Preview: Kim’s Convenience at Darlington Hippodrome

ON-STAGE FATHER AND DAUGHTER REUNITE FOR KIM’S CONVENIENCE COMING TO DARLINGTON HIPPODROME

Kim’s Convenience 

Darlington Hippodrome 

Tuesday 24 - Saturday 28 June 2025

As Kim’s Convenience prepares to hit the road on a full UK tour, a reunion is set to bring even more heart to this beloved production which stops off in Darlington in June.

Joining James Yi (Kim’s Convenience, Netflix; The Interview) in his role of the loveable yet stubborn patriarch Appa will be Caroline Donica, once again as his on-stage daughter Janet. Marking their UK debut, the pair’s return as the leading father and daughter duo brings an authentic chemistry to this much-loved story of family, tradition, and generational change.

James Yi

Caroline Donica

Presented by Adam Blanshay Productions and Park Theatre, this family drama will tour with this special reunion at its heart and give wider audiences the chance to catch the evolving, comedic, and often tense relationship between Appa and Janet. Yi and Donica’s on-stage dynamic, honed from their previous run of the production across the pond at Georgia’s Aurora Theatre in 2023, captures the push and pull between first-generation immigrant values and the ambitions of the next generation, a theme prominent within Ins Choi’s award-winning play.

Candace Leung

Yi and Donica will be joined by Candace Leung (Spent, BBC; Criminal Minds, CBS) as Umma, Daniel Phung (Blade Runner 2099, Amazon; Rain Dogs, HBO/BBC; My Neighbour Totoro, RSC) as Jung, and Andrew Gichigi (Kim’s Convenience, Riverside Studios; Anansi Boys, Amazon) as Alex. 

Daniel Phung

Uplifting and poignant, Kim’s Convenience’s intricate Canadian-Korean family relationships offers a universal perspective on generational divides, identity, and belonging. While rooted in the immigrant experience, the play’s themes resonate far beyond any one culture, capturing the tensions and tenderness between parents and children as they navigate the balance between tradition, modernity, and personal ambition. Through humour and heart, Kim’s Convenience sheds light on the shared human experience of family, making it a story that speaks to audiences from all backgrounds.

Andrew Gichigi 

Caroline Donica comments, I am beyond excited to join this incredible team for my UK theatrical debut performance in Kim's Convenience. I can't wait to bring Janet Kim to life alongside such a talented group of artists in a story with universal themes of family, growth, and cultural identity. 

This is going to be an unforgettable experience!

Winner of The Stage’s 2025 inaugural Campaign of the Year award and originally debuting at the Toronto Fringe Festival in 2011 – where it won Best New Play and the Patron’s Pick – the play continues to champion East and Southeast Asian representation on stage and on screen. Inspiring the globally loved CBC and Netflix series of the same name, which saw 5 seasons and featured James Yi, the story’s captivating themes of identity, family, and intergenerational conflict has resonated with audiences across cultures and adaptations. This UK tour offers audiences nationwide the chance to experience the warmth, wit, and emotional power of Kim’s Convenience.

Tickets:

Kim’s Convenience runs at Darlington Hippodrome from Tuesday 24 to Saturday 28 June. For full details or to book visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01325 405405.