Viva Forever! - Sure To Go Down In Theatre History (For All The Wrong Reasons)

Regardless of critics opinions there is no doubt Viva Forever! is one of the most talked about theatre shows in recent years.

The story revolves around Viva, a young singer in a girl group who appear on the talent show Starmaker. After getting through to the live shows the band is torn apart as the judges suggest Viva goes solo. The story follows Viva through the world of TV talent shows where every trick in the book is tried to win more votes, for the judges of course. With little regard for Viva she quickly becomes disillusioned and wonders whether this is what she wants. What she really, really wants.

Although this is known as a Spice Girls musical the story is not the story of their rise to fame. In fact there is very little Spice in the show. There are only a handful of Spice Girls songs , most of the songs are original. But when the Spice Girls hits such as Spice Up Your Life and Wannabe are performed it is a great moment where all the audience join in singing and dancing along to the original routines. There are two moments in the show that feature Spice Girl medleys and these are certainly the highlight.

There were also some moments of humour where Spice Girls songs are a backdrop for comedy moments. I won’t give too much away but when an awkward scene in a hotel bedroom where ‘2 Become 1’ is played something very cringe gets turned into something very funny! Plus a brilliant use of the song ‘Too Much’ is used in relation to waxing.

Unfortunately that may be where the praise stops. The reason the Spice Girls were so popular was their message of Girl Power and sense of fun. Viva Forever! lacked both of these and is a story about failure, not success.  The concept of a Spice Girls musical is so exciting but Viva Forever! missed out on the opportunity to harness this and instead created a story which has no relation to the Spice Girls.

The story is weak and you don’t feel a huge sense of wanting the characters to succeed. In fact you feel very little towards them at all.  There is a love story thrown in but just as an after thought. The love interest doesn’t even say a word until the second half! Jennifer Saunders is one of the nation’s most loved comedic writers and performers so it is quite a shock at just how bad the story turned out.

It is not all bad though! Lucy Montgomery, who plays Suzi (a friend of Viva’s mum), is hilarious and very much pays tribute to Ad Fab.  Hatty Preston, who plays TV producer and overall media luvvy, Minty is also very funny and brings much needed laughs. In these moments it does show that at its core Viva Forever! was to be the Ab Fab of the modern age but unfortunately it fails to get there.

Overall Viva Forever! sadly does stand to receive much criticism but that is part of the fun of the show! Sometimes pop culture that is so bad becomes something so well remembered. And Viva Forever! may be the latest member to this club.

Viva Forever closes on 29^th June 2013 so make sure you get your tickets before it is too late! Do not miss the opportunity to be able to say ‘I saw that’ in years to come when people are still speaking about the show.

Viva Forever! is playing at the Piccadilly Theatre.