West End star's seal of approval for operatic society show

Barbara Dickson OBE said she was “delighted” the society is performing 'Spend Spend Spend' at the Lyric Theatre, Dinnington from October 8 to 12.

Spend Spend Spend is based on a true story set in Yorkshire in 1961 when a penniless Castleford housewife Viv Nicholson and her coalminer husband Keith won £152,319 and 8 shillings on the football pools.

When a reporter asked her what she was going to do with it, she famously said she was going to “Spend, spend, spend” - and lost everything inside five years.

She went on to write an autobiography which formed the basis of a BBC play by Jack Rosenthal and then the musical, all with the same title.

The musical premiered at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 1998 and transferred to the West End the following year with Barbara Dickson OBE playing Viv.

She won the Olivier for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance and the show won the Evening Standard award for best new musical beating The Lion King and Mamma Mia.

A spokesperson for Dinnington Operatic Society said: “This is a fast-paced bitter sweet production. “There is plenty of humour but Viv's story also has tragedy and is essentially a very moving love story.

“Amy Elisabeth is playing Viv in our production who was hugely impressive as the Mother Abbess in our sold-out production of The Sound of Music last year.

“Viv's story is told in flashbacks and the younger Viv is played by Natasha Ellison who also has an excellent singing voice and played Sister Mary Robert in Sister Act.”

In a message to the society Barbara Dickson said: “It’s the best British musical in my opinion since Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers and I hope your cast enjoy the late Steve Brown’s music as much as I.

“It’s the most Yorkshire of Yorkshire stories and it’s a great tale of love and money.”

Tickets are £14. Call 01909 569340 or booking online – www.dinningtonoperatics.org.