REVIEW
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
WAITRESS
Cliffs Pavilion,Southend
9th - 13th August 2022
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
WAITRESS
Cliffs Pavilion,Southend
9th - 13th August 2022
On the surface, the premise of the musical, WAITRESS, may seem a little banal. A woman who's marriage is desperately unhappy, works in a diner and bakes pies every day may not seem the ideal mix for a musical hit. Some of the subject matter may sit a little uncomfortably for some, and there's an advisory age limit of 13 yrs, due to the adult themes that are raised in the show.
However, these true to life characters all have issues that will certainly resonate; Jenna has an unhappy marriage, Becky looks after a dependent husband and Dawn is searching for her ideal man - all three waitresses rally round to give each other support. There's a familiarity about it in as much as we never really know the secret struggles that go on behind closed doors for the every day people that we come into contact with. But, when you dig a little deeper and discover each character's back-story, you realise that everyday life can bring to the surface wonderful drama. I mean, you only have to look at at any tv soap to endorse that. Add to the mix a fabulous score and lyrics and you can absolutely appreciate just why WAITRESS is such a big hit.
Written by Jessie Nelson and with music and lyrics from Sara Bareilles, the show is based upon the motion picture picture written by Adrienne Shelly. WAITRESS tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker in a small town, who dreams of a way out of her loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a new life, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes to happiness.
There are some great performances in this touring production, not least from Chelsea Halfpenny who absolutely wows from the get-go with her mesmerisingly beautiful vocals and a truly endearing performance in the role of Jenna. David Hunter reprises the role he played in the West End of the awkward but loveable, Dr Pomatter and also provides some lovely vocals. You Matter To Me is a lovely duet from the pair.
Evelyn Hoskins in the role of Dawn plays it with just enough quirky geekiness to not make it annoying and Wendy Mae Brown as Dawn is full of sass. Both girls get a chance to show off their singing styles individually but accompanying Halfpenny with such gorgeous harmonies in A Soft Place to Land is just goose-bumpingly great.
Cal, owner of the diner, is brilliantly played by Christopher D Hunt giving us lots of laughs; likewise with Scarlet Gabriel as the all knowing Nurse Norma. George Crawford also gets to play for comedy as Ogie. Tamlyn Henderson gives a lovely understated performance as Earl.
The ensemble merge seamlessly throughout the show to provide scene changes, and there's some nicely played daydream sequences using physical theatre movement which gives this whole production a uniqueness and flow.
WAITRESS is sad, it's shocking, it's funny...it actually made me laugh more than I expected, and the songs are brilliantly written. You could have heard a pin drop as Halfpenny sang the song that the show is probably best known for, She Used To Be Mine and she completely owned it with huge cheers from the Southend audience.
This is a musical that celebrates the power of friendship, motherhood and how one's own passions can lead to new beginnings. It has all the ingredients for a truly well made production and dare I say it...pie!
WAITRESS is on all this week for more details see below...
However, these true to life characters all have issues that will certainly resonate; Jenna has an unhappy marriage, Becky looks after a dependent husband and Dawn is searching for her ideal man - all three waitresses rally round to give each other support. There's a familiarity about it in as much as we never really know the secret struggles that go on behind closed doors for the every day people that we come into contact with. But, when you dig a little deeper and discover each character's back-story, you realise that everyday life can bring to the surface wonderful drama. I mean, you only have to look at at any tv soap to endorse that. Add to the mix a fabulous score and lyrics and you can absolutely appreciate just why WAITRESS is such a big hit.
Written by Jessie Nelson and with music and lyrics from Sara Bareilles, the show is based upon the motion picture picture written by Adrienne Shelly. WAITRESS tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker in a small town, who dreams of a way out of her loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a new life, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes to happiness.
There are some great performances in this touring production, not least from Chelsea Halfpenny who absolutely wows from the get-go with her mesmerisingly beautiful vocals and a truly endearing performance in the role of Jenna. David Hunter reprises the role he played in the West End of the awkward but loveable, Dr Pomatter and also provides some lovely vocals. You Matter To Me is a lovely duet from the pair.
Evelyn Hoskins in the role of Dawn plays it with just enough quirky geekiness to not make it annoying and Wendy Mae Brown as Dawn is full of sass. Both girls get a chance to show off their singing styles individually but accompanying Halfpenny with such gorgeous harmonies in A Soft Place to Land is just goose-bumpingly great.
Cal, owner of the diner, is brilliantly played by Christopher D Hunt giving us lots of laughs; likewise with Scarlet Gabriel as the all knowing Nurse Norma. George Crawford also gets to play for comedy as Ogie. Tamlyn Henderson gives a lovely understated performance as Earl.
The ensemble merge seamlessly throughout the show to provide scene changes, and there's some nicely played daydream sequences using physical theatre movement which gives this whole production a uniqueness and flow.
WAITRESS is sad, it's shocking, it's funny...it actually made me laugh more than I expected, and the songs are brilliantly written. You could have heard a pin drop as Halfpenny sang the song that the show is probably best known for, She Used To Be Mine and she completely owned it with huge cheers from the Southend audience.
This is a musical that celebrates the power of friendship, motherhood and how one's own passions can lead to new beginnings. It has all the ingredients for a truly well made production and dare I say it...pie!
WAITRESS is on all this week for more details see below...
Chelsea Halfpenny Interview
We know you well from your time on Emmerdale and Casualty, what made you want to move into theatre work as well? Are there any big differences between the two styles of work?
It wasn’t a conscious move into musical theatre, I was lucky enough to be seen for a couple of musicals and I’ve always sung. I had been for a few auditions here and there which didn’t go that well and then I just happened to get the audition for 9 to 5 The Musical and the stars sort of aligned and it went my way. I ended up doing that show from 2019 until March 2020 and once that door was open to me in this industry, I was able to be seen for more musical theatre. The biggest difference between the two is the hours! You go to bed late and you get up late as we work mainly in the evening. It’s also physically a lot more demanding – if you have a cold or your voice isn’t quite there because you’re run down you do have to take sick days which when you’re doing television doesn’t happen so much. There’s also the thrill of having a live audience and getting that instant feedback which is amazing.
In terms of keeping up the stamina, you really do have to look after yourself and think about what you’re eating and how much you’re chatting. I definitely don’t really drink alcohol when I’m doing theatre because it makes me very talkative and talking a bit louder which isn’t super helpful! You just have to be conscious of what you’re putting in your body and also where you are expending your energy to make sure you can deliver a great performance every night.
Waitress is a show that is so loved by fans, were you a fan of the show prior to joining it?
I was a huge fan, a really geeky fan of the show and I am not ashamed to say that at all. I really loved it so now getting to be part of it is a total dream come true!
Can you explain a little about the story, and the journey your character, Jenna, goes on?
The story is about Jenna who is an expert pie baker and works in a diner. She has two great friends, Becky and Dawn, who work there with her. We discover quite quickly that she is quite unhappy in her marriage, and she bakes all her emotions into her pies, that is how she expresses herself. Then a new Doctor comes to town and he changes her perspective on things. The story unfolds from there! It’s all about love and finding love in the places that you might not expect to.
The music in the show has taken on a life of its own, with some numbers quickly becoming firm favourites for people. Why do you think this is, and do you have a particular favourite number to watch or perform?
I think the main reason is that Sara Bareilles seems to write literally from her heart. She writes things that are so specific but at the same time you can take what you want from it as well. The songs tell the exact story of Waitress beautifully, but also you can relate everything that she has written to your own life for loads of different reasons. Even the funny songs have really heartfelt serious moments to them, and layers to them that you can discover each time you listen to the songs. They take on another life with each listen.
I know that She Used To Be Mine is such a firm favourite for people, and it gets sung a lot. I can see why; the lyrics are just so heart wrenching and the music is beautiful. I also love Dawn’s song When He Sees Me, that’s one that seems funny but it’s actually really emotional.
What’s it like touring the UK with a show, does it differ to your experience of performing in the West End?
The logistics are a bit different, with packing up your bag and your dressing room every week and in a way it goes by so quickly as you’re so busy. It’s lovely to have a different audience each week in every town and city we visit as everywhere has its own vibe. We can feel the emotions of the audience in different parts of the show.
And finally, is there a piece of advice you have received or that you would pass on to anyone hoping to go into performing in some way?
This is easier said than done, but always believe in yourself and give yourself a goal. It’s really easy to take on any negative feedback and dwell on it but just remember that it’s someone else’s opinion and to keep working at your dreams!
We know you well from your time on Emmerdale and Casualty, what made you want to move into theatre work as well? Are there any big differences between the two styles of work?
It wasn’t a conscious move into musical theatre, I was lucky enough to be seen for a couple of musicals and I’ve always sung. I had been for a few auditions here and there which didn’t go that well and then I just happened to get the audition for 9 to 5 The Musical and the stars sort of aligned and it went my way. I ended up doing that show from 2019 until March 2020 and once that door was open to me in this industry, I was able to be seen for more musical theatre. The biggest difference between the two is the hours! You go to bed late and you get up late as we work mainly in the evening. It’s also physically a lot more demanding – if you have a cold or your voice isn’t quite there because you’re run down you do have to take sick days which when you’re doing television doesn’t happen so much. There’s also the thrill of having a live audience and getting that instant feedback which is amazing.
In terms of keeping up the stamina, you really do have to look after yourself and think about what you’re eating and how much you’re chatting. I definitely don’t really drink alcohol when I’m doing theatre because it makes me very talkative and talking a bit louder which isn’t super helpful! You just have to be conscious of what you’re putting in your body and also where you are expending your energy to make sure you can deliver a great performance every night.
Waitress is a show that is so loved by fans, were you a fan of the show prior to joining it?
I was a huge fan, a really geeky fan of the show and I am not ashamed to say that at all. I really loved it so now getting to be part of it is a total dream come true!
Can you explain a little about the story, and the journey your character, Jenna, goes on?
The story is about Jenna who is an expert pie baker and works in a diner. She has two great friends, Becky and Dawn, who work there with her. We discover quite quickly that she is quite unhappy in her marriage, and she bakes all her emotions into her pies, that is how she expresses herself. Then a new Doctor comes to town and he changes her perspective on things. The story unfolds from there! It’s all about love and finding love in the places that you might not expect to.
The music in the show has taken on a life of its own, with some numbers quickly becoming firm favourites for people. Why do you think this is, and do you have a particular favourite number to watch or perform?
I think the main reason is that Sara Bareilles seems to write literally from her heart. She writes things that are so specific but at the same time you can take what you want from it as well. The songs tell the exact story of Waitress beautifully, but also you can relate everything that she has written to your own life for loads of different reasons. Even the funny songs have really heartfelt serious moments to them, and layers to them that you can discover each time you listen to the songs. They take on another life with each listen.
I know that She Used To Be Mine is such a firm favourite for people, and it gets sung a lot. I can see why; the lyrics are just so heart wrenching and the music is beautiful. I also love Dawn’s song When He Sees Me, that’s one that seems funny but it’s actually really emotional.
What’s it like touring the UK with a show, does it differ to your experience of performing in the West End?
The logistics are a bit different, with packing up your bag and your dressing room every week and in a way it goes by so quickly as you’re so busy. It’s lovely to have a different audience each week in every town and city we visit as everywhere has its own vibe. We can feel the emotions of the audience in different parts of the show.
And finally, is there a piece of advice you have received or that you would pass on to anyone hoping to go into performing in some way?
This is easier said than done, but always believe in yourself and give yourself a goal. It’s really easy to take on any negative feedback and dwell on it but just remember that it’s someone else’s opinion and to keep working at your dreams!
Book by Jessie Nelson
Music and Lyrics by Grammy Award-winner Sara Bareilles
Based upon the motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly
Directed by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus
WAITRESS was originally produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and Norton and Elayne Herrick. The tour is produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and David Ian Productions.
LISTINGS
WAITRESS UK & IRELAND TOUR 2021/2022
waitressthemusical.co.uk
Facebook/Instagram/Twitter - @waitressuk
9 – 13 AUGUST 2022
SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION
southendtheatres.org.uk
Chelsea Halfpenny – Jenna, Wendy Mae Brown – Becky, Evelyn Hoskins – Dawn, David Hunter – Dr Pomatter.
15 – 20 AUGUST 2022
NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL
norwichtheatre.org
Chelsea Halfpenny – Jenna, Wendy Mae Brown – Becky, Evelyn Hoskins – Dawn, David Hunter – Dr Pomatter.
Music and Lyrics by Grammy Award-winner Sara Bareilles
Based upon the motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly
Directed by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus
WAITRESS was originally produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and Norton and Elayne Herrick. The tour is produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and David Ian Productions.
LISTINGS
WAITRESS UK & IRELAND TOUR 2021/2022
waitressthemusical.co.uk
Facebook/Instagram/Twitter - @waitressuk
9 – 13 AUGUST 2022
SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION
southendtheatres.org.uk
Chelsea Halfpenny – Jenna, Wendy Mae Brown – Becky, Evelyn Hoskins – Dawn, David Hunter – Dr Pomatter.
15 – 20 AUGUST 2022
NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL
norwichtheatre.org
Chelsea Halfpenny – Jenna, Wendy Mae Brown – Becky, Evelyn Hoskins – Dawn, David Hunter – Dr Pomatter.