Review: THE RECIPE at La Jolla Playhouse

At its best, “The Recipe” at La Jolla Playhouse is as warm and inviting as a kitchen in winter: fragrant with possibility, anchored by love, and anchored even more firmly by two utterly charming leads. At nearly two hours and 45 minutes, however, this ambitious new play sometimes forgets that even the richest dish benefits from reduction.

The production, staged in the Playhouse’s intimate Potiker Theatre, tells the origin story of Julia Child — from awkward Smith College student to unlikely culinary icon. The show’s primary tent poles are clear: Julia’s lifelong sense of not quite fitting in, her surprising joy in civil service, her devotion to her husband and cooking, and her transformative friendship with two formidable French women. There is more than enough material here for a deeply satisfying evening. As with most recipes, it is not just the ingredients that are important, but also their proportions. 

The first quarter lingers in Julia’s collegiate dissatisfaction and in men who see her as a “pal” or want her to shrink herself to be considered a romantic prospect. It's established quickly: she doesn’t fit the mold. She’s tall, loud, intellectually restless, and not especially interested in shrinking herself. The repetition dulls the impact, and entire college sequences and romantic disappointments could be trimmed without sacrificing clarity. 

The play truly finds its footing once Julia moves to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) during World War II to work in civil service. It’s there she meets Paul Child, played with warmth and wit by Norbert Leo Butz. This chapter is by far the most compelling part of the piece; it is worldly, unexpected, and alive with possibility. Christina Kirk’s Julia finally seems fully at ease in her own skin, and her chemistry with Butz is the production’s greatest strength. Their relationship feels adult, affectionate, and rooted in genuine admiration. The play would have benefited from lingering in this storyline and exploring more of what each did during this time and how this relationship bloomed.

As Julia, Christina Kirk is gangly, exuberant, stubborn, and deeply human in her flashes of self-doubt. Whether or not she resembles the historical Julia is beside the point because this is not meant to be an impersonation. Opposite her, Norbert Leo Butz’s Paul is warm, attentive, awkwardly charming, and beautifully grounded. Their chemistry is the show’s secret sauce. Together, they create a marriage that feels modern in its mutual admiration, playful, romantic, and genuinely supportive.

The second act shifts to Paris, where Julia discovers French cooking and forms a partnership with Simone Beck, played by Jill Abramovitz, and Louisette Bertholle, played by Saisha Talwar. The friendship and eventual rupture between these women are framed as a major emotional conflict and a source of regret for Julia. Yet, after carefully building it, the play leaves the resolution frustratingly vague. If the friendship and disagreement are important enough to anchor the act, it deserves a clearer conclusion. Having to Google what happened afterward feels less like artistic restraint and more like unfinished business.

Similarly, Julia’s longing for children is introduced repeatedly and treated as a defining ache — only to resolve abruptly. The imbalance is puzzling. it.

Directed by Lisa Peterson, what consistently works is the production itself. In the intimate Potiker Theatre, Rachel Hauck’s movable set pieces glide efficiently from dorm room to tropical outpost to Parisian apartment. One visual highlight is the gleaming wall of cookware Paul builds for Julia as it descends, causing the audience to gasp in delight. Linda Cho’s costumes elegantly chart Julia’s evolution from gangly co-ed to sophisticated expatriate. (La Jolla Playhouse, if you’re selling that cat-ear headband from Act One, I would like to discuss.

 “The Recipe” could be sharper, more focused, and a bit shorter. Like any great dish, it just needs a little tweaking so everything fully comes together.

How To Get Tickets

 “The Recipe” at the La Jolla Playhouse is now extended through March 29th, 202.  For ticket and showtime information, please go to www.lajollaplayhouse.org