Viva Forever opening in December?

[Princeton Returns]

There is a post on WOS forum saying it will preview from November and open in December, doesnt say where though. Anyone heard anything?

[AnythingGoes2]

Last I heard was Judy C was trying everything she could to get it to open this year as soon as she heard Bridget was out.

The Aldwych was on a short list, as was Piccadilly.... Both could be available....

[philitalia]

Piccadilly ? Are advance sales for Ghost that bad ?

[AnythingGoes2]

Not great at all...last four months the show has dropped off totally for Ghost.

I can only think if Viva has found a venue it's this.

Primce Edward was what everyone thought it would go to, but Judy Craymor was pretty against it when asked. It would be great of this did to in and Jersey Boys transfered to the Gielgud...

[MamasDoin'Fine]

No they are not, iys doing well and will be open in 2013.

[AnythingGoes2]

Not they are not, what?

Ghost?! Its very quiet...

[jaqs]

"westendproducer ?@westendproducer
Apparently something very spicy is going to replace something very spooky, #dear "

[Princeton Returns]

Interesting, wonder if Baz will have the scoop in tomorrows Daily Mail

[AnythingGoes2]

Told u Ghosts sales were on the floor!

The rumours have gone around the West End and it seems everyone is drawing the same conclusion.

[Princeton Returns]

Are the producers the same as the Broadway show? If so the Broadway shows failure (so far) can't be helping.

[devonian.t]

It's pricing structure is very poor

[Princeton Returns]

^^ Agreed. They shot themselves in the foot, it worked short term but not long term. Its been discounting for ages and Id imagine its fairly pricey to run. Everyone I know whose seen it tends to be 'Its ok, clever staging though'

[Jonwo]

I would have assumed Ghost would have hung on a bit longer until ATG had a Broadway transfer or a new ATG show to replace it. Jersey Boys must still be doing well enough for them to remain at the Prince Edward rather than transfer or close.

I'm not sure on how Viva Forever will do, the story from the DM just sounds like a rehash of Mamma Mia! and the Spice Girls are nowhere near as iconic as ABBA were.

[AnythingGoes2]

"No they are not and will be open in 2013...."

Ghost will close end of September 2012 (date TBC)

Viva is confirmed for the Piccadilly to open in December following previews in November

All will be revealed and launched on 27th June,

[Phantom of London]

The rumours on this thread are groundless................well until now baz has backed up what Princeton has said and indeed Ghost will not be haunting the West End for much longer as The Piccadilly is going to be all spiced up.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2152926/BAZ-BAMIGBOYE-Spice-Girls-reunite-musical.html

[jaqs]

It is sad that again cast and crew were not told before the press, which has become such a regular occurrence that if I was a westend actor I think Id dread opening Baz's column.

[philitalia]

Not my favourite show, but I'd be sorry to see Ghost go, especially since it'll be replaced by yet another jukebox piece of */()=/"%% -

Didn't the Spice Girls reunion tour a few years ago flop ? Kind of ? Outside the UK it didn't do well.
The world has moved on - IMO their hits at the time are not of a "classic" nature (I don't know how describe it otherwise), unlike songs by Queen, Beatles, Abba, ...

On the other hand - I could be completely wrong. In 1999 I never imagined Mamma Mia would still be running today

[peggyb2]

I can't see the Spice Girls musical doing well if Ghost can't.It's not going to attract audiences with fond memories of a film like Ghost,Mamma Mia or Dirty Dancing;and as you say the music simply isn't very good.

[Nickhutson]

I think the fact that the book is by Jennifer Saunders will be a plus for a lot of comedy fans.

If the songs are imagined in a way that makes them very theatrical, it could be a FUN night out.

[jaqs]

It sounds like it'll quite family friendly, pushing the whole girl power friendship thing.

Cant imagine it will have anything like the startup/running costs of Ghost.

[bob8rich]

Very sad about this - sad because I loved this show and because I have friends in the cast. Also have zero interest in the Spice Girls show - and even with a book by JS it does not interest me as I have never found anything of hers even remotely funny lol.

But the most appalling aspect of all this is that Baz can unashamedly announce closing news to the world to get a scoop, totally unconcerned about the feelings of cast members who get to find out they are going to be out of a job on the net instead of being offically informed by the show's producers. Shameful.

[Princeton Returns]

In fairness it's not his job to care about cast feelings, if it's got to Baz then the producers pretty much know what's going on and the blame lies there. Same thing happened with Love Never Dies, but it's the nature of the business.

I'm not going to miss the tacky and cheesy tagline of "believe" being tagged on every post, comment, tweet etc

[Phantom of London]

Spice Girls are a massive band and have many many fans, so this show won't have any problems whatsoever finding its market, it will be a guarantee sell out, what I am trying to say 'It's a licence to print money', good examples of this are shows like Never Forget (Take That), Sinatra(Sinatra), Backbeat (Beatles), All Shook Up (Elvis), Good Vibrations (Beach Boys) and Come Fly With Me (Sinatra).

[AnythingGoes2]

It's not Baz' fault. He gets the tip to write. It's his job. Sadly the cast are last to know mostly as they are protected, folk in the industry generally know before because they see ticket sales and markets across the West End as a whole.

Ghost tried the be the premium show when really the show only ever enjoyed a good box office for its first booking period barely and tried to fake being sold out before reducing and opening out to other markets, but it was too late.

Viva Forever I don't think has the same appeal of mass such as Abba, Bee Gees, Queen.... But Judy Craymer isn't going to produce rubbish, so I would bank on it having a good run

[Princeton Returns]

Erm Phantom some of those examples bombed. A jukebox show is not a guarantee of success

[philitalia]

I'd say most of those mentioned

ps Spice Girls had many fans 15 years ago, many of whom might now be a bit embarrassed by their cd-collection