Spice Girls Reunion For New West End Musical

It's been four years since they reunited for their "Return Of The Spice Girls" tour.







And following months of speculation whether or not they would join forces again, all five members of the Spice Girls got together in London today to announce details of a West End musical based on their songs.

Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm, Melanie Brown and Geri Halliwell went back to where it all started, the St Pancras Hotel in London, where they filmed their Wannabe video in 1996.

Just like the hotel, which has since been restored and is looking a lot better these days, few would disagree the girl band are also looking much improved from their '90s heyday.

It has to be noted that the musical, entitled "Viva Forever!", will tell the story of "a beautiful, talented girl and her best friends who get swept up in the obsession of today's TV celebrity culture".

The musical charts her journey into the world of overnight stardom and its impact on her relationships with her mother and the friends she considered she'd have forever.

Victoria, arguably the most successful financially since leaving the group, flew in specially from Los Angeles.

Looking more military than "Posh", the mother-of-four, 38, wore a black dress and peep-toe knee-high boots.

However, while her former bandmates had wide smiles, Victoria kept her usual stony-faced attitude.

Mel B, 37, who looked far from "Scary" in a grey shift dress and spiked Christian Louboutin heels, had flown in from her new home in Australia via Los Angeles.

Geri, 39, and Emma, 36, were going for girlie looks in short dress and killer heels, with the ex-Ginger Spice appearing to be wearing the same Jimmy Choo strappy sandals worn by Mel C, 38, appeared to have left her Sporty Spice persona firmly in the past with a floaty white maxi dress.

The five women announced details of "Viva Forever", a musical based on their songs and written by comedienne Jennifer Saunders and producer by Judy Craymer, the theatrical impresario behind the success of "Mamma Mia"!

Speaking at the press conference, Craymer hailed the group: "I loved what the Spice Girls did for women's confidence. There's something very empowering about them."

Saunders, who even cameoed in their film "Spice World", quoted as saying: "The second I knew this project was up for grabs I rang my agent and said I had to be involved."

It has to be mentioned that "Viva Forever!" is the latest "jukebox musical" to hit the West End that use original songs as a basis for an original storyline.




In the run-up to today's announcement, all five Spice Girls have been hinting on their respective Twitter pages.

On Saturday, Victoria hinted: "Big event next week, what should I wear??"

"Excited to be travelling to London tomorrow!!! packing!!!!" Victoria wrote.







Mel B wrote this morning:"Whoop whoop where my spice biatches at!!! Lovin ALL spice fans always!"

Over the past few years, Mel B has often hinted of a possible reunion for the girl group, but it is yet to come to fruition.

Needless to say that Victoria was said to be against the idea because she is focused on her career as a fashion designer.






In March, Mel C dismissed speculation they would reunite for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert: "Not true. It was an honour to be asked (for the Jubilee concert), but not everyone is comfortable about doing it so we have to respect each other’s feelings about that."

While not directly addressing the Spice Girls reunion speculation, Beckham stated this year: "I was never going to be the best singer and it wasn’t my passion."





The group's reunion today comes four years after their sell-out "Return Of The Spice Girls" world tour, which ended prematurely after they cancelled the gigs in South America, South Africa and Asia.

The musical is due to open at the Piccadilly Theatre in London's West End on December 11.

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