Birmingham Hippodrome – until Saturday 21st May 2022
Reviewed by Emma Millward
5*****
From the moment the cherry pie decorated curtain rises, the audience are pulled into another world at ‘Joe’s Pie Diner’, it’s a sight that feels somehow comforting and familiar after seeing so many diners over the years in movies and TV shows. We are introduced to Jenna (Chelsea Halfpenny), Becky (Wendy Mae Brown) and Dawn (Evelyn Hoskins) who work at the Diner. Jenna is in a loveless marriage to the abusive Earl (Tamlyn Henderson) and finds out she is pregnant. She finds solace in her love of baking the inventive pies that she creates daily at the Diner. She meets and begins an affair with Dr Pomatter (Matt Jay Willis) her awkwardly cute Gynaecologist. She dreams of winning a pie making contest so she can use the prize money to start a new life.
It’s not all sweet humour though, and the violent interactions between Jenna and her husband are some of the more disturbing scenes in the show which definitely shocked the audience. Then by complete contrast, we are soon laughing again with hilarious scenes such as the introduction of Ogie (played brilliantly by George Crawford) who turns up at the Diner to woo Dawn with the hilarious ‘Never Ever Getting Rid of Me’. Another more risqué scene with the three leading ladies getting up close and personal with their men drew a mixture of gasps and howls of laughter from the audience. Most definitely not a show for the whole family to watch together! I will never look at ‘Pineapple Upside Down Cake’ in the same way again!
The set design for the show makes clever use of the space. The Diner set spins around to become the Doctor’s office. The Orchestra led by Musical Director Ellen Campbell are onstage throughout the Diner scenes, where they interact with the ensemble and really become a part of the story.
The show-stopping moment came towards the end of the second act with the most famous song from the show ‘She Used To Be Mine’. Chelsea Halfpenny’s performance was powerful and emotional. It was met with prolonged applause and cheers from the audience.
The whole cast shines, so it is really hard to single out any of them as the stand-out performance, as they all worked so well together and this chemistry will only improve as the UK tour progresses. Although I think Michael Starke (of Brookside/The Royal fame) really did shine as the Diner owner Joe when he sang ‘Take It From An Old Man’. As did little Lulu (Evelyn Kent) who was only briefly onstage at the end of the show, but received the loudest cheers and applause of the whole cast during the inevitable standing ovation during the curtain call.
Waitress serves up a sugary sweet mixture of something for everybody. It’s funny, dramatic, heartwarming and bittersweet all in one show. I am sure I will have the words ‘Sugar, Butter, Flour’ going around my head for days.