Waitress starring Carrie Hope Fletcher (UK Tour) - ★★★★ REVIEW

April 7, 2026·22 min·1 clip

Carrie Hope Fletcher's recent motherhood completely transformed how she approaches the emotional peak of Waitress.

The oven mitt comes off quickly. After that, Mickey Joe drops into his usual brisk lane: fan happy to be back with Waitress, critic checking whether the musical still works. He clearly has affection for it. The dreamy look, big vocals, and ticklish comedy all get their praise, but he keeps steering the review toward the emotional weight underneath. Carrie Hope Fletcher is the real test case. He thinks she has reached the right moment for Jenna, not just because of a YouTube cover from a decade ago, but because the role now fits the maternal quality he sees in her work. Nostalgia gets a seat at the table. It does not get the final word. The review ties Fletcher's performance to a pattern he has noticed, especially the protective charge in roles beyond her earlier teenage parts. He does not flatten that into simple motherhood. He hears something warmer and wiser in it, with enough texture to give Jenna more weight. The baby relationship is what changes the episode for him. Jenna's bond with her unborn child gives the story a pull he had not fully felt before. That is where the review earns its keep. Waitress is still sweet and funny, and the pastry jokes are allowed to stay pastry jokes. But he does not leave the show as pie-shop comfort. He separates the glossy surface from the heavier feeling inside it. Fletcher gets the cleanest approval because her Jenna now makes sense to him: warm, grown into the part, and able to carry its maternal complexity without forcing it. The tour lands well too. By the end, Waitress still feels singular, and this version seems lucky in its timing.

As heard by us

A warm, well-structured take on why Carrie Hope Fletcher suits Waitress.

This review treats the UK tour of Waitress as more than a casting piece. Carrie Hope Fletcher is presented as a strong match for Jenna, with the role making room for the maternal note that the production values.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

For when you want a theatre review that actually thinks about casting.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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