Waitress the Musical is a fun show, with plenty of comedy and good music. It deals with darker themes as well, but overall it’s an uplifting show. Here’s my Waitress the Musical theatre review.
Overview and plot synopsis of Waitress the Musical
Waitress follows Jenna Hunterson, a pie baker and waitress at Joe’s Diner. She’s known for baking amazing, original pies. Jenna is in an unhappy, abusive marriage with Earl, and learns she is pregnant. She ends up telling Earl one night when he is about to attack her. Jenna looks for support from her friends and diner colleagues, Becky and Dawn, and starts to explore ways to change her circumstances so she can leave her husband. She also talks to Joe, the elderly owner of the Diner and a regular customer. Joe encourages her to pursue opportunities beyond her current situation. Jenna begins planning to enter a pie‑baking contest with a cash prize that she believes could help her gain independence.
Jenna starts attending medical appointments with Dr. Jim Pomatter, the new doctor in town. Their interactions develop into a secret affair. Meanwhile, Dawn begins a relationship with Ogie – a man she met online, and was originally nervous and unsure of, but soon found they shared similar (very niche) interests. And Jenna discovers Becky is also having an affair with Cal, the diner’s manager, despite both being married.
As Jenna’s pregnancy progresses, Earl becomes more controlling, getting angry and violent when he discovers that Jenna has been secretly hiding money so she can pay for her entry to the pie-baking contest. Jenna continues her affair with her doctor, until she gives birth. Jenna gives birth to her daughter, Lulu.
Holding her precious daughter in her arms, Jenna breaks up with Earl and makes him leave. She also ends her relationship with Dr. Pomatter – despite being grateful for their time together, she wants more than just to be ‘happy enough’ having an affair with a married man.
It’s then revealed that Joe has sadly died, and that he has left the diner to Jenna in his will. Jenna is able to establish a new life for herself and her daughter. The story concludes with Jenna running the diner independently and raising Lulu on her own, with her friends around her.
What I liked about Waitress the Musical
I really enjoyed seeing Waitress on stage. There were lots of aspects of the show that I liked.
Set and costumes
I thought that the set and costumes of Waitress were really good. The set for the diner was quite detailed, and really made you believe that you were in a proper diner. There were good set changes for the doctor’s office, and also Jemma and Earl’s home. The set made it easy to see where each of the scenes was happening, and added to the story-telling.
The performances – especially Carrie Hope Fletcher as Jenna
I thought the performances of all of the characters were brilliant. But there were still some that stood out.
Carrie Hope Fletcher as Jenna was absolutely brilliant. It felt like she just was Jenna, without needing to act at all. She’s an amazing singer. She’s one of these singers who makes singing just seem so easy and natural – when of course it’s definitely not! But the moment she started singing, her voice was just perfect, and it seemed so natural. She played the character so well that it was incredibly easy to be rooting for her throughout the show, desperate for her to find the courage to leave her abusive marriage and find happiness. And it was really emotional at the end (in a good way), when she finally did.
I thought Dr Pomatter was brilliant as well – just the right amount of sweet awkwardness and humour, while also conveying that he really cared about Jenna and was a nice person (despite questioning his morals and professionalism having an affair with a pregnant patient…but if you ignore that, then he was really nice and was funny).
Dawn and her new man were great as well, and brilliant at conveying their slightly quirky characters – and how even though they were both a bit different, they could still find someone who perfectly complements their quirkiness. They showed that there really is someone out there for everyone.
The comedy
Show dealt with difficult issues around domestic abuse. But it still managed to be a really funny show, and there was a lot of comedy in the show. I wasn’t always sure about the balance (more about that later), but I still really enjoyed the comedy. The show felt mostly happy and uplifting.
The doctor was really funny, with his awkwardness. Dawn and her man were funny as well. And there was a really funny scene, near the end of Act One, where all three of the main characters are with their men, ‘doing it’. It was a little bit of a PG scene, but nothing serious, and was really funny. Jenna and Dr Pomatter ‘doing it’ on the examination table with the leg stirrups was very funny. There were a lot of funny scenes.
The music
The songs and music in Waitress were brilliant as well. I didn’t always find the songs super memorable just from seeing them in the show – I didn’t actually know the music well before going to see the show. But I’ve really enjoyed listening to the whole soundtrack at home. All of the songs are good, with a nice variety of fun songs and some more serious, soppy songs.
A highlight for me was the song ‘Matter to Me’ between Jenna and the doctor – that was a really lovely, sweet, romantic song. But the absolute highlight was ‘She Used to be Mine’, sung by Jenna towards the end. Earl had just discovered her hidden money and got violent, and Jenna is left, sat on the sofa, feeling broken. It was such a powerful, moving, emotional song. Carrie Hope Fletcher’s performance was just perfect. I’ve listened to that song so many times since – it’s an amazing moment. It’s sad, but also empowering as well.
What I wasn’t so sure about
I really enjoyed Waitress. There was only one aspect that I wasn’t so sure about. And that was the balance between comedy and emotion in the show.
The show was a slightly weird mix of a funny rom-com, but with some dark themes. And I’m not sure the emotional side of the show was quite conveyed properly.
The comedy in the show was definitely done well. It was a funny show, with lots of funny moments. But these felt a bit jarring, when they were right before or after a serious, domestic abuse scene. There’s definitely a darker element to the story of Waitress – it’s not just a funny rom com. There’s domestic abuse, and also moral dilemmas of married characters having affairs. But I’m not sure this production captured that. The scenes between Jenna and Earl felt a bit rushed – especially the scene early on, where Jenna announces she’s pregnant to save herself from being attacked by Earl. It should have been a very powerful and emotional scene, but it felt a bit rushed, and the emotional fell a bit flat. And then we were straight back to the comedy.
I feel like this show focussed just a bit too much on the rom-com element at the expense of conveying the darker, emotional side. Just a bit more emotion would have elevated the show from just a ‘very good’ musical to a really memorable, amazing one. The show felt a bit confused about whether it was a rom com, heavy on the comedy, or if it was a serious exploration of darker themes of abuse and adultery, and ultimately a story about empowerment.
Would I recommend Waitress the Musical
Overall, I did really enjoy Waitress on stage. It’s a good story, with great music, and some excellent performances. It’s definitely a great night out, with plenty of comedy and funny moments. It maybe lacks a bit of depth and emotion, with the darker themes not quite fitting in with the rom-com nature of the majority of the show. But overall it is really good, and I could definitely recommend seeing this show.
Hope you enjoyed my Waitress the Musical theatre review! Check out my other theatre reviews for more shows in the West End, across the UK and the world.
