Spice Girls musical Viva Forever

Musical based on the songs of the Spice Girls comes to London in 2012.

Viva Forever, a brand new show that features the songs of the Spice Girls, one of the world’s most successful girl groups, will come to London in 2012. Produced by Mamma Mia! producer Judy Craymer, Viva Forever will have a book by Ab Fab’s Jennifer Saunders.

War Horse director Marianne Elliott was to have helmed the production but has since left the show.

Viva Forever is a modern fable of camaraderie, love and loyalty based on the songs of the Spice Girls.

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Mamma Mia! The Smash Hit Musical Moves To New West End Home Next Autumn

Flagship production of the worldwide phenomenon transfers to the Novello Theatre in September 2012

Following record-breaking runs at the Prince Edward and Prince of Wales Theatres in London’s West End, the flagship production of the smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! will move to the Novello Theatre in September 2012.

To date, MAMMA MIA! has been seen by more than 50 million people in 34 productions in 14 different languages grossing more than $2 billion at the box office. MAMMA MIA! the Movie is the highest grossing musical film and one in four households in the UK have the DVD.

MAMMA MIA!’s original creator and producer, Judy Craymer, said the following about the next step for the pioneering London production:

“I am delighted that the original production of MAMMA MIA! will move to the stage of the beautiful Novello Theatre. It is a perfect space for the musical. The Novello is a gem of a theatre that perfectly suits the creative needs of MAMMA MIA!, and provides a comfortable and friendly experience for audiences in the heart of Theatreland.”

From West End to global phenomenon, the London production of MAMMA MIA! has now been seen by more than 1 in 10 of the entire UK population. It’s one of only 5 musicals in history to have run for more than 10 years on both Broadway and in the West End.
MAMMA MIA! has also recently become the first Western musical ever to be staged in the People’s Republic of China – in Chinese. The show opened in Shanghai in July this year with a Mandarin-speaking cast and heralded a new era of musical theatre in China.

With music & lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, MAMMA MIA! is written by Catherine Johnson, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. The production is designed by Mark Thompson, with lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Andrew Bruce & Bobby Aitken and musical supervision, additional material & arrangements by Martin Koch.

MAMMA MIA! is produced by Judy Craymer, Richard East & Björn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal.

Release issued by: Amanda Malpass PR

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Marianne Elliott to direct new Spice Girls musical Viva Forever

Mamma Mia! producer Judy Craymer has confirmed that her new musical project, Viva Forever, will be directed by British theatre director Marianne Elliott.

Viva Forever, which is based on the songs of the Spice Girls and promises to be a modern fable of camaraderie, love and loyalty, has been written by Jennifer Saunders.

Marianne Elliott has worked for the Royal Exchange, Royal Court, RSC and National Theatre and is most famous for her direction, along with Tom Morris, of the National Theatre’s War Horse, which is currently playing at the New London Theatre in London and has recently opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theater on Broadway to rave reviews. Her other productions include Saint Joan at the National starring Anne-Marie Duff and Alan Ayckbourn’s Season’s Greetings.

Judy Craymer said in a statement that Marianne Elliott has a “theatrical aptitude for exploring strong women and their relationships and her meticulousness to detail she is absolutely the right person to direct this new musical which is all about female friendship, celebrity and fame”.

Simon Fuller, the Spice Girls’ manager, said, “The girls and I are delighted that one of the most brilliant female theatre directors Marianne Elliott is to direct Viva Forever. Judy, Jennifer and now Marianne, make an eminent team.”

The show is expected to premiere in London at the end of 2012.

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More news on Viva Forever

Marianne Elliott to Direct Viva Forever the Musical Based On the Songs of The Spice Girls

Judy Craymer’s new musical, VIVA FOREVER, a modern fable of camaraderie, love and loyalty based on the songs of the Spice Girls, is to be directed by one of the most illustrious British theatre directors Marianne Elliott.

In confirming the announcement, Judy said: “I am delighted that Marianne has agreed to direct VIVA FOREVER. With her theatrical aptitude for exploring strong women and their relationships and her meticulousness to detail she is absolutely the right person to direct this new musical which is all about female friendship, celebrity and fame. I’m so happy to have her on board, together with Jennifer Saunders, who has written the musical.”

Marianne Elliott started her career in the mid-nineties having graduated in drama from the Hull University. Her credits include work at the Royal Exchange, Royal Court, and the RSC before she joined the National Theatre as an Associate in 2006. Credits for the National Theatre include War Horse (co-directed with Tom Morris and which has just opened to much critical acclaim on Broadway), Pillars of the Community, Therese Raquin, Saint Joan, All’s Well That Ends Well, Harper Regan, Mrs Affleck and most recently with Thomas Middleton’s Woman Beware Women and Alan Ayckbourn’s Season’s Greetings.

Simon Fuller, the Spice Girls’ manager, said, “The girls and I are delighted that one of the most brilliant female theatre directors Marianne Elliott is to direct VIVA FOREVER. Judy, Jennifer and now Marianne, make an eminent team.”

VIVA FOREVER is produced by Judy Craymer in association with Universal Music, Simon Fuller and the Spice Girls.

VIVA FOREVER, a romantic comedy musical, based on the songs of the Spice Girls, is expected to open in the West End towards the end of 2012.

Release issued by: Borkowski

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Jennifer Saunders to pen Spice Girls show

The producer of Mamma Mia! has commissioned Jennifer Saunders to write the book for the new Spice Girls musical.

Judy Craymer, who has become a multi-millionaire by producing the stage and movie versions of the ABBA show, will produce new West End musical Viva Forever using the girl group’s songs. The show is slated to open in the West End in 2012.

The musical will follow a similar pattern to Mamma Mia!, using the band’s back catalogue but woven into a new story. It won’t be a bio-musical of the singers.

Judy Craymer said in a statement that, “having Jennifer Saunders on board is the best possible start Viva Forever can have. Jennifer is brilliant at writing about these themes and the Spice Girls’ songs connect powerfully in a smart and moving way.”

Billed as a romantic comedy musical, the contemporary tale will be about a group of young women, with a particular focus on one girl and her mother – mirroring the storyline of Mamma Mia! The show will also uphold the spirit of the Spice Girls, using essences of their personalities within the key characters and centring on camaraderie, love and loyalty.

Jennifer Saunders, who has won five BAFTA awards, has forged a successful career as a comedienne, scriptwriter and actress including a long comedy partnership with Dawn French as well as writing BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. She said she is “thrilled and terrified at the same time” about the project.

The show is also backed by Universal Music, the Spice Girls’ manager Simon Fuller and the Spice Girls themselves. Simon Fuller, credited as being the most successful British music manager of all time, said earlier in the year that, “what Judy has achieved with her all-conquering box office smash hit Mamma Mia! and what the Spice Girls created with their powerful record-breaking mix of ‘girl power’ and hit songs, has influenced pop culture more than anyone can imagine”.

Craymer recently told the Daily Mail that the story will reveal the darker side of search-for-a-star TV talent shows, although hopefully not Spice Girl Emma Bunton’s recent attempt at the genre, channel Five’s unsuccessful Don’t Stop Believing.

Sunday Times Rich List: Top 2000

The Sunday Times has published the details of its Top 2,000 richest people in the UK, following the publication of its Top 1,000 list in April.

The Top 2,000 list reveals a number of actors, musicians and creatives to have made the annual report, including Guy Ritchie at 1130th place, worth £55m, following the success of his film Sherlock Holmes; Alice in Wonderland’s Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter in 1233th place with £50m; and Celador Films and Slumdog Millionaire backers Paul Smith and Sarah King in 1825th place with £32m.

As revealed in April, Love Never Dies and Phantom composer and The Wizard of Oz producer Andrew Lloyd Webber fell from 52nd to 89th place inthe list with a fortune estimated at £700m. He remains slightly ahead of his long-time collaborator and rival producer and West End theatre owner Cameron Mackintosh (Oliver!, Hair, Les Miserables) who is in 98th place, worth £635m – up £285 from last year.

Billy Elliot composer Elton John was in 348th place with £185m and Sunday’s Tony Awards winner Catherine Zeta Jones and husband Michael Douglas made 371st place with £175m. Lyricist Tim Rice (Evita, Joseph, Jesus Christ Superstar) was in 472nd place with £140m and Old Vic Productions Chief Executive Sally Greene and husband Robert Bourne made the list in 596th place with £110m.

Mamma Mia! producer Judy Craymer came 808th in the list with £80m and Queen band members Brian May, Roger Taylor  and John Deacon all made the Top 1,000, in part due to the success of We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre in London. Riverdance couple Moya Doherty and John McColgan  made 911th place with £72m, up £5m on last year.

RICHEST YOUNG PEOPLE

On the Richest Young People list, actor Daniel Radcliffe came fifth with £42m. He will star in a revival of musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway in 2011. Twilight star Robert Pattinson came in as a new entry in 14th place with £13m, recent Over The Rainbow judge Charlotte Church was in 16th place with £11m, alongside Katherine Jenkins, who earlier this year helped Andrew Lloyd Webber launch his new musical Love Never Dies by releasing a song from the show. Lily Allen was also a new entry, coming in 36th place with £5m. It is believed that Allen is working on the score for a new stage adaptation of Bridget Jones’s Diary to open in London in 2011.

See list of showbusiness people in the list

See list of young people in showbusiness in the list

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The Rich List