Review: Waitress (Broadway - July 2019)

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Waitress.
Waitress tells the story of Jenna Hunterson, an expert pie maker stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Jenna fears she may have to abandon the dream of opening her own pie shop forever… until a baking contest in a nearby county and the town's handsome new doctor offer her a tempting recipe for happiness. Supported by her quirky crew of fellow waitresses and loyal customers, Jenna summons the secret ingredient she’s been missing all along – courage. I first saw Waitress on Broadway in June 2016, and later watched it a second time when it transferred to London's West End earlier this year. Whilst in New York City I ended up seeing Waitress again because, as the old saying goes, "third time's the charm".

With a book written by Jessie Nelson, Waitress has an exceedingly compelling story, which is mainly as a result of its larger than life characters. The show features a number of characters that are highly relatable, thus making them interesting. These qualities make it easier for the audience to become immersed in their world, and by the end of the show I always find myself really rooting for them, particularly Jenna and Dr. Pomatter, to find happiness and success. The book also has a number of interesting moral dilemmas, and asks its audience to give consideration to what is viewed as right and wrong. The show features an extra-marital affair at the centre of its plot, and whilst by conventional standards this would be morally unethical, there are likely to be many in the audience that actually want this couple to end up together. Nelson's book is excellently written, and certainly makes for interesting viewing.

Waitress's musical score is written by American singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles and, like Jenna's pies, it is absolutely irresistible. I first listened to the music of Waitress in 2016 and even after listening to it far over a dozen times, I have yet to tire of it. There are a number of extremely catchy and memorable tunes within the score that are likely to stay with you long after you leave the theatre. In addition to this, there are also a number of beautifully written ballads. A few of my personal favourites from Waitress's score include 'Never Ever Getting Rid of Me', 'Bad Idea', 'You Matter to Me' and 'She Used to Be Mine'.

In the leading role of Jenna currently stars Shoshana Bean, who was exceptional. Bean gave an all-round excellent performance, and her voice in particular was remarkable. As Jenna's best friends, Becky and Dawn, Charity Angél Dawson and Caitlin Houlahan, respectively, gave wonderful performances. Both actresses mentioned are clear examples of perfect casting; Dawson and Houlahan are so well-suited to their roles and have perfectly mastered their portrayals. Bean, Dawson and Houlahan all had magnificent chemistry, and it was easy to believe their roles as best friends to one another. Portraying Dr. Pomatter is Erich Bergen, who may be familiar to some as 'Blake' from the CBS political drama 'Madam Secretary'. Having now seen three actors take on the role of Dr. Pomatter, it was great to see Bergen really make the role his own. He excels at the comedic element of the role, maximising the character's awkward nature in order to create humour. Bergen is also a gifted singer, and his duet with Shoshana of 'You Matter to Me' was utter perfection. Now, last but by no means least, a special mention must also be awarded to Noah Galvin as Ogie. Galvin is the youngest incarnation of Ogie that I have seen, and I personally felt that having a youthful Ogie worked very well indeed. Galvin really put his own spin on the role and provided a characterisation that I had not seen in prior portrayals of Ogie. I admired his fresh take on the role and thoroughly enjoyed his performance. The entirety of the Waitress cast are all excellent and I cannot praise them enough.

Even after seeing Waitress for a third time, I still found the show to be as charming as ever. Shows can often be just as enjoyable, if not more, when seeing them again and this is particularly true for Waitress. This cast were excellent and maintained a great chemistry; they were a delight to watch.

Now for my final verdict on Waitress. I give Waitress...

Waitress boasts an excellent book, brilliant musical score and numerous outstanding performances, consequently making it a highly enjoyable show. 

Think it should have got a higher rating? Agree with my rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer