Last night I headed into Manchester to see the Waitress UK Tour. Now, last time I saw this, it blew me away, and I put it into my top 5 ever shows. Shows do move in and out of this, but Waitress always stayed up there. Which is hard, there are so many fabulous shows.
Last night I was so excited to see Waitress and curious if I would still be so blown away. And I was, Waitress has it all, and heart and soul that has you laughing, crying and holding your breath. Waitress just fills your heart with so much joy.
What You Will Find Here
What Is Waitress About
Jenna (The fabulous Carrie Hope Fletcher) is the long-suffering wife in an abusive relationship with the insufferable Earl (Mark Willshire). This is all made bearable by her love for baking pies and the friendships she has made with Becky (Sandra Marvin), Dawn (Evelyn Hoskins), Cal (Dan O’Brien), and owner Joe (Les Dennis) at Joe’s Diner.Â
Just like life, everyone at the diner has their own stuff to deal with and differing personalities. However, this is what draws this odd mix of people together. Work is a release from life, where they can be themselves, share secrets, and be each others biggest champions.
Waitress starts as Jenna finds out she is pregnant, of course this is the worst news. Being the child of an abusive father and a mum who did her best to protect her, she doesn’t want a child to see what she saw growing up. Thus she devises a plan to enter and win a pie competition, take the winnings and leave town to escape Earl.
However, life gets in the way. Especially when she meets Dr Pommatter (Dan Partridge), the new doctor in town, during her first antenatal appointment. They instantly feel a connection, that wow moment everyone wants to feel in their life.Â
But Waitress Is Not All About Jenna
It has a wonderful way of making you fall in love with every character. You leave feeling like you know them all. Becky and her warm bravado and the burden she carries, Cal and his hard front, which hides a beautiful, soft man inside, and grumpy Joe (Who I fell head over heels in love with).Â
And it’s impossible not to adore Dawn with her OCD and geeky tendencies. Following her journey as she meets the love of her life, Ogie (Mark Anderson).
The Waitress Uk Tour Has You Feeling All The Emotions
Navigating life with these fantastically complex characters is a remarkable journey. I laughed, not just me, but the entire theatre. The laughter was rapturous. Waitress is hilarious, cheeky, and sharp without ever becoming crude. Just genuinely, wonderfully funny, the kind of joy that sweeps through a room and lifts everyone with it.
And yet, there were moments so tender the theatre fell completely silent; you could have heard a pin drop. Then suddenly, before I even realised it, tears were streaming down my face, while I was still smiling. How does a show manage to do that? I’m not entirely sure, but Waitress absolutely did.
I am not going to tell you the story, what happens and how it ends because I can never do Waitress Justice. What I will say is, go see it, it’s a glorious play, musical and comedy all in one. It has you feeling all the feelings and makes you fall in love with every character. The standing ovation was instant; the whole house was up and cheering. And be warned, “She Used to be Mine” just wow, no words.
Where Can You See Waitress
Waitress is at the Palace Theatre, Manchester until the 30th May and then at….
- New Theatre Oxford, Mon 29 Jun – Sat 4 Jul 2026
- Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Mon 6 Jul – Sat 11 Jul 2026
- Bristol Hippodrome, Tue 4 Aug – Sat 8 Aug 2026
- Liverpool Empire, Mon 7 Sep – Sat 12 Sep 2026
- Milton Keynes Theatre, Tue 22 Sep – Sat 26 Sep 2026
- King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 6 Oct – Sat 10 Oct 2026
Please note, I was gifted the tickets, but a review was optional. Also, see where to eat and park near the Palace Theatre.
