From Theatre Breaks

Viva Forever - The Spice Girls Musical

A brand new musical Viva Forever featuring the best of the Spice Girls songs is due to open in London's West End in Olympic Year 2012.

This upcoming Spice Girls musical, entitled Viva Forever, is set to focus on a group of young women living in this contemporary society, and will even include a mother-daughter story. Producer, Judy Craymer explains that, "Viva Forever will encompass the Spice Girls ethos of friendship, identity and being true to yourself, it won't be a tribute or bio show, nor will it feature characters with any of the names of the famous five-piece."

The book for Viva Forever has been written by "Absolutely Fabulous" star Jennifer Saunders.

Viva Forever is a new musical which Jennifer Saunder is scripting based around the music of the Spice Girls. It is due to open in London’s West End autumn 2012.

Judy Craymer who is producing has just said that the new show is about to be workshopped and top West End casting director David Grindrod (who also worked on Mamma Mia! for her) is overseeing auditions which start October 2011.

Viva Forever Producer and writer's comments

Mamma Mia's Judy Craynor explains: "Viva Forever has a glimpse of the underbelly of TV talent shows, an invented show, and a little bit of comedy romance. We live in a world dominated by people wanting to be famous. What they (the Spice Girls) did was before those shows became really what they are, and before the world become slightly obsessed by such shows."

The show will be produced by Judy Craymer who produced both the film and theater versions of Mamma Mia. She will be working in association with Universal Music and Simon Fuller, the Spice Girls' Manager. Jennifer Saunders, one half of French and Saunders, who co-wrote Absolutely Fabulous, has been asked to write the show.

Jeniffer Saunders said "I'm thrilled and terrified at the same time. It is very exciting to be writing a musical that encompasses the music and energy of the biggest girl band of all time. My daughters' grew up with the Spice Girls. I had to write the book for them as well as myself, it has been great fun so far."

Spice Girls' manager Simon Fuller said, "The girls and I are really happy Jennifer is writing the book. She has really identified and incorporated what the Spice Girls represent to women around the world."

Producer Judy Craymer has revealed that the storyline for the Spice Girls’ musical focuses on wanting to be famous, adoption and the perils of reality shows like X Factor.

Viva Forever is due to open in the West End next year and has been written by Jennifer Saunders. It will feature two generations of women and a set of reality show judges. The story isn’t biographical but it will make reference to Geri Halliwell leaving the band.

Craymer says: “The Spice Girls managed to make it before the world was obsessed with reality TV so it’s set in the modern day, which is dominated by people wanting to be famous. It centres on whether they would have made it in the generation of reality TV as they were all individuals and each had their own strong personality. The answer is that you should just be yourself. It will be about the themes that made them famous, like having a sense of self and friendship. It will show one of them leaving and what happens to that dynamic.”

The show features 18 Spice Girls songs with Judy adding: “There will be cynics but it’s exciting to target a whole new generation. Everyone’s got a bit of Spice in them and can identify with one of them.”

Previous Speculation

Spice Girls’ Scary, Posh, Ginger,Baby and Sporty will be played by actresses in the musical, which has been called Viva Forever. Seems possible they'll provide a backing chorus to the action, bit like the Divas in Priscilla.

The show is expected to debut on November 5 2012, after the Olympics but in time for Christmas.

It will either show the way the band rose to fame through 14 of their biggest tracks ( not really) or, more likely (yes) , be more like Mamma Mia using the tracks to tell a different story.

The show is being developed by Simon Fuller, who was their manager in the 90’s.

Simon said:

“What they created with their powerful record-breaking mix of girl power and hit songs, has influenced pop culture more than anyone can imagine.”