Feeling hungry? Waitress is in town to serve up a slice of musical theatre pie. Let's hope you brought your appetite!

The show, driven by a female-led team of cast and creatives including Grammy-winner Sara Bareilles, opened in the West End in 2019. After receiving rave reviews, it’s now hitting the road and stopping off in Bromley's Churchill Theatre - the first of three Kent tour dates - along the way.

Waitress follows expert pie-maker and hopeless daydreamer Jenna as she overcomes obstacles and discovers the perfect recipe for a better life. Helping her find happiness is the new doctor in town, Dr Pomatter.

On the surface, it’s a girl-meets-boy romance (aren’t they all?) but the leading ladies are the show’s true love story. The three distinct female characters - the mother hen, the anxious ingenue and the talented dreamer - and their unbreakable bond is the show’s beating heart.

These aren’t the only stand out characters, however. Ogie, played by George Crawford, is a fan favourite. Although his main number, which is essentially about harassment, probably wouldn’t be penned today, it gets the biggest cheer of the first act. It is pretty catchy, after all.

The songs are stellar - particularly the gut-wrenching She Used to Be Mine - but it's not a flashy show. There isn’t much pizazz in the way of chorus lines and jazz hands. Rather, it’s a show rooted in realism. That, and the characters’ southern American drawl, is no doubt part of its charm.

It’s a shame the stars aren’t here tonight. Chelsea Halfpenny and Matt Willis top the bill for this tour, however neither grace the Bromley stage. It’s unfortunate, but when it comes to Dr Pomatter in particular - played tonight by Nathanael Landskroner - you wouldn’t question him as the leading man. The part fits like a glove.

With two understudies steering the ship, there is the odd stumble. An occasional line fluffed, a fumbled prop, a ropey note or two, but all things that can be forgiven for what is an overall impressive, enjoyable and, at times, heartbreaking performance.

Compared to some of the other big hitters on the West End, Waitress is remarkably understated when it comes to production, so I spent much of my time in the theatre trying to put my finger on why it’s so adored. However, by the end of the show the reason crystal clear - it's the storytelling.

It’s all about the not-so-shiny parts of life which, let’s face it, is what we’re most familiar with. Affairs, abuse and unwanted pregnancy hold up the show’s narrative, but these stories are told in a new way.

In other musicals, the doctor cheating on his devoted wife and the pregnant woman sleeping with another married man would be the ‘bad guys’. But, in this show, there’s only one villain and it’s neither of them. We like these characters because we understand them; we’re invited to hear their story and, instead of judging them, we’re on their side.

This show has the potential to make us kinder. We might leave with a more open mind, or a more understanding heart, and that’s no bad thing.

For at least a good chunk of the female-heavy audience here tonight, it might also make us appreciate the strong women we surround ourselves with, the women who raised us to reach for the stars and the future generations of women we can encourage to do the same.

Waitress is showing at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley until Saturday, February 26. Ticket prices range from £27 to £57. Book online here or call the box office on 03433 100 020.

Waitress then runs at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford from Monday, July 4 to Saturday, July 9. Ticket prices range from £34.50 to £54.50. Book online here or call the box office on 03433 100 033.

Waitress makes its final stop in Kent at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury from Monday, August 1 to Saturday, August 6. Ticket prices range from £15 to £55. Book online here or call the box office on 01227 787 787.