Waitress

Waitress is coming to the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre from Monday 24 to Saturday 29 August 2026. It's the story of Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of finding happiness. When a new doctor arrives in town, her life gets complicated, but with the support of her colleagues Becky and Dawn, she works through it and discovers that laughter, love and friendship are the perfect recipe. The Express describes it as a 'cheerfully vital celebration of love and friendship', and it's built around a critically acclaimed score.

The creative team is led by women. The music and lyrics are by Grammy winner Sara Bareilles, known for 'Love Song' and 'Brave', with a book by the acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam) and direction from Tony winner Diane Paulus (Pippin, Finding Neverland). On stage, Les Dennis takes the role of Old Joe for one week only, and West End star Evelyn Hoskins returns to the part of Dawn, having played it both in the West End and on tour. Just a heads-up: the producers can change the cast at any time, so they can't guarantee any particular performer will be in the show you book.

There's a note that Waitress deals with some adult content and themes, so parents are advised to use their discretion if they're bringing children under 13. Tickets start at £30.50, and there are a few discounts to keep in mind: £4 off for under-16s and over-60s (A-C prices only), £6 off for groups of 10 or more, and £8 off for groups of 20 or more. Those discounts only apply to Monday to Thursday performances and are added automatically when you buy online.

As for the dates, there are eight shows over the week: Monday 24, Tuesday 25, Thursday 27, Friday 28 and Saturday 29 all start at 7:30pm, with matinees at 2:30pm on Wednesday 26 and Saturday 29, and a 7:30pm performance on Wednesday evening as well.