By Alina McCrone

Waitress held its final Broadway performance at the beginning of January. If you’ve been wanting to see it but keep putting it off, this is why I think you should see it on the West End whilst you still can.

If you haven’t heard about the musical sensation that is Sara Bareilles’ Waitress, then where have you been? Based on the book by Jessie Nelson, Waitress is a story of a – you guessed it – waitress named Jenna who works at a diner and is known for her creative pie recipes. At first glance this may not be everyone’s cup of tea (or slice of cake if we’re sticking with the baking theme). However, the theme of baking has a deeper meaning. Recipes recur throughout the musical and allow the audience to get a deeper picture of the emotions Jenna is feeling, presented as an inner monologue. Some pies Jenna creates may be more adult than you were expecting. After watching the musical, it is clear how beautifully the theme of baking has been intertwined with Jenna’s life and is used as a metaphor for her independence in a life that is being taken away from her.

Waitress is witty and comedic as it follows the lives of Jenna and her friends in the diner as they navigate through issues of love, identity and friendship. However, the show also addresses more serious topics with Jenna being in an abusive relationship and fighting to gain her independence back. As she falls pregnant with her husband’s child, she finds herself lost and not wanting to be a mother at all. The musical captures the beauty and the pain of life, and how easily it can switch between them. I think the show delves into themes that other musicals avoid and gives insight into what it’s like to be in a manipulative relationship and to not have control over your life. It also conveys that it is ok to not want motherhood.

What stuck with me is that many of the characters have problems stemming from the idea that they can’t be more than what they already are. Many of the songs feature parts where the characters express these feelings and the deepness of their worries. They show the concern that they are trapped in a situation and that this defines them as a person. However, as the story progresses it is clear that change can happen. For me this was a strong takeaway message from the musical, that you can always create change.

The songs in Waitress are really what makes the musical stand out to me. If you’re a musical fan, you’re bound to have heard ‘She Used to be Mine’ – and in my opinion the song is not overrated. It is genuinely beautifully written, conveying the grief and devastation Jenna is feeling about her situation, and the loss of the woman she used to be. The ability Bareilles has to contrast this with humour in “I love you like a table” shows her lyrical finesse. A touching reoccurrence is Jenna speaking to her baby in various songs and this gives the audience an insight into change gradually happening as her care towards the baby develops. For me, a personal favourite is “A Soft Place to Land”. It is a whimsical song by the waitresses about what they could have had in life and the safety and security they crave regarding their hopes and dreams.

Those are just some of the reasons why Waitress stood out to me – it is definitely a must-see for musical fans. Many problems that people are dealing with today are covered and the worry that we cannot create change in our lives is a recurring idea. It’s a story of independence and companionship, combined with remarkable song writing. After watching you will discover that it is so much more than sugar, butter and flour.

Waitress is playing at the Adelphi Theatre, London, until July 2020.

Image: Linda Hartley via Flickr and Creative Commons