Review: Waitress left me feeling full of love and heartbroken all at once

A must-see.

Have you ever seen a musical that makes your heart feel so full but at the same time completely shatters it? Then you haven't seen Waitress. If you don't know anything about this show, just know one thing, there will not be a dry eye in the theatre by the end of it. Written by Sara Bareilles, the show hit the Broadway stage in 2016, missing out on the Tony Award that year to none other than Hamilton, a tough competitor. It has since taken the West End by storm, and now we get to be treated to it as well with as it heads to Dublin's Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. I was lucky enough to see the show ahead of its Irish debut in Liverpool, and to say it was spectacular would be an understatement. I had seen the show before, I knew I was in for a rollercoaster of emotions, but I wasn't expecting the cast to portray them with such conviction and utter beauty. This show is all about female friendship and finding hope when all is lost, you walk away feeling empowered and a sense of belonging. You leave the theatre simply happy you just saw that show. For this, the stage set up has to be particular, and if you see this production, you'd honestly think you were at the original one in New York, the set had been done down to a T. I tried to go in without any expectations. As I had seen it before, I didn't want to be let down by an idea I had made in my head of what it should be, but that can be hard when it comes to theatre of this calibre. But they met them and more, the acting, especially by Wendy May Brown and Evelyn Hoskins, who play Becky and Dawn respectfully, the performances, the sheer talent each cast member exuded gave me chills and left me speechless. When it comes to the breathtaking number that is She Used to be Mine, which was performed so beautifully by Chelsea Halfpenny who plays Jenna, I typically well up everytime I listen to it. To see it performed in person in such a delicate way had the tears free flowing. Waitress left me feeling something unexplainable, but at the same time delighted that I got to see it. While some moments in the show are not has happy-go-lucky as pie baking with your friends, there is something so heartwarming from this production that leaves you craving more. Waitress comes to the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre from June 7th to June 18th.