Waitress

Wolverhampton Grand until 6^th June

**** “book yourself a table quick”

How time flies when you are enjoying yourself. Waitress has been around now for ten years and has rightly been crowned a modern-day classic. Full of warmth, a touch of friction a good story and some very effective songs…. all the perfect ingredients.

We are in Joe’s Pie Diner and Jenna a waitress and pie maker handles some tough times including the news of an unwanted pregnancy. Fellow workers Becky and Dawn are there to encourage and lighten the load and the mood. And then comes along Doctor Pomatter who offers romance and a way out alongside his medical expertise.

The set is simple but effective and draws you into the atmosphere of a small-town diner. Direction is tight and pacey with the choregraphed numbers adding a nice extra layer to the pie.

Wonderful to see Carrie Hope Fletcher shine centre stage as the troubled Jenna, her vocals are in top form and her depth and observations of her character are a joy to view. Dan Partridge portrays an endearing if somewhat awkward romantic Doctor Pomatter, stumbling deeper into a relationship with Jenna with a lovely lightness. There are some welcome comedic moments particularly courtesy of Mark Anderson’s Ogie.

The teamwork of a busy diner spills out into the performances, a real company feel and a recipe of warmth, humour and poignancy that leaves you with a satisfying taste.

Book a table while you can.

David Robinson