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Ten years of sweet success pie: Combine an exceptionally talented cast with a generous helping of heart, a spoonful of humour, a dash of romance and a piano-pop score written by a Grammy-winning artist. Bake until golden and serve piping hot to an audience that will absolutely devour every crumb.
There are very few musicals that manage to be simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking, but Waitress strikes that balance with ease. A decade after first opening on Broadway, Waitress is back on tour to celebrate its 10th anniversary, delivering a production that is deliciously warm, witty and wonderfully layered.
Leading the cast is Carrie Hope Fletcher as Jenna, a talented pie-maker trapped in an unhappy marriage who dreams of a better future. It’s a story that tackles domestic abuse, complicated relationships, motherhood and self-worth with remarkable accuracy and sensitivity, while never losing its heart.
Carrie is immediately believable as Jenna, with an authenticity that allows you to become fully invested in her story. She is a character you can’t help but root for, and Carrie captures her nature – down to every ounce of vulnerability – brilliantly.
Then there are the vocals. Carrie’s voice is nothing short of breathtaking, navigating the score with a mesmerising amount of power and control. Her solos, including What Baking Can Do and She Used To Be Mine were monumental, but the harmonies with the other cast members in group numbers are equally as stunning – angelic, even, at times.
The score comes from Sara Bareilles and is infused with her signature piano-led pop-soul sound.Many will know Sara from her 2007 debut single Love Song, which was actually written about her record label who were pushing her to write a romantic hit, and it’s safe to say her rebellious side shines through in the musical’s tracks.
The supporting cast is equally outstanding. Les Dennis is wonderfully wise as Joe, sharing some of the show’s most touching moments with Jenna. Sandra Marvin is a force as Becky, delivering impeccable comic timing and bringing much-needed sass and levity that offsets some of the show’s heavier themes.
Evelyn Hoskins is delightful as Dawn, sweeter than a slice of pie with When He Sees Me being a standout number for her, while Mark Anderson almost steals the show as her eccentric love interest Ogie. His scenes had the audience roaring with laughter from declaring his love in Never Ever Getting Rid Of Me to ‘the British are coming’ and cartwheeling out of the diner.
Dan Partridge is charming and suitably awkward as Dr Pomatter, while Mark Willshire gives a convincingly uncomfortable performance as Earl, but it’s perhaps Dan O’Brien’s Cal who is one of the most underrated characters. Gruff yet loveable, he makes some of the show’s ‘in between’ moments fantastically funny, whether it’s struggling to get his bike helmet’s visor down, or slapping spatulas around the kitchen.
But beneath the laughs and catchy tracks, it’s the story about finding the courage to choose happiness that got me teary-eyed in the end, leading to a well-deserved standing ovation from the audience.
Waitress is a show with all the ingredients needed for a memorable night at the theatre, but with this particular cast, I truly believe it’s the best possible version we’ll get to see. Catch a slice of the action at The Regent Theatre this week, with Waitress running until Saturday, July 11.
