Viva Loses Its Verve – Musical to Fold Early
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THE PRESS, Christchurch Saturday, May 4, 2013 WORLD B5 BRITAIN 24 months AUTUMN SALE interest free* on Miele appliances (Excludes vacuum cleaners, ‘B’ stock and clearance stock) LATEST • 30% deposit SERIES • No interest for 24 months COOKERS AT • Minimum finance around $1,000 HOT PRICES Promotion effective 01/05/13 to 31/05/13 NOW FROM CHRISTCHURCH’S HOME OF $9,995 *Terms and conditions apply. See instore for details. Fab four: Spice Girl members, from left, Melanie Brown, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton and Melanie Chisholm arrive for the premiere of the musical Viva Forever!, based on the music of the Spice Girls, in central London last December. Photos: REUTERS SMEG WHITE SMEG PACKAGEKAGE DISHWASHER - Smeg 90cm StainlessStainless Gas Electric Cookerer Viva loses its verve – SAVEE - 90cm Canopyy NOW ONLY $600 musical to fold early $799 Jack Malvern London but despite the wonderful ‘‘Viva Forever! is audiences and extremely posi- Viva Forever!, the musical tive feedback we just can’t BOSCH 60CM INDUCTION based on the hits of the Spice more like a make it work.’’ COOKTOP HOT Girls, failed to live up to its ‘ clapped-out The Spice Girls released a name yesterday as producers Vauxhall Viva, joint statement thanking the PACKAGEE announced that it will close cast and their fans. ‘‘Although BONUS SCAN PAN after six months. five careless Viva Forever! won’t continue POTSET WORTH Although the show owners and far in the West End, we are WITH survived savage reviews, thrilled that the thousands of $699 too many miles BONUS including a two-star verdict people who came to the show NOW ONLY NOW ONLY by The Times, it suffered from on the clock.’’ had as much fun as we did.’’ dwindling audiences despite There were up to 200 empty low ticket prices and a rewrite Daily Mirror review seats for midweek performan- $2,299 $3,099 in March by its author ces at the 1200-seat Piccadilly Jennifer Saunders. Theatre in January, and by The closure, which is this month also for some understood to leave its inves- weekend shows. BAUMATIC STAINLESSINLESS tors £5 million (NZ$9.1m) out Rewrite job: Jennifer Saunders The show received some of of pocket, comes several days wrote the musical. the worst reviews of the year, KITCHEN PACKAGEAGE after Lord Lloyd-Webber with Libby Purves of The denounced ‘‘jukebox musi- tive reviews. We Will Rock audiences that did buy tickets Times labelling it ‘‘scrappy, - 60cm Multifunction Oven cals’’ that cobble together You, Ben Elton’s tenuous were hugely enthusiastic, if lazy, cliched and inconclus- - 60cm Gas Cooktop singles from an artists’ back intertwining of Queen songs, not numerous. ive’’. The Guardian and The - 60cm Dishwasher catalogue to fit a story. is in its 11th year despite ‘‘It is with a heavy heart Sun were more generous, but GREAT ‘‘Jukebox musicals were critical derision. that we’ve had to make this The Daily Telegraph, Daily - 90cm Canopy Hood PACKAGE devised basically so that those The Spice Girls invested in very difficult decision to post Express and Daily Mirror involved would make Viva Forever! and made an closing notices for this orig- described it as ‘‘a fatuous PACKAGE BUY! money,’’ the composer and appearance on stage for the inal show which is blessed show with nothing fresh to NOW ONLY $2,395 theatre owner said. ‘‘If you opening night, but the princi- with one of the most brilliant say’’, ‘‘embarrassingly deriva- write a musical simply for pal investor was Judy Cray- casts currently on the West tive of Mamma Mia!’’ and commercial success, then you mer, who made a fortune with End stage,’’ she said. ‘‘The ‘‘more like a clapped-out will usually fail.’’ Mamma Mia!, the jukebox show has evolved since we Vauxhall Viva, five careless Some jukebox musicals musical based on Abba hits. first opened and is now owners and far too many have triumphed despite nega- Craymer said that the brighter, lighter and funnier, miles on the clock’’. The Times BRITAIN Wedding planner sued after glitzy nuptials leave sour taste Lucy Bannerman Rock singer Skin and the billionaire’s daughter she married in an extravagant ceremony in Italy are suing THINKING OF INTEGRATING their wedding planner for more than £100,000 YOUR FRIDGE FREEZER? (NZ$182,000), claiming that they have been stung with a LIEBHERR, MIELE & GAGGENAU string of unpaid bills. The former Skunk Anansie INTEGRATED OPTIONS ON DISPLAY NOW star celebrated her nuptials to her ‘‘gorgeous wifey’’ Christi- ana Wyly with a sumptuous wedding at a friend’s home in the Dolomites last August. PURCHASE A SAMSUNG FRIDGE / FREEZER The couple claim that they paid the exclusive women- AND RECEIVE A FREE only wedding planners, Besos Celeb ceremony: Concierge, an all-inclusive fee Skin, aka Deborah to plan the wedding and cover Dyer, and SAMSUNG 22” LED TV the costs of the ceremony and Christiana Wyly party. celebrated their *Offer applies to selected models only. TV is via redemption. They have now issued a civil ceremony in High Court writ against the the Dolomites. company and its boss, Photo: GETTY IMAGES Michelle Candice David, after disgruntled suppliers started The pair held a three-day The writ says the caterers, £15,400 of their cash they say to get in touch in the months civil ceremony celebration the florist, orchestra and the company still holds. KITCHEN THINGS OFFERS THE LARGEST RANGE OF PREMIUM after the wedding to complain north of Verona in August children’s entertainer all The writ states that Besos that they had not been paid. last year. During the private demanded payment. denied in writing that it left BRANDS AND QUALITY APPLIANCES IN NEW ZEALAND. They are seeking the return of party, guests enjoyed a The barrister alleges that the wedding bills unpaid, their money. It is understood brunch at the nearby Villa di David initially admitted in an insisting that ‘‘a total of TALK TO OUR SPECIALISTS AND MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE TODAY. that David and her company, Campo Hotel, then danced email that Besos was liable for £67,763.48 had been spent’’ by which is based in Middlesex, and dined in elegant these outstanding payments. the company ‘‘in respect of and says that it provides ‘‘the marquees as a live orchestra ‘‘They [the couple] paid expenses relating to Ms Dyer ultimate in bespoke lifestyle played. US$96,688 (£62,000) to Besos to and Ms Wyly’’. management’’, will be contest- Abra Bompas, their barris- enable Besos to discharge Through its solicitors, the ing the claim. ter, claims that things turned their liabilities to suppliers, company denied any obli- CHRISTCHURCH The 45-year-old DJ and sour after the wedding. ‘‘In or which Besos did not do. gation to make any outstand- model – her real name is about early November 2012, Instead Ms Dyer and Ms Wyly ing payments to suppliers and Deborah Dyer – whose snarl- several of the wedding sup- had to discharge the third claimed that Dyer and Wyly Cnr Moorhouse Ave & Durham St ing style made her a star in pliers began to contact the party suppliers separately,’’ ‘‘had failed to provide suf- the 1990s, claims that the couple requesting payment of the writ claims. ficient sums to Besos’’. The Sydenham MOORHOUSE AVE financial problems have tain- their outstanding invoices,’’ On top of this, the couple couple deny this claim. ted her wedding to environ- she said. ‘‘As of February this are also claiming back £30,000 Besos Concierge and Phone 03 366 0053 mental activist Wyly, daugh- year, Ms Dyer and Ms Wyly they say they were required David’s defence was not ter of Sam Wyly, a Texan have been contacted by nine to pay Besos as a ‘‘member- available from the court, and Freephone 0800 002 120 billionaire who gave millions suppliers to whom approxi- ship fee’’, plus £8700 they the claims have yet to be to both Bush administrations. mately £62,000 was owed.’’ allege they paid Besos and tested before a judge. The Times 5311957AA.