Waitress at Theatre Royal and Concert Hall Nottingham Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Lindsay Burton
Last night, the Theatre Royal Nottingham was serving up something far more delicious than your average night at the theatre – Waitress! With a generous helping of humour, a sprinkle of heartbreak, a dollop of romance and enough pie references to make you seriously consider opening a bakery on the way home, this musical had us hooked from the very first song.
This is the second time we’ve watched this show and, believe it or not, it somehow got even better the second time around! Carrie Hope Fletcher was absolutely born to play Jenna. From the very first second, she steps onto the stage, we get to experience the sheer magic that is Carrie in this role. Her voice, her mannerisms, her expressions and the way she brings every little emotion to life make Jenna feel completely real. She naturally takes us on Jenna’s journey, making us laugh, feel, and at times tugging firmly on those heartstrings. There’s something extremely unique about watching her perform – she does not just play Jenna; she utterly becomes her.
We absolutely LOVE Sandra Marvin (Becky) and Evelyn Hoskins (Dawn)! They both bring such talent, joy and lots of laugh aloud moments throughout the entire show and again, I couldn’t imagine two other actresses that could do these roles any more justice! For every sense and purpose, it feels like these two roles were written specifically for Sandra Marvin and Evelyn Hoskins!
Dan Partridge as Dr Pomatter is yet another example of the sheer brilliance of the casting in this production. His silly awkwardness, endearing clumsiness and completely love-struck nature make Dr Pomatter an absolute joy to watch. Dan brings such a magnificently quirky energy to the character that you can’t help but smile whenever he appears on stage. His chemistry with Carrie Hope Fletcher feels completely natural, making their relationship funny, sweet and fantastically realistic. He brings just the right amount of awkward charm to Dr Pomatter, making him a character you can’t help but root for.
Mark Anderson (Ogie), Dan O’Brien (Cal) and Mark Willshire (Earl) simply add even more magic to this already fantastic, all-singing, all-dancing cast. Each of them brings something completely different to the stage, producing characters that are memorable, entertaining and full of personality. From Ogie’s superbly quirky charm to Cal’s energy and Earl’s unmistakable authority, they all play their parts brilliantly and help bring the world of Waitress to life. It is the kind of cast where you can tell everyone is having an absolute ball on stage – and that joy is catching, drawing the audience right into the story with them.
And then we have to mention the vocal ability of the ENTIRE cast. You have made me fall in love with songs I’ve only heard twice in my entire life (my 12-year-old daughter and I have now downloaded the soundtrack and know them word by word). The songs are catchy and my daughter sat with tears in her eyes last night during She Used to Be Mine by Carrie.
Again, we rate this show as 5/5. Waitress is currently showing at the Theatre Royal and Concert Hall in Nottingham until the 15th of August 2026 – if you haven’t seen it, do yourself a massive favour and get your tickets! Ticket prices start from £25 and can be purchase from https://www.trch.co.uk/
Rating:5/5