The Spice Girls have reunited, briefly, to launch Viva Forever! – a new West End musical based on their hit songs. Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell helped unveil the show today. The launch was held at the Renaissance St Pancras hotel where the girls filmed the iconic video to their debut hit, Wannabe. Viva Forever! is written by comedian Jennifer Saunders and produced by Judy Craymer who was also producer of Mamma Mia! the ABBA jukebox musical.
Viva Forever! will explore the “bitter reality of fame” and be set against the backdrop of a TV talent show.
The musical previews from 27 November 2012 at London’s Piccadilly Theatre and will be a show that will embrace all generations. The show is not a tribute to the globally-known girlband but instead is a story of a beautiful, talented girl who gets swept up in the obsession of today’s TV celebrity culture and the impact that her overnight success and fame has on her relationships with her family and friends.
The Spice Girls topped the charts in 31 countries with their 1996 debut single Wannabe and went on to sell more than 75 million albums worldwide. The group created the 1990s mantra “Girl Power” and starred in their own feature film, Spiceworld, in 1997. The girl group disbanded in 2000 but reformed seven years later for a reunion tour.
