Caroline Donica Joins UK Tour of KIM'S CONVENIENCE

As Kim’s Convenience prepares to hit the road across the UK, additional casting has been announced including the reunion of an on-stage father-daughter pair. 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. 

The tour kicks off in March at Leeds Playhouse.

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. 

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.  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. 

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.