Photo: WENN
The Spice Girls' London musical, Viva Forever!, has been axed after six months of poor reviews and disappointing ticket sales.
The show features Spice Girls songs, but came in for a blasting from critics when it first opened - as none seemed particularly impressed. According to the Daily Mail, the show will now close on 29 June, making a loss of at least £5 million.
Although it was reported previously that the show had been extended until February 2014, it seems that isn't going to happen. Two of the show's cast members posted on Twitter about the news of the musical's closure.
Anthony Topham, who plays Lance, wrote, "Cut price Gerrard Butler type who can do a Geordie accent for hire! Viva Forever given its notice and will close 29th June."
Simon D wrote, "I can't believe @vivaforever is closing at the end of June, I thought it was doing ok. Enjoy these last two months, @bencuraesq & company!" which led to Ben Cura - who plays Angel - responding, "that’s the way it goes - can’t win them all!"
Four-fifths of the Spice Girls with Judy Craymer, arriving at the Piccadilly Theatre
The Daily Mail referred to Viva Forever! as "so drudgy, so sour and focused on failure," and lambasted "the iffy performances, gloomy backdrops and a lamentably slow start" before finishing, "you have the makings of a notable West End flop. It’s almost as if the thing has a death wish."
The musical only got a one star rating from the Telegraph, which called it "tawdry, lazy and unedifying"and even went so far as to mention a "miasma of disappointment emanating from an audience of up-for-it Spice Girls fans slowly realising that they had paid top whack to see a clunker."
Below: all smiles at the launch - Spice Girls attend first night of Viva Forever!
