple. She can’t please the twenty-one people she has round for Christmas – but she certainly pleases her audience.

KIM’S CONVENIENCE at the Park Theatre

★★★★

“funny and warm, balancing real laughs with touching moments”

“Ins Choi’s performance is sublime”

KIM’S CONVENIENCE at the Park Theatre

Reviewed on 12th January 2024

by Auriol Reddaway

Photography by Mark Douet

Previously reviewed at this venue:

KIM’S CONVENIENCE

KIM’S CONVENIENCE

21 ROUND FOR CHRISTMAS at the Park Theatre

★★★★

“There is an ease to the performance that disguises the daunting task of being alone on stage for an hour and a quarter”

“She has the makings of becoming a seasonal staple”

21 ROUND FOR CHRISTMAS at the Park Theatre

Reviewed on 11th December 2023

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Cam Harle

Previously reviewed at this venue:

21 Round For Christmas

21 Round For Christmas