Spend, Spend, Spend

Synopsis

Scraping by on seven quid a week with her husband and three kids in a tiny terraced house in Castleford, Yorkshire, Viv Nicholson’s life was as near rock bottom as it could get. Until that day in 1961 when Viv borrowed 5 from her Mam to play the Pools and she was catapulted from obscurity to fame with the biggest win ever - £152,319 (£5 million today). And that was it, Viv and Keith’s lives changed overnight and Viv declared to the world she was going to spend, spend, spend. ‘Booze, big cars, big spending, big headlines’ and a succession of husbands soon led to bankruptcy. From rags to riches and back to rags again, a gritty and poignant musical about the extraordinary story of a brash and naïve, northern lass

Our Review:

17 July 2009

In 1961, Keith and Viv Nicholson from Castleford, Yorkshire won £152,319 on the Pools, worth around £5 million today. He was a miner, she worked in a liquorice factory, and for better or worse, it changed their lives forever.

The couple were persuaded to go public with their huge win and Viv’s declaration that she would ‘Spend spend spend’ and her colourful character caught the public imagination. Their spending spree on cars, holidays and luxury home inspired envy and Schadenfreude, as the press eagerly followed their ups and downs.

Eventually the widowed (much remarried and once widowed again) Viv published her autobiography with co-author Stephen Smith. Jack Rosenthal’s award-winning TV film followed in 1978 , and this, Steve Brown and Justin Greene’s multi award-winning musical in 1999.

Viv’s extraordinary life is surely the stuff musicals are made of and director Craig Revel Horwood (who choreographed Jeremy Sams’ original production) has taken Brown and G...

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Latest User Review

Gareth James - 9 August 2009:

I've fond memories of the original West End production of this show, though it seems like an age ago, but this production tops them. This is the 6th of the Watermill's actor-musican chamber versions of musicals I've seen - the third at their home base - and its amongst the best. It has a great score and a real 60's feel. As it's a musical comedy, they can have fun with the integration of the instruments, such as a zylaphone as a hairdessers tray. The choreography is witty, incorporating the stubbing out of cigarettes (there are a lot of cigarettes!) and V signs (there are a lot of V signs, and I don't mean Victory!). The design is terrific, enabling speey switches from hairdressing saloons to bedrooms to pubs and so on. Karen Mann is great as older Viv, narrating her story (and playing trumpet!) and Kirsty Hoiles is terrific as younger Viv. They have as fine a supporting cast as you could wish for. If this one doesn't transfer to the West End, there's no justice. Wondeful stuff....

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