Theatre Trip: Waitress #5

 WAITRESS

New Wimbledon Theatre
Date: 10 September (Friday), 7:30pm
Seats: Stalls, Row O39
(Seen with Richard, Jess and Linda!)

This is my FIFTH time seeing Waitress, but I'm glad I had the opportunity! I wanted to see it again on the West End before it closed, but unfortunately due to Covid it closed early at the Adelphi. But now we're back in theatres, it's back - only this time, on tour!

We met our friends for dinner before hand at the Five Guys in Wimbledon. After burgers we headed over to the theatre. It was a long line because of the checks to get in (all of us are double vaxxed at this point, however Richard wasn't 2 weeks out from his second yet so he did a lateral flow test to get in), but we got in in plenty of time and even had time for the bathroom!

The cast was almost the same as on the West End - Lucie Jones still playing Jenna. I really love her Jenna and still think she is my favourite portrayal I've seen of this part. However, this was my first time seeing Matt Willis as Dr Pomatter. He was nowhere as good, I thought as David Hunter, which is a shame - but I guess they needed a 'big name' for the tour? His on-purpose fumbles were much less cute and came across to me as more annoying, which was a shame.

Ogie was amazing - I didn't get his name though! He was eager and perfectly over the top and he made me smile so much. He was also the highlight of the show for Richard, who otherwise thought it was an unremarkable show (his loss!). Evelyn Hoskins is also still my favourite Dawn as well and I felt like her vocals were really great on this evening. They made a really excellent couple with both of them making the same level of nerd and cute together.

This is the first time I've seen a different Becky. Sandra Marvin was nowhere near as good as Marisha Wallace (who is currently in Hairspray as Motormouth Maybelle - coming up next week!), and I actually found her a bit hard to understand. Again, Richard (who was seeing it for the first time) found it hard to hear her lyrics, and I didn't have the same trouble but I guess I know all the words already which helps me!

Overall, it was a good show and I'm glad I went, but there also seemed to be some issues with the sound. I'm not sure if it was because it was on tour (and a different setup), or individual mics, or where we were sitting, but it was nowhere near as crisp and clear as it was on the West End. I guess as well this is the first time that I've seen a West End show and then the same show with the same cast (or, almost) in a different venue, so maybe I'm just noticing it for the first time? Who knows, but I do love Waitress.

And this write-up is late, because work is being extremely busy at the moment, but in just a few days I'm off to see Hairspray after work and I am very excited! I've never seen it live but I love the movie so what could go wrong?