WAITRESS UK TOUR REVIEW
HULL NEW THEATRE
SATURDAY 5TH FEBRUARY @ 7.30PM
***** 5/5
It might be a few days late but I’ve only just got round to writing my Waitress UK tour review from Saturday night! Unfortunately, I was unable to attend press night earlier in the week but because I already had tickets to the show, I wasn’t as bothered. Keep reading for my thoughts.
PRE-SHOW THOUGHTS
Having seen the show in the West End just before lockdown, I was sad to see it finish down in London. I laughed, I cried, I sang, I danced. It’s one of those musicals that will have you feeling all of the emotions for sure! I’ve been a fan of the soundtrack for years now but it’s always different to see a show on stage. As always, I’m intrigued to see new actors in the roles as well as how the show transfers from the West End stage to a touring production.
THE CAST
I’ll be the first to admit that I originally thinking it was a stunt casting with Chelsea Halfpenny playing Jenna. However, I’ll hold my hand up and say how wrong I was! She had such a beautiful soft, emotive tone to her voice and her acting skills were definitely clear throughout.
Sandra Marvin as Becky and Evelyn Hoskins as Dawn round out the friends trio. Both brought a great deal of humour to the stage in completely different ways. Marvin is the wiser but still fun elder of the two and her voice filled the entire room. In fact, I think her mic was turned up higher than anyone’s! Having seen Hoskins in London, it was a real treat to see her play Dawn again. She plays cute and awkward incredibly well and her voice is just as sweet to match.
Filling in for Matt Jay-Willis as Dr Pomatter was Nathaneal Landskroner and all I have to say, make him a leading man permanently somewhere! He managed to make Dr Pom sexy, awkward, funny and sweet all in one show with a beautiful voice to match. Seriously, he needs to be promoted because he is impressive!
Rounding out the cast were George Crawford as Ogie (hilarious), Tamlyn Henderson as Earl and Christopher D. Hunt as Cal (also hilarious). Each brought their own spin into the role and Michael Starke’s Joe brought a tear to my eye during Take It From An Old Man.
THE MUSIC
For me, the soundtrack is the absolute highlight of this show. Sara Bareilles knows how to write a hit song and each song portrays a different emotion. From the utterly heartbreaking She Used to Be Mine (which made me cry again) to the sexiness of Bad Idea to the hilarity of Never Ever Getting Rid of Me, it covers everything!
The only thing that is missing for me still is a Dr Pom solo. Without a Believer, especially when Jeremy Jordan’s version, shows a more vulnerable side to his character and would’ve let a man show their vocal range delicately.
I adore the fact that it doesn’t feel like a traditional musical because the music is so contemporary. I’d argue those who love singer-songwriters but normally hate musicals would appreciate Waitress!
OVERALL THOUGHTS
If I could see Waitress monthly, I would. There’s something so special about this show that I struggle to describe. It’s a mixture of the music, the characters the actors, the emotions and the story I think. It’s an absolute emotional rollercoaster of a story and the songs mostly portray that.
I beg you to see this show whilst it’s on tour until August and you can find all the tour dates right here. If you enjoyed my Waitress UK tour review, you might like my other theatre reviews.
THEATRE ETIQUETTE
Just a quick note about this before I leave you. Whilst I enjoyed the performance, I didn’t enjoy the experience. The four teenagers sat next to us talked throughout, rustled sweet packets constantly and were on their phones every ten minutes (along with no mask wearing). Now I appreciate that the theatre experience is different for everyone, there are basic manners that should be adhered to. They probably got away with this behaviour because it was the back row but it felt like they were watching a film at home with that lack of etiquette and spoiled the evening for me.
Please think about others when in a theatre. Whisper quietly sparingly, eat before the show or during the interval and put your phone away. Also, leggings, socks and sliders aren’t exactly theatre-appropriate attire either. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
