Waitress | Sunderland Empire | 4th May 2026
Review by Stephen Stokoe
May the fourth was with me as I travelled to the wonderful Sunderland Empire to see the 10th anniversary production of Sara Bareilles’ Waitress which in itself is based upon the motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly. The almost capacity crowd at the theatre looked on in anticipation at the latticework show cloth before a particularly humorous “no mobiles” announcement rang out. It set the scene for an irreverent and risqué musical.
The story follows Jenna (Emma Lucia), a hard working and imaginative employee who creates pies of the day for Joe’s Pie Diner based on events, situations, and people around her. For her part, Jenna is in a rather stale marriage with her high school sweetheart Earl (Mark Willshire) who is a deadbeat and controlling brute and needs constant reassurance that she still loves him.
Her working life and her imagination is fuelled by her colleagues and diner customers. She works with no-nonsense Becky (Sandra Marvin) and ditzy but loveable Dawn (Evie Hoskins) under the watchful and exasperated eye of manager Cal (Dan O’Brien) and owner, the exacting curmudgeonly old Joe (Les Dennis.)
Jenna’s perspective on life is turned upside down when she meets the dashing but nervous Dr Pomatter (Dan Partridge) who has replaced her previous doctor who has retired. The good doctor and Jenna engage in a passionate fling. On the suggestion of old man Joe, Jenna enters a pie competition in hopes of winning the sizeable prize money to get out of her marriage and forge herself a bright new life.
Lucia is perfection itself as the downtrodden waitress. She is bright, she is warm and as the musical continues shows immense strength to find the new life she wants for herself and her daughter, Lulu whose unexpected birth is imminent.
There are several scene-stealers in this production. Ellie Ruiz Rodriguez as Nurse Norma is a prime example. Rodriquez’s knowing looks to the audience and her comic timing were excellent as was O’Brien as diner manager and love interest for the bombastic beauty Becky who has him wrapped round her little finger.
The final love partnership comes from the demure and ditzy Dawn and fellow historical re-enactor Ogie (Mark Anderson) who are, there is no other word for it, adorable and clearly meant for each other.
The set (Scott Pask) is bright and takes you into the look and feel of an American diner. The hard working cast help and indeed interact with the main characters during scene changes which is very satisfying for the watcher and innovative in the direction (Diane Paulus.) The lighting (Ken Billington) is excellent and the sound (Rob Bettle) crisp.
This production is bright, well thought out, and heart-warming. It is played for laughs and, for all intents and purposes, is a triumph that everyone can enjoy. This is both a compliment for the current cast and creatives but also a criticism. I felt that this production hyped the comedy a little to much at the detriment of the powerful and hard-hitting story that lies under the surface. Earl here was a simpering, weak man craving attention and love and while he may have got a little cross with his beloved guitar he did not exude the same levels of threat as in previous incarnations of the show. I also felt the death of one of the major characters lacked substance or meaning.
That is not to say that I did not enjoy my time at Lulu’s nee Joe’s Pie Diner. The music led by musical director Francesca Warren with Debbi Clarke, Felix Stickland, Roba Jane, Nathan Finn, and Siobhan Wilson was outstanding with the musicians even joining the action at times which is really nice to see.
Grab yourselves a slice of sexy, sensual musical pie all this week at The Sunderland Empire.