Spice Girls reunite to launch show
The Spice Girls told today how their stage musical Viva Forever would help convince their children about their chart-topping pop career.
Emma Bunton revealed her four-year-old son Beau has no idea who The Spice Girls were, and is looking forward to taking him and his 13-month-old brother Tate to see the show.
Speaking at the musical’s launch, she said: “My boys haven’t got a clue who we are. He says ’The Spicey Girls’? So I can’t wait for him to see this, to see what we’re about and hear the music, it’s going to be wonderful.”
The group were reunited today on the same grand staircase which proved to be their first step to stardom.
The girls posed in front of the stairs at St Pancras Hotel in London, which famously featured in the video for the quintet’s debut single Wannabe as they colourfully ran amok in the building.
It was the first time they had been together publicly since they completed their 2008 reunion tour as they launched the stage musical featuring their songs. The group ruled the charts in the late 1990s, becoming one of the UK’s biggest exports with hits such as Two Become One and Spice Up Your Life.
The musical, written by Jennifer Saunders around the songs of The Spice Girls, tells the story of a girl being launched to stardom though a TV talent show, and her relationship with her mother.
The girls said the theme of motherhood was important and they want their children to enjoy their songs.
Geri Halliwell said her daughter Bluebell had learned about the group’s music from her school friends.
“I haven’t really told her about the Spice Girls and she keeps on coming home, and I was really surprised about this – she’s only six – that her school friends know who we are.
“I feel really proud of that – that she’s just loving the music and singing along to it. I’m like ’Wow’. It’s amazing that she’s enjoying it as much as other people and all our children are enjoying it.”
LA-based mum-of-four Victoria Beckham added: “My kids are really creative and love music. They’ve always loved musicals. My parents have always brought them up to take them to the West End and when we’re in New York we go to Broadway, so it’s always been a huge part of all of our lives, musical theatre.”
When the group filmed their Wannabe video in 1996, the hotel was unoccupied but it has now been lavishly refurbished.
And the Girls – Halliwell, Bunton, Beckham, Mel C and Mel B – looked similarly elegant as they lined up, looking remarkably youthful despite the passage of time.
They were joined by producer Judy Craymer, the theatrical impresario behind the success of Mamma Mia!, and Jennifer Saunders, who has written the new production.
The girls revealed they had been moved to tears seeing the “workshop” stage of the production.
Bunton said: “It is weird hearing other people sing our songs.”
Reminiscing about auditioning the backing dancers for their reunion tour in 2007, the girls revealed they are keen to be involved in the casting, and hinted they were hoping to see girls from their old drama schools audition.
Mel C said: “When you go to shows in the West End you do see a lot of the same theatre school and performing arts colleges.
“Emma went to Sylvia Young’s, Victoria went to Laine Theatre Arts, I went to Bird College – Geri studied in the theatre school of life.
“We’re hoping that people are cast from the schools.”
The group aim to reunite again during the audition stages and intend to put on a united front for the opening night.
Halliwell – who quit the band at the height of their fame in 1998, launching her solo career – said it was good to be back with her old friends.
“I’ve got to say these girls are amazing and brilliant and loving.
“Every time I see them, and I don’t see them that often, they’re lovely, independently and collectively, and I’m so lucky to have them.”
Mel C joked: “She’s only saying that because she left.”
She added: “Us girls, we have a long-standing friendship and we’re in touch and we see each other as often as we can so we don’t get to do things like this publicly very often.
“Victoria’s flying off, but we’re all going to see each other soon.”
Explaining the show, Craymer said: “This is not a tribute show but the positivity, energy, humour, excitement and friendships that encapsulated the Spice Girls and their songs have inspired the whole creative team, and infuse Viva Forever.
“I’m so thrilled the Spice Girls themselves have shown me so much encouragement and support.”
The show opens at the Piccadilly Theatre on December 11 with previews from November 27 2012 and tickets are on sale now.
