REVIEW: Waitress – King’s Theatre, Glasgow
The stage musical Waitress is an adaptation of the late Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 movie of the same name. It’s small-town USA and waitress Jenna Hunterson (Lucie Jones) works at Joe’s Pie Diner, she is unexpectedly pregnant and trapped in an unhappy marriage. To save herself she begins an affair with her obstetrician, Dr. Pomatter (Dan Partridge) and encouraged by her tight knit group of friends, enters a pie-baking contest, hoping that the prize money will be her ticket to a new life.
This is a musical that on paper tackles some serious and rarely seen themes, but does it (appropriately enough for a musical about a sweet pie maker) in a somewhat sugary way, skirting over the most unpalatable aspects and wrapping everything nicely for the fabled happy ending. While it gives some pause for thought, it steers clear of making the audience uncomfortable, however, you can’t help wonder about how much weightier and more moving it could have been if some of the plot strands were developed more to pack a real punch. Ultimately, it has the hue of old-fashioned nostalgia about it.
While our heroine Jenna is a rounded character you can root for, with a raft of complex emotions and moral dilemmas to navigate, the same can’t be said for the supporting characters. They are lightly drawn and provide comic relief. That said, the quality of the entire cast is superb and each manages to leave a memorable impression with their characterisations. Both Bernadette Bangura and Evelyn Hoskins as pals Becky and Dawn are fine-voiced, comic actors, as is Mark Anderson as the loveable hick Ogie. Veteran TV star Les Dennis appears as the quirky old curmudgeon (and essential to the happy ending) Joe. To the cast’s credit, the accents and vocals are absolutely on point throughout.
Scott Pask’s transforming set is beautifully lit by Ken Billington and functions well as pie shop, doctor’s office, hospital and Jenna and Earl’s run down home. But the biggest asset the production has is Lucie Jones, her effortless vocals are allowed to soar to their greatest heights with Sara Bareilles’ score. She is a delight to hear and a sympathetic centre point as the complex Jenna.
Waitress is as sugary sweet as the fabulously named concoctions that Jenna bakes, and any faults are entirely forgivable due to a fantastic cast delivering stellar performances. Ultimately entertaining, it has the old-fashioned happy ending that so many crave in our troubled times.
Image: Matt Crockett
