Waitress The Musical
If you’re after the sweetest night out surrounded by delicious pies, but without the calories, make sure you head to the diner for a story of love, lust, empowerment and friendship as Waitress the Musical takes up residency at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. This is actually my fourth trip to see this show over the years and it just gets better each time I see it. This time round we have musical theatre icon Carrie Hope Fletcher taking on the role of Jenna who completely shines and puts her own stamp on the character with plenty of incredible vocal performances of the touching, warm and joyous score written by Sara Bareilles.
If you’re unfamiliar with the show, Waitress the Musical follows Jenna, a talented pie-maker and waitress in a small Southern town. Trapped in an unhappy marriage and feeling stuck in her life, she discovers she is unexpectedly pregnant. As she struggles with what the future holds, Jenna finds comfort in baking creative pies and begins to dream of a better life for herself and her child.
With the support of her fellow waitresses Becky (Sandra Marvin) and Dawn (Evelyn Hoskins), and an unexpected romance with her gynaecologist Dr Pomatter (Dan Partridge) Jenna gains the confidence to take control of her future. The musical is a heartfelt story about resilience, self-discovery, friendship, and finding the courage to pursue happiness despite difficult circumstances.
The casting for this touring production is perfect. As previously mentioned, Carrie Hope Fletcher leads the charge as Jenna and does so magnificently. I was excited to hear her rendition of ‘She Used To Be Mine’, one of the finest songs ever written in my opinion, and boy did she deliver! I got totally lost in the moment and may well have even wiped away tears from the emotion on display. Alongside Fletcher are Sandra Marvin as the no nonsense, straight talking Becky and Evelyn Hoskins as the sweetest, innocent and wonderful Dawn. Both had many moments of brilliance throughout the show with genuinely funny scenes and engaging storylines that moved the show along at pace. That’s what I love about this show, it’s a completely easy watch and keeps you entertained throughout with fantastic writing and direction.
Joining the cast is Dan Partridge as Dr Pomatter, Jenna’s love interest. Again, the writing for this character is fantastic with Partridge delivering a polished, funny and confident performance. Les Dennis takes on the role of Joe, the owner of the diner where Jenna works. His performance is one of an actor showcasing his longevity in the industry, with some lovely touching moments between the two characters.
The ensemble cast also provided some tight choreography, and some seamless prop delivery throughout the show highlighting the importance of having a strong ensemble cast. The on stage band worked well to bring the beautiful and catchy numbers written by Sara Bareilles to life.
Overall this show really does tick all the boxes for any musical theatre fan. An incredible score, beautifully heartfelt story and a fantastic cast bringing it all to life. This current touring production of Waitress The Musical is well worth visiting, it’ll leave you with a warm apple pie feeling, and really is the sweetest of treats!
This show was reviewed on Monday 1st June 2026 at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre where it runs until the 6th June 2026. Tickets available here: Waitress | Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Full tour details can be found here: Waitress the Musical UK Tour | Official Site
Review written by Emma Rowley
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Photo credit : Matt Crockett
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