Warm, funny and quietly devastating when it needs to be, Waitress serves up a hugely enjoyable night at New Theatre Oxford, led by a fabulous Carrie Hope Fletcher.
At a glance
| Show | Waitress |
| Where reviewed | New Theatre Oxford |
| Oxford run | Monday 29 June to Saturday 4 July 2026 |
| Cast highlights | Carrie Hope Fletcher, Sandra Marvin, Evelyn Hoskins, Les Dennis, Dan Partridge, Mark Anderson and Mark Willshire |
| Best for | Musical theatre fans, friendship stories and audiences who like their comedy with emotional weight |
| Content note | The production includes strong language, sexual innuendo and themes of domestic abuse |
| Tickets | Available through ATG Tickets |
Three women, a diner full of secrets, a rollercoaster of emotions and enough pie to make you hungry before the interval: Waitress arrives at New Theatre Oxford with all the ingredients for a satisfying night of musical theatre.
At first glance, it is bright, funny and full of cheeky one-liners. But beneath the sugar, spice and comic pie names is a story with real bite, one that tackles domestic abuse, unhappy relationships, motherhood, friendship and the frightening courage it takes to choose a different life.
The result is a show that makes you laugh often, wince occasionally, and care deeply about the people at its centre.
Carrie Hope Fletcher gives Jenna warmth, humour and heart
Carrie Hope Fletcher is absolutely fabulous as Jenna, the gifted pie maker whose talent in the kitchen cannot protect her from the damage being done at home.
Her voice is exceptional, but what really makes the performance work is its emotional honesty. Fletcher gives Jenna humour, hesitation, warmth and weariness. She lets us see someone who is not simply waiting to be rescued, but slowly finding the strength to imagine an escape route of her own.
That matters because Jenna could easily become a victim first and a character second. Fletcher never allows that to happen. Her Jenna is funny, flawed, loving and quietly determined, and you root for her from the very beginning.
The songs sit beautifully in her voice, but the quieter acting moments are just as persuasive. Every small pause, forced smile and flicker of panic adds to the sense of a woman trying to hold herself together while life presses in from every side.
Becky, Dawn and Jenna are the beating heart of the show
Fletcher is brilliantly supported by Sandra Marvin as Becky and Evelyn Hoskins as Dawn.
Marvin gives Becky a rich mix of sharp humour, practicality and emotional generosity. She has some of the evening’s best comic timing, but there is always kindness underneath the bite.
Hoskins is a delight as Dawn, capturing the character’s nervous energy, awkward charm and unexpected romantic boldness. Her scenes with Mark Anderson’s wonderfully eccentric Ogie bring some of the biggest laughs of the night.
Together, Jenna, Becky and Dawn form the emotional centre of the show. Their friendship feels lived in rather than simply written, and the production is at its strongest when the three women are together, teasing, supporting and protecting one another in the way only close friends can.
A strong supporting cast keeps the diner alive
The wider cast gives the production colour and pace.
Les Dennis brings warmth and dry humour to Joe, the diner regular whose gruff exterior hides something much gentler. Dan Partridge is charming as Dr Pomatter, giving the character the right mix of nervous comedy and romantic confusion.
Mark Anderson’s Ogie is gloriously odd, arriving like a comic firework and turning what could have been a one-note role into something unexpectedly endearing.
Dan O’Brien gives Cal a grumbling, lived-in presence behind the counter, while Mark Willshire deserves particular credit as Earl.
Earl is not a comfortable role, and nor should he be. Willshire plays Jenna’s controlling husband with enough charm to show how manipulation can disguise itself, and enough menace to make the audience tense whenever he appears. Some scenes are genuinely difficult to watch, which is a testament to both the writing and the performance.
Funny, but never lightweight
One of the cleverest things about Waitress is how it balances humour with pain.
There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Jenna asking, “How pregnant am I?” and Dr Pomatter deadpanning “Very” had the audience in stitches, and it was only one of many sharply timed exchanges.
The pie names are another joy. Jenna’s creations become a running emotional commentary on whatever is happening in her life, from romantic confusion to anger and frustration. “Jerk Chicken Pot Pie”, inspired by Earl, lands exactly as it should.
But the humour never erases the seriousness of Jenna’s situation. The show lets comedy and sadness sit side by side, which is why its emotional moments feel earned rather than sentimental.
At its heart, this is not simply a romance or a workplace comedy. It is a story about resilience, self-worth and the possibility of starting again.
Sara Bareilles’ score gives the show its flavour
Sara Bareilles’ score has always been one of Waitress’ great strengths, and this touring production gives it room to shine.
The songs move easily between folk-pop warmth, musical theatre storytelling and big emotional release. They give the characters interior lives, particularly Jenna, whose feelings often seem safest when expressed through music rather than speech.
The production also understands the physical world of the diner. The movement, staging and ensemble work keep the space busy without overwhelming the story, making the pie-making, table-waiting and kitchen bustle feel part of the show’s rhythm.
It is a production with plenty of polish, but it never loses the human scale of the story.
Verdict
Waitress is far more than a feel-good musical, although it certainly sends audiences out smiling.
It is funny, heartfelt and beautifully performed, with a standout central performance from Carrie Hope Fletcher and excellent support from Sandra Marvin and Evelyn Hoskins.
The show celebrates friendship, motherhood and the courage it takes to choose a better life, while never pretending that choice is simple.
It will make you laugh, tug at your heartstrings and leave you wanting pie. That is a pretty irresistible combination.
Waitress is at New Theatre Oxford until Saturday 4 July. Tickets are available through ATG Tickets.
Remaining UK and Ireland tour dates
| Dates | Venue | Location | Jenna casting note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 29 June to Saturday 4 July 2026 | New Theatre | Oxford | Carrie Hope Fletcher |
| Monday 6 to Saturday 11 July 2026 | Regent Theatre | Stoke-on-Trent | Carrie Hope Fletcher |
| Monday 13 to Saturday 18 July 2026 | Opera House | Blackpool | Carrie Hope Fletcher |
| Monday 20 to Saturday 25 July 2026 | Curve | Leicester | Carrie Hope Fletcher |
| Tuesday 28 July to Saturday 1 August 2026 | Grand Opera House | Belfast | Carrie Hope Fletcher |
| Tuesday 4 to Saturday 8 August 2026 | Hippodrome | Bristol | Carrie Hope Fletcher |
| Monday 10 to Saturday 15 August 2026 | Royal Concert Hall | Nottingham | Carrie Hope Fletcher |
| Monday 17 to Saturday 22 August 2026 | Venue Cymru | Llandudno | Carrie Hope Fletcher |
| Monday 24 to Saturday 29 August 2026 | Pavilion Theatre | Bournemouth | Emma Lucia |
| Tuesday 1 to Saturday 5 September 2026 | New Theatre | Hull | Emma Lucia |
| Monday 7 to Saturday 12 September 2026 | Empire | Liverpool | Carrie Hope Fletcher |
| Tuesday 22 to Saturday 26 September 2026 | Theatre | Milton Keynes | Carrie Hope Fletcher |
| Tuesday 6 to Saturday 10 October 2026 | King’s Theatre | Glasgow | Lucie Jones |
| Tuesday 13 to Saturday 17 October 2026 | Lyceum Theatre | Sheffield | Lucie Jones |
| Tuesday 27 to Saturday 31 October 2026 | The Lowry | Salford | Lucie Jones |
