Review: WAITRESS, King's Theatre

Waitress is a 2016 musical based on the motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly, with book by Jessie Nelson and music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles. While this 10th anniversary tour has already completed many tour dates around the UK, Glasgow is the first to be blessed by West End Jenna, Lucie Jones, which is a real treat!

Jenna is a young woman trapped in an unhappy marriage with Earl (Mark Willshire). She works in a local diner, baking her legendary pies and dreaming of a bigger life for herself. When Jenna unexpectedly becomes pregnant, she wonders whether she's sealed her fate for a lifetime of unhappiness with Earl.

Jenna’s life is turned around by Dr Pomatter (Dan Partridge), who is a charming but awkward gynaecologist. Waitress is not a musical where people make good life choices. The characters are complex, messy and loveable. Jenna isn’t good at talking about her feelings, but she gives people an idea of what she’s going through by whatever she names her latest pie creation.

While Jenna has no family, she is extremely close to her two co-workers, Becky (Bernadette Bangura) and Dawn (Evelyn Hoskins), who both bring a lot of warmth and humour to the stage as they support their friend while going through their own dramas. Les Dennis also gives a star turn as cantankerous diner owner Joe, who isn’t quite as grumpy as he makes out.

I’ll admit that Waitress is in my top ten shows of all time so I may be biased, but this is a flawless production. The cast are incredible, and Lucie Jones’ “She Used To Be Mine” is just beautiful. Bareilles music is a mix of heart-wrenching ballads, fun upbeat numbers and super silly songs, and they all work so well.

Waitress is a beloved show, and that is apparent from the energy in the auditorium on a Tuesday evening. The night was made a little more special with Lucie Jones' incredible return to this role that she is so perfect for, and the full house standing ovation proved that I’m not the only one who thought so!

Get Broadway News on WhatsApp

Receive the latest updates, breaking news, and exclusive coverage from Broadway directly in WhatsApp.