Sugar, Butter, Flour

I wasn't intending to be back in London as soon as I was after Caroline Or Change - but when my best mate invited me to go down South with her for a few days (as she has family down there), I couldn't resist. We both needed the time away and I had also been given a promotion the week before (FINALLY no more working weekends, evenings and wedding shifts until 2am!!!!) - so the timing was perfect.
There was no way we were going to do what I have done the last couple of times when I was on my own (pretending he's beside me - haha) down there and see shows EVERY night!! We decided to pick one each and spread them out a bit more - as there was also other attractions we wanted to see, such as Kew Gardens, the Tower of London and the British Science Museum.

Emma's pick is coming up a bit later, but we're talking my pick first: Waitress, based off the 2007 film by the late Adrienne Shelley; which we saw on our first night, after a nice TGI Fridays (thought that it was apt going to an American place).

This hotly-anticipated Broadway smash-hit (to put it mildly) arrived in London just a few weeks ago, with its official opening night only missing this year's Olivier nominations by a few days (fingers crossed for next year!)! Opening on Broadway in 216, it got 4 Tony nominations, but failed to get a look in due to a certain rapping Treasury Secretary.....

That however hasn't stopped Sara Bareilles' score being one of the most loved within the Broadway community in the past couple of years - as it perfectly blends MT with pop music. As well as a female composer, Waitress also boats an entirely female creative team, with Diane Paulus directing, Jessie Nelson writing the book and Lorin Latarro choreographing the show - people do not realise how rare this is!!

In her review of the show in The Times, Ann Treneman called it "five star musical pie" - so does it live up to all the hype?

Waitress follows Jenna (played by Katherine McPhee), an exceptionally good pie maker (American pie that is, NOT steak and kidney) in an American diner - in fact, she throws all her emotions into the 27 pies she makes a day at the diner, from "Mermaid Marshmallow Pie" to "Betrayed By My Eggs Pie".
When she finds out she has her own bun in the oven, she's less than pleased, as her husband Earl (Peter Hannah) isn't exactly father material. With the help of her friends from the diner and her hunky gynaecologist, she hears about a pie contest that could give her the opportunity to leave her abusive marriage - and her life slowly starts to change...

I've already mentioned McPhee, and I've got be honest, from what I heard, I was dubious about the choice, even though she'd already played the role on Broadway - but her voice was a lot more powerful than I expected, especially in Jenna's big 11 o'clock number, She Used To Be Mine.

Apart from 1 other person, who I will get to later, it has got to be said that Jenna's fellow waitresses have the best lines - the sassy Becky (a part originated by The Greatest Showman's Keala Settle) was played by Marisha Wallace (Dreamgirls), and the shy Dawn by Laura Baldwin. Both definitely had their moments when they had the audience in stitches, whether it was Becky making a sarcastic remark at the chef Cal (Stephen Leask), or Dawn being a living awkward turtle.

As the dreamboat Dr Pomatter, David Hunter oozed awkward charm - and he is totally my type! But as far as the men go, Jack McBrayer's Ogie, Dawn's internet boyfriend, stood head and shoulders above them all. Did he have the best singing voice - errrr no; but EVERY SINGLE TIME that he was on stage, he had the audience in absolute stitches and I couldn't wait for him to come back on stage. His big numbers, Never Ever Getting Rid Of Me and I Love You Like A Table were definite highlights of the show. (For Disney fans, he also voices Fix It Felix Jr in Wreck It Ralph...!)

I must end on the experience itself. Yes, it is true that the smell of pie hits you in the face as you walk into the foyer, and you can even get your own little pies as snacks, courtesy of the Theatre Café (one of my favourite places in the whole of London). They're tasty (I had apple, Emma had banoffee) but they are £6 though!!
Next is that we happened to be watching on a special night as it was their "Cast Album Karaoke" event, in which you can sign up to possibly (if you're picked) go on stage after the show and sing some of the songs. I would have LOVED to have done that, but as we were staying with Emma's aunt and uncle in Bellingham we unfortunately had to leave it and get the last train back 😭

You can take pictures during the Finale!!

Finally, I must thank the whole front of house team at the Adelphi Theatre - like Dreamgirls, we happened to have our seat updated!! We were supposedly meant to be in the Upper Circle but instead, we were updated to the Dress Circle - and it was a fantastic view, so thank you!!

If you're a theatre fan, and want something to take the girls to, or a mother-daughter date, then Waitress is a perfect pick.
And of course, if you're a fan of/obsessed with the cast recording and have been waiting for this to cross the pond, then book your tickets. Grab yourself some "West End Magic Pie". It is worth the wait.