Tuesday, 21 April 2026
A Slice of Comfort: Why Waitress on Tour Still Feels Like Coming Home
A Sweet, Emotional and Vocally Stunning ReturnWaitress (Tour) | Woking Theatre | ★★★★
A Sweet, Emotional and Vocally Stunning Return
Ten years after first opening up, Waitress remains one of the most quietly revolutionary musicals of the modern era. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the current UK tour (currently playing at Working Theatre before continuing across the country) proves that this show hasn’t simply endured; it has deepened, matured, and somehow become even more nourishing.
Seeing Waitress again feels less like revisiting a hit musical and more like returning to a favourite café where the staff remember your order and the pie is always warm.
Based on the film of the same name, Waitress tells the story of Jenna Hunterson, a gifted pie maker trapped in an unhappy marriage and an unexpected pregnancy. Dreaming of escape, she pours her emotions into baking, crafting pies that become emotional diary entries disguised as desserts.
The musical, featuring music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, walks a delicate line between romantic comedy, small-town drama, and personal awakening. Yes, there are questionable ethical choices along the way- particularly Jenna’s complicated relationship with her doctor- but and the show never pretends that decisions are simple or entirely admirable. That moral messiness is part of what makes Waitress resonate. Life isn’t tidy. Healing rarely arrives wrapped in perfect decisions. Beneath the imperfect choices lies a deeply human story about reclaiming agency, rediscovering self-worth, and learning that kindness, especially toward yourself, can be revolutionary. Ultimately, it’s a heartwarming tale. One that earns its emotional payoff honestly.
At the centre of the production is Carrie Hope Fletcher as Jenna, delivering a performance that beautifully balances personality, humour, and raw vulnerability. Jenna lives in contradiction, moving between warmth and emotional detachment and Fletcher leans fully into those complexities. One of the most exciting aspects of Waitress is seeing how different performers interpret Jenna, and Fletcher’s portrayal stands out for the way she approaches Jenna’s pregnancy. Rather than playing immediate maternal sentimentality, her Jenna begins from a place of emotional indifference, even quiet resentment. It’s a bold and refreshingly honest choice that makes the character’s journey feel incredibly impactful. As Jenna slowly reconnects with hope and agency, the emotional shift lands with genuine weight. Fletcher allows us to watch a woman rediscover herself in real time, and the result is deeply moving without ever becoming overly sentimental.
Returning to the role of Dawn, Evelyn Hoskins is sheer delight. Her performance is packed with charm, precision comedy, and heartfelt awkwardness. Dawn’s social anxieties and earnest optimism are played with affectionate detail, never reducing her to caricature. Opposite her, Mark Anderson as Ogie proves comedic gold. Together, the pair achieve impeccable timing; their scenes erupt with laughter while remaining irresistibly sincere. Their relationship becomes one of the musical’s purest sources of joy. Eccentric, wholesome, and utterly lovable.
As Becky, Sandra Marvin delivers powerhouse presence. She grounds the show with warmth, wit, and emotional honesty, bringing both humour and lived experience to the role. Becky’s resilience and no-nonsense compassion shine through every interaction, making her both hilarious and quietly profound.
Dan Partridge captures Dr Pomatter’s sincerity and endearing bumbliness perfectly. His portrayal avoids cliché, instead presenting a man who is awkward, emotionally open, and entirely believable. Crucially, Partridge shares an effortless, natural chemistry with Fletcher’s Jenna. Their scenes feel spontaneous and human, which helps the show navigate its ethically complicated romance with empathy rather than judgement.
On the darker end of Jenna’s world, Mark Willshire gives a chilling performance as Earl. Rather than leaning into overt villainy, Willshire builds the character through unsettling subtleties- small physical movements, twitchy gestures, and shifts in tone that reveal Earl’s manipulative nature. His portrayal captures the reality of emotional abuse with uncomfortable accuracy, making Jenna’s longing for escape all the more urgent.
Meanwhile, Dan O'Brien shines as Cal, bringing surprising depth to a role that could easily become one-note. His gruff exterior slowly gives way to warmth and humour, adding another layer of humanity to the diner’s ecosystem.
The diner trio -Jenna, Becky, and Dawn- provide some of the evening’s most grounding emotional moments. Their camaraderie embodies the show’s wholesome core: women supporting one another not through grand speeches or theatrical declarations, but through everyday loyalty, teasing humour, and shared survival.
There is an ease between Fletcher, Marvin, and Hoskins that makes their friendship feel entirely authentic. You believe these women have worked side by side for years, carrying each other through heartbreaks, bad shifts, and small victories. Their scenes offer comfort as much as comedy, reminding us that sometimes community is the real love story.
Even beyond the central characters, the production excels in its attention to ensemble storytelling. Every secondary role feels thoughtfully realised, from fleeting diner customers to background interactions that quietly enrich the world of the show. No performer feels incidental; each contributes to a town that feels specific, affectionate, and recognisably human.
It’s this collective commitment that makes the touring production so effective. Rather than relying solely on star power, the company builds a living, breathing community; one that audiences are invited into from the moment the lights rise.
Every time I see Waitress, I’m struck anew by how Jenna’s emotional world is physically expressed onstage. Through clever stagecraft, her environment subtly grows larger or smaller depending on who she’s with. Moments of confinement tighten the space around her, while scenes of possibility quite literally open the world up. The attention to detail extends everywhere: the comforting glow of the diner, the tactile realism of the kitchen, and the seamless transitions that keep the story moving like a perfectly timed recipe. The staging never overwhelms the narrative; instead, it quietly mirrors Jenna’s inner life.
Bareilles’ score remains one of contemporary musical theatre’s finest achievements. Songs unfold like conversations rather than showstoppers, allowing audiences to slip into Jenna’s thoughts rather than watch them from afar. Numbers arrive exactly when emotions can no longer stay unspoken.
The 10th anniversary tour reminds us why Waitress became such a beloved phenomenon in the first place. It’s funny without cruelty, romantic without fantasy, hopeful without denying hardship and as sweet as pie in all the best ways.
Yes, the story contains morally complicated relationships. Yes, its characters make imperfect choices. But beneath everything lies a message that continues to resonate: people deserve second chances, especially the chance to choose themselves.
In an era of spectacle-driven musicals, Waitress remains disarmingly sincere. It doesn’t shout for attention; it invites you in, offers you something warm, and leaves you feeling just a little more hopeful than when you arrived.
Tuesday, 25 February 2025
Calamity Jane 2025 Tour Review: A Rootin’-Tootin’ Revival Where Carrie Hope Fletcher Shines
Monday, 7 October 2024
Les Misérables, Billy Elliot and others to be Released in Cinemas for Anniversary Celebrations
Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Magic, Love, and Books 'A Novel Love Story' by Ashley Poston Enchants | BOOK REVIEW
Monday, 31 October 2022
New dates added to Carrie Hope Fletcher's debut tour
More dates have been added to award-winning stage sensation Carrie Hope Fletcher’s debut solo tour due to phenomenal demand.
Carrie Hope Fletcher - An Open Book will see the musical theatre star, author and vlogger play a series of unmissable theatre shows in May and June 2023, with new shows added in Oxford, Liverpool, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Southend, Bath and Glasgow.
Performing songs from her incredible West End and touring career, fans can look forward to hits from Heathers, Les Misérables, The Addams Family and many more, interspersed with chat about Carrie’s fascinating life and career.
Tickets for the new dates are on general sale from 10am, on Friday, November 4 from www.cuffeandtaylor.com
Carrie Hope Fletcher - An Open Book 2023
18-May Bradford, St George’s Hall
19-May Oxford, New Theatre
21-May Southampton, Mayflower Theatre
22-May Norwich, Theatre Royal
25-May London, The London Palladium
27-May Llandudno, Venue Cymru
28-May Salford, The Lowry
29-May Birmingham, Symphony Hall
21-May Sheffield, City Hall
01-June Liverpool, Empire Theatre
02-June Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall
03-June Newcastle, O2 City Hall
04-June Edinburgh, Festival Theatre
06-June Leicester, De Montfort Hall
07-June Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes Theatre
09-June Southend, Cliffs Pavilion
10-June Bath, The Forum
11-June Glasgow, Theatre Royal
Speaking about Carrie Hope Fletcher - An Open Book, Carrie said:
“I am so excited to be preparing for my first ever solo tour – and to be adding new dates is absolutely fantastic.
“A solo concert tour is something I have wanted to do for some time, and it’s great to be able to visit even more places and meet even more fans.
“I adore being on stage and am fortunate to have performed in so many theatres, but there’s something very special about being able to get out on the road and visit some beautiful theatres around the UK.”
Earlier this year, Carrie was named best performer in a female identifying role in a musical as the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella. Most recently, she has wowed critics in a new revival of Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle and is now preparing for her pantomime debut as the villain Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty at The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury.
Carrie, who has an impressive three WhatsOnStage Awards to her name, has enjoyed a breath-taking career since her West End debut at the age of nine playing Young Éponine in Les Misérables.
Since then, Carrie’s theatre credits include Fantine in Les Misérables: The Concert, Veronica in Heathers, Wednesday in The Addams Family, Éponine in Les Misérables, both Truly Scrumptious and Jemima in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Beth in Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds and Jane Banks in Mary Poppins.
When she’s not treading the boards of the West End’s biggest stages, Carrie is also a best-selling novelist, Top 20 recording artist and respected vlogger with her popular self-titled music and vlog channel attracting more than a million views a month.
Carrie Hope Fletcher - An Open Book is presented by Lambert Jackson, Live Nation and Cuffe and Taylor.
Jamie Lambert, of Lambert Jackson, said:
“Carrie Hope Fletcher - An Open Book presents an opportunity to take one of the West End’s most celebrated and successful leading stars to theatres across the UK.
“There has been a phenomenal demand for the tour so we are delighted to be adding extra dates so even more people will be wowed by the stunning voice of Carrie, while also getting an insight into her incredible career.”
Cuffe and Taylor Director of Theatre Touring Ben Hatton added:
“We are very excited to be presenting Carrie’s debut UK tour, and it is testament to her great popularity that we’re adding these dates. Carrie is the most wonderful musical theatre talent and audiences will absolutely love this show.”
For more information about Carrie Hope Fletcher - An Open Book and to secure tickets head to www.cuffeandtaylor.com
Thursday, 26 May 2022
Carrie Hope Fletcher, Danielle Steers & Laura Pitt-Pulford to star in The Witches of Eastwick in Concert
THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK has a book and lyrics by John Dempsey and music by Dana P. Rowe, based on the novel by John Updike and the Warner Brothers motion picture. This will be the first time the musical has been seen in London since it originally played at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2000, transferring to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2001.
Further casting is to be announced.
Carrie Hope Fletcher is currently starring as Cinderella in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella until 12 June 2022. She has played both Eponine and Fantine in Les Miserables at the Queen’s/Sondheim Theatre and Gielgud Theatre in London’s West End and the Opera House in Dubai. In the UK, she originated the roles of Wednesday Addams in the UK tour of The Addams Family and Veronica Sawyer in Heathers at the Theatre Royal Haymarket which transferred from The Other Palace. Her other credits include Beth in the arena tour of The War of the Worlds, Emily in A Christmas Carol and Brenda Payne in The Christmasaurus Live at the Eventim Apollo. Carrie is also a Sunday Times Best Selling author.
Danielle Steers is currently starring as Cher in the UK and Ireland tour of The Cher Show. Her previous credits include Catherine Parr in Six The Musical (London), Zahara in the original cast of Bat out of Hell: The Musical (Manchester Opera House, London Coliseum, Ed Mirvish Theatre Toronto, Dominion Theatre, New York City Centre), Carmen in Sweet Charity (Donmar Warehouse), Lead Shirelle in the original London cast of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre), swing and cover Nikki Marron in The Bodyguard (Adelphi Theatre) and cover Killer Queen in We Will Rock You (International Arena Tour). Her debut album, The Future Ain't What It Used To Be, was released in 2021.
Laura Pitt-Pulford’s theatre credits include Louise in Gypsy in concert (Alexandra Palace), Marlene Dietrich in Piaf (Nottingham Playhouse/Leeds Playhouse), Falsettos (The Other Palace), Little Miss Sunshine (Arcola Theatre), Charity Hope Valentine in Sweet Charity (Pimlico Opera), Flowers for Mrs Harris (Chichester Festival Theatre & Sheffield Crucible), Nancy in Oliver (Curve), Milly Bradon in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), for which she received an Olivier Award nomination, and Maria in The Sound of Music (Curve).
The Witches of Eastwick tells the tale of the people of the little town of Eastwick. It is a town where everyone knows everything about everyone else, and it is presided over by the indomitable Felicia Gabriel. Bored with their small town lives, three women - Alexandra (Alex), Sukie, and Jane--share a desire for “all manner of man in one man” to provide excitement and variety. That man arrives, literally in a flash, in the devil-like form of Darryl Van Horne. Darryl seduces the women and teaches them powers, which they never knew they had.
THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK has musical staging by Chrissie Cartwright, lighting design by Simon Sherriff, sound design by Adam Fisher and associate direction by Jack McCann.
Monday, 21 February 2022
Carrie Hope Fletcher Announces Debut UK Tour
Carrie Hope Fletcher - An Open Book 202318-May Bradford, St George's Hall21-May Southampton, Mayflower Theatre22-May Norwich, Theatre Royal25-May London, The London Palladium27-May Llandudno, Venue Cymru28-May Salford, The Lowry29-May Birmingham, Symphony Hall31-May Sheffield, City Hall02-Jun Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall03-Jun Newcastle, O2 City Hall04-Jun Edinburgh, Festival Theatre
Monday, 23 November 2020
The Digi Creative release Theatrical Coffee Table Book
The Digi Creative release Dear Audience, a theatrical coffee table book filled with over 140 pages showcasing the Arts industry. With exclusive imagery, personalised letters to the Audiences, and more, this book is a celebration of Theatre and everyone who works in it.
Featuring Lucie Jones, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Cedric Neal, Lambert Jackson Productions, Layton Williams, Alice Fearn, Nicole Raquel Dennis, Rachel Tucker, Carl Man, Paul Taylor-Mills, Sejal Keshwala, Frances Ruffelle and so many more.
15% of profits will be donated to Applause For Thought a triple award-winning organisation that facilitates lower-cost Mental Health; support, talks, accredited courses, and bespoke Mental Health and Well-being Consultancy for all those working within the Arts and Entertainment Industry.
Digi Creative co-founder, Sophie Ross says: “We hope that this coffee table book will bring joy in a time when the Arts industry needs to be celebrated the most. Theatre is made up of so many people, (this being just a small percentage) and it’s important to showcase that at every given opportunity. I’m so proud of Danny and I for creating something that is an homage to this year and something we can look back on in years to come. Super grateful for everyone who gave up their time to be involved and can’t wait to share the book with everyone.”
Digi Creative co-founder, Danny Kaan says: I’ve always wanted to make a coffee table book but making it in 2020 feels even more special. The number of people that were willing to be involved was overwhelming and shows how supportive this industry is and how passionate we all are for the Arts. Combining Photography and my love for this industry has been a joy and I’ve honestly had the best time. Seeing so many faces in a time where human contact has been so limited has been heartwarming and wonderful”.
Pre-order the book here: www.dearaudiencebook.com (Christmas guarantee)
General on-sale Wednesday 25th November 10am (second batch delivery)
Pricing £35 with worldwide shipping available
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