Waitress - Adelphi Theatre / U.K. Tour / Cinema

This is so cute!

http://instagram.com/p/B7Quy8sFoG5

Desi makes lots of sense actually since she had also returned to the tour to step in for Christine Dwyer while she was getting married in August so she's played Jenna quite recently. She must also have a very good relationship with the producers since she was Roxie in Chicago on Broadway. I think it's way more sensible to get a principle tour Jenna to do this kind of thing, compared to an understudy, because she's proven that she can handle playing the role every day while traveling, lacking sleep etc. We've blamed the producers of Waitress for loads of things but this was actually a very quick and smart reaction to prevent from another show cancellation.

I was in the audience on Saturday afternoon for the cancelled matinee. There are a lot of people on social media unreasonably being annoyed at the show being cancelled as if the cast can help being ill, but equally there are a lot of people who weren't there who are intentionally or otherwise missing the point. I do feel like as an audience we were treated poorly by whoever took the decision not to tell people until show time. There's no way they were trying to run the show and someone couldn't do it last minute - Olivia had tweeted she wasn't on by just after 2pm, and when Marisha came out to do the announcement she was clearly in her own clothes, hair and make up, not show prep. If they had told people as they turned up, those who had travelled a distance had time to get to another theatre and see something else if they wished. Instead, they denied people that option, and actively sold merchandise, drinks, programmes etc knowing customers wouldn't be seeing the show. Not to mention the horrible position front of house staff were put in - not their fault either!

I spoke to a friend afterwards who had come down just before 2:30 to see what was happening having seen the furore on social media. Apparently when they arrived FOH staff assumed they were there to see the show and tried to usher them into the auditorium - even while getting out the piles of refund letters.

At least people for the evening show were contacted with enough warning to make alternative plans in London, even if they were already travelling, and were given the option of the short concert the cast performed for those who had arrived.

Interestingly from the dates on Desi's post, it looks like they knew they'd contacted her and she was already on the move by the time the shows on Saturday were cancelled. Hmmm.

Yeah I get people can be upset at a cancellation but it really couldn’t be helped if all 3 Jennas were legitimately sick .... but I do have a lot of sympathy with people who only found out once sat down, and like you say, had already bought programmes and drinks and other merch. That seems a bit sneaky. The show was probably thinking it was just an easier way of letting everyone know that the matinee was cancelled if it was so last minute, but I don’t think it’s the best way of handling it. Also to get Marisha to do it doesn’t seem right idk lol! David likes to be the waitress spokesperson also so I’m surprised he didn’t step up tbh, lol!

How was Desi then for those of you that went?

First time seeing it, and I thought she was incredible. Sold the whole thing to me really

Looks like it was a Saturday PM flight arriving Sunday morning given she has posted about dinner in London on Sunday.

Row D stalls in the rush! Closest seat I’ve ever had so should be fun.

Does anyone know if she's gonna do this Saturday?

If Lucie has holiday booked or was away they cannot just order her to cancel it. There would be considerable cost and she could claim potential bullying. 

Wouldn't a superfan be more disappointed but if they are local they'd clearly have less overhead costs to bear. 

Desi was just amazing, better than any other Jenna we currently have imho. Go see her if you can, it's really a treat. 3 understudies on tonight (Nate for Ogie, Piers for Earl and Mark for Cal) and were all great, especially Nate as Ogie. Glad to report that the spark that the show had with the original cast has managed to come back, possibly thanks to Marisha's return and everyone's excitement about Desi. Olivia was back in the ensemble, I think there were one male short because of the covers so Leanne was also in, and was interesting to see it with an extra female.