REVIEW: A Perfect Dish
Review Date: 4th June 2026 @Theatre Peckham
REVIEWS
T Wu
6/6/20262 min read
©️Photo by Rulin Ma
Written by Chen Xu and directed by Tara Jamora Oppen as part of Peckham Fringe, A Perfect Dish is a 30-minute performance framed as a live television cooking programme. Through the preparation of a crab dish, the piece explores ambition, cultural identity, humanity, and the moral choices that accompany success.
The theatre studio is transformed into a television set, immediately inviting the audience into the world of the show. As spectators enter, they find the chef already preparing ingredients, creating a sense of curiosity and anticipation. The production quickly captures attention through unexpected audience interactions and well-timed humour. Within only a few minutes, the script successfully establishes the chef, performed by Kyu Sim, his profession, cultural background, and the significance of the dish being prepared. These themes are introduced in an accessible and entertaining way, balancing exposition with comedy.
During a break in the television broadcast, accompanied by sounds emerging from a container, a crab appears. Performed through puppetry by Chen Xu, the speaking crab introduces an unexpected shift in tone. Through a conversation that only the chef can hear, the play briefly touches on themes of environmental damage, maternal love, and the relationship between humans and animals. As the chef becomes emotionally affected by the crab's story, he is forced to confront a difficult choice between professional success and compassion. This dilemma forms the emotional core of the piece and highlights its broader reflections on humanity.
The production is further supported by a strong technical design. The puppetry design by Kayla Teodoro is particularly impressive. The crab is detailed, expressive, and convincing, becoming an essential character rather than simply a visual device. The lighting designed by Baysalt Gui, while simple, effectively guides the audience's attention and clearly marks transitions between moments within the television programme. Sound design by Jiwon Kim helps establish both setting and atmosphere through applause cues, broadcast effects, and other audio elements. The projected video content, presenting questions and graphics associated with the cooking programme, is playful and well integrated, reinforcing the illusion of a live television production. The set designed by Inini Xinyi Yin is similarly effective, creating a clear and functional performance environment that supports the storytelling throughout, particularly through the kitchen table setup and the final scene involving steam.
As a work still in development, some areas could benefit from further consideration. For example, within the fictional television production setting, it is not always clear whether the chef’s words, while he talks to the crab, can be heard by the other people participating in the TV shoot. Clarifying this relationship could strengthen the internal logic of the piece. Similarly, some transitions between the recorded television segments and the live action could be more consistent. The opening cue is established through voice-over, but later transitions sometimes rely on different methods. Additional visual or technical cues could help create a more unified structure.
Nevertheless, A Perfect Dish is an engaging and thoughtfully crafted piece. Funny, touching, and distinctive in its concept, it demonstrates considerable potential for future development. Given that the production is still evolving, what has already been achieved is highly promising, and the work feels capable of growing into something even more ambitious.
★★★★
For more information, please visit: https://www.theatrepeckham.co.uk/show/a-perfect-dish/
Credits
Performer: Kyu Sim
Writer / Puppeteer: Chen Xu
Director: Tara Jamora Oppen
Dramaturg: Kat Kim
Production Designer: Inini Xinyi Yin
Puppetry Designer: Kayla Teodoro
Lighting Designer: Baysalt Gui
Sound Designer: Jiwon Kim
Producer: Peijia Hu
Technical Stage Manager: Pei Hong Chew
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