On the Fringe: Q&A with Inside Julia Child director Rebecca Wright

The Web site for the award-winning alternative weekly, the Philadelphia City Paper.

options

On the Fringe: Q&A with Inside Julia Child director Rebecca Wright

POSTED: Friday, September 4, 2009, 7:47 PM

Unfortunately, we couldn't hook up with Rebecca Wright before our Fringe issue came out, but we were so intrigued by Inside Julia Child that we couldn't resist a chat with the director, who also has a show called It's Hard Times at the Camera Blanca ' about circus performers during an economic recession ' going up at this year's Fringe.

City Paper: What's the thrust of this show?

Rebecca Wright: It's actually of a re-enactment of The French Chef, which was Julia Child's cooking show. It's the tart tatin, an apple tart, episode. He [John Jarboe] re-enacts the episode but it gets interrupted at three distinct moments from inner monologue, which is composed of Julia Child's writing. We did all this research so it's from Julia's writings. The monologues get more extended and intense and between all of them Julia goes back to to doing the TV show and making the tart.

CP: Why choose a man to play Julia Child?

RW: The actor John Jarboe ' the project came from conversations we were having. We generated it from scratch and he was always a part of it. There's something about her amazing attitude, especially when it comes to challenges and mistakes and failures. She also overcame so many obstacles and so many stereotypes. We wanted to make a show about Julia Child and failure, or imperfection is a better way of saying it. And that's a universal thing ' something experienced by men and women. So it's partly to universalize it and partly to make some disjoint in the show.

CP: Is her attitude what attracted you to Julia Child in the first place?

RW: That attitude, that working can-do attitude. Have you ever seen her old TV shows? She's an amazing performer. She seems really awkward and she makes mistakes all the time but she makes jokes about it. The first time I sat down to watch it, I thought, this is the worst performer ever ' she mumbles and stutters. But she's so great and so compelling because she loves what she's doing. She's understands it deeply and wants to communicate it.

CP: And what about the tart?

RW: Look, you can say a lot of things about this but it's half an hour long, it's $5 and you can get to eat at the end.

Inside Julia Child, Sat., Sept 5, Mon., Sept. 7, 9 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 6, 10 p.m.; $5, Philly Kitchen Share, 1514 South St.

Posted by Molly Eichel @ 7:47 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Previous Story: First Friday Fete: 2424 Studios, Brave New Worlds and Hudson Beach Glass

Next Story: Remember Arthur Magazine? They're coming to Philly.

Comments (0)

Q&A with SHARI SOLANIS: "The goal isn't pornography"
What we're trying to do this weekend
SEXY TIME Q&A: I've never had an orgasm during sex with a man — and I'm 30!
NOW SEE THIS: Transit cop arrests marijuana activist for alleged disorderly conduct.
CONCERT REVIEW: Primus (3D & quadraphonic sound) @ The Tower 10/17
Q&A with Tony Goldwyn: "Life is gray, and relationships are, too"
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: The Archbishop meets the Geator, the Mayor goes suit shopping, Le Bec Fin fin.
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Indian fare rules, Dunder Mifflin lives on, Tom Jones is a god
SWIMMING HOLES: Some of our favorite places to get wet
Q&A with Goon’s Seann William Scott

About this blog

Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

Follow Critical Mass editors Patrick Rapa and Emily Guendelsberger on Twitter:

@mission2denmark | @emilygee

Search this blog:

Topics:

Blog archives:

May
April
March

February
January

Past Archives: