Who knew simple ingredients such as sugar, butter, and flour could help a person sift through all the lumps in their lives? The Broadway musical, Waitress, tells the story of Jenna Hunterson, a baker and waitress who works at Joe’s Pie Diner. She is struggling through an abusive relationship with her husband, Earl. In the show, Jenna finds out about her unexpected pregnancy. She visits Dr. James Pomatter and they end up in an affair. Jenna’s life is filled with troubles throughout the musical. She searches for a way out of her situation in life. Seeing that there is a pie-baking contest, she resolves to get out of her mess with its grand prize. Also baked into the rest of the musical are love stories with characters Dawn and Ogie, and drama with Becky. 

The Great British Bake Off Musical, performed in London’s West End, is based on the wonderful television show “The Great British Bakeoff.” On television, bake-offs have an absence of theatrical drama: the bakers in their element speak for themselves. Viewers watch as the different rounds go by with new challenges for the bakers. People follow the bakers through the kitchen really find themselves and see what they can do with sugar, butter, and flour. But this joyful musical has a culinary and theatrical aspect as well as a view into the contestants’ lives. The main storyline is about a widowed dad, Ben, and how he hooks up with a hapless and lonely woman from Blackpool named Gemma. 

Waitress and The Great British Bake Off Musical have very many differences but there are also some similarities. There are relationships and drama that are apparent in both musicals. In Waitress, Jenna attempts to escape a toxic relationship while in The Great British Bake Off Musical, Ben attempts to start a new relationship. The main characters of both shows are alike: Jenna is a soon-to-be parent; she will be alone once she divorces her abusive husband. Ben, on the other hand, is a widowed father and is already alone, taking care of his children. Ultimately, baking is the main focus and the main constant for the characters through their tough times. The characters, kneading through all the problems they face, ultimately find themselves. 

Resources:

Waitress (musical) – Wikipedia

Dawn Louise Pinkett – Waitress Wiki | Waitress the Musical

Great British Bake Off: The Musical review – sweet treat with a soggy bottom | Theatre | The Guardian