Spice Girls to reunite for West End musical

All girls band 'Spice Girls' is all set to reunite for their big West End first night.

The women behind Girl Power will all be at the world premiere of 'Viva Forever', which will open at the Piccadilly Theatre in December, well before Christmas.

'Ghost The Musical', which is currently running at the Piccadilly, will close in the autumn.

Based on the Oscar-winning movie that starred Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg, 'Ghost' has some terrific moments but, but it seems that there are not enough such moments that can draw the kind of audiences that will keep the show running.

'Viva Forever', created by Judy Craymer, the powerhouse behind Mamma Mia!, and award-winning funny lady Jennifer Saunders, will feature around 16 numbers associated with the 'Spice Girls' line-up Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Victoria Beckham, Melanie Chisholm and Melanie Brown, respectively Ginger, Baby, Posh, Sporty and Scary, the Daily Mail reported.

Previews will begin in November. Auditions will start later this month and run into July, and Craymer and director Paul Garrington want to begin rehearsals around September.

Workshop versions of the show have already been held, enabling the creative team, which also includes top choreographer Lynne Page, designer Peter Mackintosh and orchestrator Martin Koch, to explore how to stage the show ahead of rehearsals.

Viva Forever will face stiff competition from another show, 'The Body-guard', featuring music connected with iconic singer Whitney Houston, as they will also begin performances at the Adelphi Theatre at around the same time.

Both are hot-button productions featuring songs that are already hummable and well known.

The 'Spice Girls' show has a mother and daughter story at its heart, with a television talent show as a backdrop.

Emma and Mel C apparently cried when they watched footage of the workshops; both felt it reflected the group's ethos - friendship, identity and being true to yourself - and also saw it as an astute commentary on today's obsession with celebrity.

Although, Craymer had said a few months ago that 'the show isn't about the Spice Girls directly, but it's sprinkled with their essence'.

'Viva Forever' will include hit songs 'Wannabe', 'The Lady Is A Vamp', 'Who Do You Think You Are' and 'Mamma'.

Mel B

Awkward! Mel B mortified after she's introduced as Mel C at X Factor audition

It’s probably not the first time it has happened.
But there’s little doubt that Melanie B was still left mortified after she was introduced as Mel C at the X Factor auditions.
One of the production team introduced the wrong Spice Girl to the crowds at the Manchester leg of the auditions yesterday.
He told the crowds: 'Please welcome Mel C!'

The mistaken identity meant that fans were expecting Sporty Spice to appear, instead of Melanie Brown.
One onlooker told the Daily Star: 'It was a bit awkward, everyone looked around for Mel C. The poor guy realised he'd made a mistake but Mel didn't look to pleased.'
Melanie Brown, or Scary Spice as she was known in her girl band days, didn't let the blundering production worker put her off and she took her place on the panel.

The 37-year-old has been stepping in to the vacant judge seat alongside permanent judges Gary Barlow, Tulisa Contostavlos and Louis Walsh.
TV bosses have failed to find a permanent boss after Dannii Minogue turned down an offer for the job.
Leona Lewis and Mel's former Spice Girl colleague Geri Halliwell have also been part of the panel during the auditions stage of the competition.

Mel has spoken out about her excitement at being part of the team in  Manchester.
She told The Sun: 'I’m so, so, so excited to be a guest judge in Manchester. Being a northern girl, I believe there’s lots of amazing talent in the north of England. I am coming to find the winner.
'I love my job as a judge on The X Factor Australia, but it will be great to sit on the panel in the UK. Britain is, and always will be, my home and first love.'
The singer also voiced her dismay because the Spice Girls were not included in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert over the long weekend and took to Twitter to voice her feelings.
She told followers: 'Makes me sooo sad spice girls wasn't part of the queens jubilee, break my heart big time, i was so up for it, watched some of it on tv, amazing!'

Spice Girls regret snubbing Queen`s Diamond Jubilee gig

London: Former musical band Spice Girls are regretting their decision to turn down the chance to perform at Queen Elizabeth II`s Diamond Jubilee Concert after watching the spectacular show on TV.
The `Wannabe` hitmakers were last year asked to appear at the show, which took place outside Buckingham Palace in London on Monday, but declined due to their heavy workloads.

But after viewing the musical extravaganza on television, singers Melanie Chisholm, Melanie Brown and Emma Bunton all took to Twitter to express their sadness at not being involved, reported Contactmusic.

Brown, who is currently based in Australia, wrote, "Makes me sooo (sic) sad spice girls wasn`t part of the queens (sic) jubilee, break my heart big time, i was so up for it, watched some of it on tv, amazing!"

"Bit miffed I`m not down at Buckingham Palace," said Chisholm and Bunton re-tweeted several messages from fans, including one which reads, "Ok the spice girls should have rocked this show!!"

Spice Girls

Okay, we have a confession to make. At no time during the entire four day Jubilee extravaganza did we, at any point, think "Ooh, you know what this whole shebang is missing? The Spice Girls."
They didn't even cross our minds. Not even when we were talking about spicy curry. Not even when we were wondering if Victoria and David would be invited up onto the Royal balcony.
Which is a bit embarrassing really seeing as they apparently were invited to perform and turned it down. Awkward.
Mel B tweeted on Sunday night, "Makes me sooo sad spice girls wasn't part of the queens jubilee, break my heart big time. i was so up for it, watching some of it on tv. amazing!" [sic]
Apparently they turned the opportunity down because some of the group were "too busy". Hmm...wonder who that could have been considering three members out of the five were clearly sitting at home in the jogging bottoms shouting at the television and angrily tweeting about it?
Victoria Beckham wasn't that upset about missing it as she and hubby David laid the foundations for his future knighthood by sending Her Maj a congratulatory video.         
And she even smiles in it, despite David's ridiculous moustache. (Or maybe because of David's ridiculous moustache?)   
Emma Bunton retweeted several fans who'd noticed the group's absence. (Ahem, not us then) while Mel C wrote, "Bit miffed I'm not down at Buckingham Palace."
Apparently they turned the opportunity down because some of the group were "too busy". Hmm...wonder who that could have been considering three members out of the five were clearly sitting at home in the jogging bottoms shouting at the television and angrily tweeting about it?
Victoria Beckham wasn't that upset about missing it as she and hubby David laid the foundations for his future knighthood by sending Her Maj a congratulatory video.         
And she even smiles in it, despite David's ridiculous moustache. (Or maybe because of David's ridiculous moustache?)