Wow. Just wow. Having seen Waitress recently on tour with Dr Pomatter played by Matt Willis, we were incredibly excited to be invited to see it at The Grand in Wolverhampton with a new Dr Pomatter. This time he was to be played by David Hunter who has previously played the role in the West End. If you remember our review from last time. We had practically fallen in love with Matt Willis and only had high praises for him. Could David Hunter live up to Matt’s performance? Well, in one simple word. YES! David Hunter was perfect! Professional and performing as if it was real. We were not just impressed, we were amazed.
For those who are yet to see this superb stage show. I can guarantee that once you have seen it, you will only have pies for this show in the future. Waitress the Musical is set somewhere in small-town Indiana. Jenna (Chelsea Halfpenny), a talented pie-maker is trapped in an abusive marriage with Earl (Tamlyn Henderson), works at Joe’s Pie Diner, a small American Café just off the highway with her two close friends Becky (Wendy Mae Brown) and Dawn (Evelyn Hoskins).
After a bout of feeling nauseous at work, Becky and Dawn persuade Jenna to do a pregnancy test. Cue giggles from the audience as the instructions are read out “…do not insert fully into the…” This show is brilliant for having touching, moving and quite frankly gritty moments but having an under or even over tone of humour and giggles.
Jenna discovers she is pregnant and books an appointment at the doctors where she meets the new Dr Pomatter (David Hunter) who has moved from Connecticut and taken over as the gynaecologist. From first glance at one another, it is plain to see that they have a spark and it isn’t long before they embark on an awkward but passionate affair. An affair that although is very much wrong, helps Jenna to realise that she deserves better than Earl, her abusive husband and wants a better life for her unborn child.
One day when Joe (Michael Starke) is in the diner having a pie, he tells Jenna about a competition. The National Pie Bake-Off where she could win a grand prize ($20,000) and start a new life without her husband Earl.
The beautiful performances of songs like ‘You Matter to Me’ by Dr Pomatter and Jenna (the chemistry between these two is superb) and the tear jerker ‘She Used to Be Mine’ by Jenna and even Joe’s performance of ‘Take It From An Old Man’. Absolutely breath-taking performances where you feel every word sung, in your heart. You know a musical is amazing, when the first thing you do when you get in your car is find the album on your Spotify to listen to it on the way home. That’s what I did the first time I saw the show and this is what I think everyone does. It is a soundtrack that you just want to listen to, again and again. Although can I be honest? The live performances during this run of Waitress, are so much more emotional and captivating.
To make a good pie, you need the best ingredients and like a pie, for a 5 star theatre performance you need great staging, a wonderful band and outstandingly talented cast members and this show had it all. The choreography by Charlie Martin really stood out during this performance.
Chelsea Halfpenny has an absolutely phenomenal voice and stage presence, that even during the second time of seeing her, still wow’s, still delivers and still brings those goosebump moments. A real delight to watch. David Hunter made this show last night, feel as if I was watching it on the West End. It was professional, it was perfect, it wasn’t just a 5 star award that we want to give it. We want to give it more. It deserves to be known that it is at the very top of the league for all stage shows.
All of the cast were wonderful and the orchestra who played on the stage directly in front of the audience were superb too.
I would encourage everyone to go and see this show. It is up there with my favourites. Showing at Wolverhampton Grand theatre until 2nd July 2022.
You can get tickets here but be quick as they only have limited tickets available: https://www.grandtheatre.co.uk/whats-on/waitress/
Disclaimer: Small House Big Trips were invited along to the Media Night. Guest reviewer, Kimberley Bateman attended. Thank you to Wolverhampton Grand for the lovely invite.