THE TENTH anniversary tour of ‘Waitress’ arrived at Birmingham Hippodrome last night to a blaze of excitement.
Several audience fans of the show paid homage by dressing in the same sassy powder blue dresses and bright white aprons as the waitresses on stage. The whoops that greeted curtain up for this very ‘adult’ musical certainly raised the roof in anticipation of something special – and happily, they weren’t disappointed.
Waitress is based on a 2007 movie of the same name, written and directed by Adrienne Shelly. Jessie Nelson wrote the book for the stage and Sara Bareilles supplied music and lyrics. This tour has been restaged by Abbey O’Brien, with Nikki Davies-Jones now resident director
Picture by Johan Persson. s
The story is about life in Joe’s Diner and Pie House, where we meet its owner Joe, Manager Cal, waitresses Jenna, Becky and Dawn, their customers and every conceivable type of pie from sugar sweet to sensuously savoury.
As well as waitressing, Jenna is the baker of the most fabulous pies at Joe’s Diner. She loves her job – it’s her only respite from an abusive marriage to a loathsome, controlling, brutish and narcissistic loser called Earl. Jenna wants – indeed plans – to escape from him, but disaster strikes when she discovers she’s pregnant with his child.
Enter handsome gynaecologist Dr Pomatter and bring on bags of enthusiastic but illicit bonking between him and Jenna – who we not only forgive, but positively cheer on.
Picture by Matt Crockett. s
Carrie Hope Fletcher is truly delightful as Jenna, oozing charisma and charmingly compelling in all she does – the applause that greeted her solo ‘She Used To Be Mine’ was roof raising.
Sandra Marvin and Evie Hoskins play Becky and Dawn – both are superb in their roles as supportive friends to Jenna, with colourful back stories in their own right.
Les Dennis is perfect as Joe the diner owner – a guardian angel, caring gentleman of worth. His rendition of ‘Take It from An Old Man’ brought a big lump to the throat.
Mark Anderson plays it hilariously large as the eccentric Ogie who woos Dawn after meeting online and finding they are kindred spirits and re-enactment geeks.
Picture by Matt Crockett. s
Dan Partridge captures the innocence of Dr Pomatter who falls in lust with Jenna and discovers his hidden all-consuming wild side. Having your pie and eating it takes on a whole new meaning.
Dan O’Brien brings humour along with depth to Cal the diner manager and Mark Willshire is the perfect misogynistic baddy as Earl.
Everything about this show is joyous from the slick setting by Scott Pask to the fabulous on-stage band headed up by MD Francesca Warren. The song book is a joyous and often moving collection
‘Waitress’ is as powerful as it is raucous and raunchy – it delivers on so many levels and will have you laughing one minute and weeping the next.
Picture by Matt Crockett. s
One perfect pie – baked and served to perfection. Go grab a slice!
The Waitress is at the Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday, May 1. Click here for times, tickets and more information.
