Spend Spend Spend at the Union Theatre in Southwark

Dom O'Hanlon
Dom O'Hanlon

The Union Theatre in Southwark, south London, have announced that they will revive the British musical Spend Spend Spend which features book and lyrics by Steve Brown and Justin Greene with music by Steve Brown, running from 25 March to 18 April 2015, with an official opening on 28 March 2015.

Directed by Christian Durham, it will be produced by Sasha Regan, with musical direction by Inga Davis-Rutter and choreography by Heather Douglas.

The cast will include Julie Armstrong (Old Viv), Katy Dean (Young Viv), David Haydn (George), Kerry Whiteside (Mother), James Lyne (Keith), Tom Brandon (Matt), Charlie Johnson, Jayne Ashley, Christina Meehan, April Sullivan, Sally Frith, Xandy Champken, Adam Colbeck-Dunn, Stuart Simons and Oliver Jacobson.

"In 1961, Yorkshire housewife Viv Nicholson won £152,319 in the football pools. When a reporter asked her what she planned to do with her new fortune, she replied, "I'm going to spend, spend, spend!" which is exactly what she did. Her rags-to-riches-to-rags-again story takes her through five husbands, expensive sports cars, fur coats, and jewellery, a battle with alcohol, and bankruptcy as, unable to cope with her newfound wealth and fame, she rapidly spirals downward."

Spend Spend Spend is based on the book by Viv Nicholson and Stephen Smith. It premiered in 1998 at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and went on top open at the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End on 12 October 1999, where it ran until 5 August 2000 in a production which starred Barbara Dickson.

After 'Whistle Down the Wind' and 'Loserville', 'Spend Spend Spend' was chosen to offer a great contrast to this trio of British Musicals being staged at The Union Theatre this past season.

Originally published on

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