Waitress is without a doubt a modern classic in musical theatre. You’d have to be living under a rock to be a theatre buff and not know a couple of tunes in this unforgettably catchy soundtrack.
I had high hopes for this production after loving every bit of the musical when it first came to the West End in early 2020. I can certainly say that the new UK tour cast did not disappoint.
This production is packed with witty dialogue, jam-packed musical numbers and memorable characters that you’ll quickly grow to love before the intermission, and then miss immensely on the journey home.
The story takes place in a small town diner in Texas, where we follow the complicated lives of waitresses Jenna, Becky and Dawn. When Jenna falls unexpectedly pregnant, she begins to dream of a happier life outside of the diner and her abusive husband.
The Waitress Musical UK tour has been touring for 7 months with Salford being their final stop. The cast really put their all into this last week of shows, I am sure that the Salfordian audience would agree that it was well worth the wait.
I was exceptionally impressed by the high energy of this production. The speedy costume and set changes were effortlessly smooth. The backdrop of ‘Joes Pie Diner’ was so charming and full of life that once the curtains came down I dreamt of climbing onto the stage and pulling up a chair myself.
From hilarious and upbeat cast numbers like ‘Never Getting Rid of Me’ to tear-jerking quieter moments like ‘Take it from an old man’ performed by British icon Les Dennis. This musical truly took the audience on an emotional rollercoaster almost as chaotic as the lives of these characters.
X-Factor star Lucie Jones gave an outstanding performance as the lead character, Jenna Hunterson. The whole cast did a tremendous job in being able to make the whole theatre laugh out of their seats. But I thought it was particularly impressive when Jones snapped the audience into complete silence during the gut wrenching ballad ‘She used to be mine’.
Her strong vocals during this emotional performance shone beautifully through the theatre and didn’t leave a single eye dry. She received a well deserved standing ovation during the curtain call.
The UK tour celebrates 10 years of the Broadway hit, originally with music and lyrics written by singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles.
The Musical famously made history as the first show with an all-female creative team, including choreographer Lorin Latarro and multi-Tony Award-winning director Diane Paulus.
From starting in New York a decade ago to being brought to Salford this Autumn, there is nowhere I’d rather have been on a rainy Tuesday night. Seeing Waitress The Musical was easily one of the most entertaining nights I have had in this city.
