It was my birthday yesterday, and just so happened to be the press night of Barry and Fran Weissler’s Waitress at Theatre Royal Brighton where its set up shop until Saturday 16th July 2022.
I don’t feel its right to go any further with this review, without saying how BLOODY amazing it was! I loved every single minute of it and didn’t want it to end. Waitress follows the story of Jenna, an American women stuck in a horrible marriage, but finds solace in pie making! She has big plans to enter a pie making competition but encounters several distractions along the way.
My mum had raved about it in the past, as she had seen it on the West End during its 2019-2020 run, also fun fact, YouTuber Joe Sugg played the role of Ogie Anhorn when my mum first saw it, and last night he was actually there watching the show with fellow YouTubers Zoe Sugg, Alfie Deyes and Anna Edit (back in the YouTube glory days I used to love watching Anna’s lifestyle videos).
The show stars Chelsea Halfpenny as Jenna, Halfpenny is probably most well known for her 3-year stint in Emmerdale as series regular Amy Wyatt, and 4-year stint in Casualty as Alicia. I didn’t realise she was a singer, but oh my god she was phenomenal. Her rendition of “She Used to Be Mine” was breath-taking, and the crowed went wild for it.
The on-stage relationship between Jenna (Chelsea Halfpenny), Becky (Wendy Mae Brown) and Dawn (Evelyn Hoskins) who all work as waitresses at Joe’s Pie Diner was a delight to see. The chemistry was fantastic and so believable. All three waitresses’ lives are played out on stage. Wendy Mae Brown singing, I didn’t plan it, her sexcapades with the hilarious Cal (Christopher D. Hunt) and Evelyn Hoskins scenes with on stage love interest Ogie were brilliant.
Without giving too much away, David Hunter plays Dr. Pomatter who becomes Jenna’s doctor and together they sing Bad Idea which honestly had the whole audience in stitches I loved it! I would love to talk more about these two, but I don’t want to spoil the story for you guys if your planning on booking tickets, and like me didn’t know the full story.
I didn’t realise until the interval of the show, but the musical is based on an American movie of the same name which was released back in 2007! However, I heard audience members saying the musical is a lot better than the film, so I won’t be adding the film to my watchlist.
The set design by Scott Pask was so simple, and that’s literally all you needed (seamless changes from Diner, Doctors, and Jenna’s home) the great actors, ensemble, use of props and music made this show so much fun to watch. This is a show I’ll definitely be seeing again, and one which is firmly on my faves list, joining the likes of SIX and Heathers as it’s a similar vibe, fun, fast and leaves you feeling like you’ve had a fab night.
Waitress is at the Theatre Royal Brighton until Saturday 16th July 2022, 7:45pm with matinee performances on Thursday & Saturday at 2.30pm. Click HERE to book tickets for this must see, feelgood comedy rom com!
