Waitress at the Palace Theatre Manchester

Waitress Serves Up a Deliciously Entertaining Night at Manchester Palace

What happens when you mix a stellar cast, catchy music, and a captivating set? Well, get yourself along to Waitress the Musical at the Manchester Palace to find out!

Opening night of this acclaimed touring production of Waitress was set against the backdrop of a scorching heat wave, something which only served to further the immersion as we were welcomed into the classic American South establishment of Joe’s Pie Diner.

With the first number ‘Opening Up’, we are treated to a brilliantly choreographed performance with sugar, butter, and flour all being tossed about the stage (I was here left wondering what poor soul had the job of brushing all of this up afterwards).

This slick choreography was continued throughout the performance with the set spinning about the stage and the cast rushing about with all the frenetic energy of a bustling diner and yet all the elegance and polish of a troupe of ballet dancers. This ensured that every number was kept interesting with your eyes drawn to the performers on stage.

It must be said that the whole company were on top form, with every cast member contributing to the energy of the musical. Carrie Hope Fletcher, in the lead role as Jenna, was simply exceptional.

From the minute she stepped, apron-clad, onto the stage, she delivered a gripping, emotionally compelling performance. As she, in the second half of the show, began to sing the show’s standout number, ‘She Used to be Mine’, you could’ve heard a pin drop in the audience, with rightfully rapturous applause following the climax of the song.

However, it was arguably the emotional performance given by Fletcher which astounded the most. It was heartbreaking watching her being held by her abusive husband Earl – both Fletcher and Mark Willshire (Earl) played their scenes excellently.

What makes Jenna such a compelling character is the way Fletcher plays her not as a tragic heroine, but rather as an ordinary woman, exhausted and exasperated by her life.

Mark Anderson’s Ogie and Evelyn Hoskins’ Dawn had a fabulous chemistry with both actors having perfect comedic timing. The show was all-around very funny, but Anderson and Hoskins in particular delivered some of the biggest laughs of the evening.

Alongside Sandra Marvin’s Becky, Fletcher and Hoskins form an unbeatable trio as the titular waitresses, with their banter electrifying every scene they were in. Les Dennis charmed as the cantankerous yet lovable owner of the diner, and Dan Partridge’s Dr Pomatter oozed a bumbling sort of suavity. 

The musical itself tells the story of Jenna, a waitress at a pie diner who dreams of a better life beyond her husband Earl – an immature, aggressive man, whose controlling behaviour toward Jenna drives the emotional throughline of the show. 

Having fallen pregnant to Earl, Jenna wishes that her child too might escape the life she is leading. The story is told through the pies Jenna makes, with the ingredient that adds some spice to the mix introduced as a passionate affair between Jenna and her doctor. Steamy, humorous, and emotionally fraught.

Sara Bareilles of pop star fame provides the score for the musical, this allowing for a wonderfully unique set of songs, with particular standouts being the aforementioned ‘She Used to be Mine’, the hilarious ‘Never Ever Getting Rid of Me’, and the moving ‘You Matter to Me’. Bareilles’ songwriting sensibilities shine through with the band themselves appearing on stage in the corner of the set – the piano decorated with pie stands and the band members drinking from diner cups. 

This only added to the experience of live music, with the band feeling like a gaggle of local musicians brought into the restaurant to provide a musical backdrop to the comings and goings of the diner.
Beneath the sugary dustings of dynamic choreography and an infectious score, Waitress is ultimately a musical about survival.

Jenna’s pies represent a silent rebellion against the life she leads, a coping mechanism for all the fear, frustration, and longing that dominate the life over which she feels she has no control. That the musical is able to handle topics of domestic abuse, motherhood, small town entrapment, and infidelity, alongside humour and heart-warming friendship, is quite remarkable, making the standing ovation that the musical received feel entirely earned.

So, if you are worried about saccharine sweetness and the usual cheesiness of the musical theatre genre, you will be pleasantly surprised by Waitress. 

What is delivered after 2 hours under the hot spotlights of the Manchester Palace is a beautifully balanced blend of emotional tenderness, humour, and a score you’re sure to leave the theatre humming.

• Waitress runs at the Palace Theatre Manchester until Saturday 30th May
• Tickets from ATG Tickets