Article from the 'Weston & Somerset Mercury' newspaper from 2001.
GOING FROM RAGS TO RICHES
A multi-award-winning musical starring Barbara Dickson is coming to the region hot from its West End triumph.
Direct from the West End and unanimously acclaimed by the critics, Spend Spend Spend hits the Bristol Hippodrome from June 5-16.
The musical is a tale of love and lost fortune, telling an extraordinary rags-to-riches and back-to-rags-again story.
Barbara Dickson, who plays Viv Nicholson, said: "Viv is a housewife who lives in Yorkshire in 1961 and is married to a miner. Her life changes when she wins a fortune on the football pools. She becomes an instant celebrity and declares, as she is handed the cheque, that she will spend, spend, spend."
Beating off competition from the Lion King and Mamma Mia, the show won Best Musical in both the Critics Circle and Evening Standard Awards last year and was nominated for eight Oliviers.
"My character is the older Viv, who is learning about the mistakes she made and how it all went so horribly wrong. Young Viv, who is almost telling the story, is played by Rachel Leskovac who's fabulous.
"She is fresh from drama school and has been fantastic to work with. She has an amazing future ahead of her. I think it is extremely interesting to see how people deal with winning lots of money because it is very different from actually earning it yourself.
"I cannot wait to come Bristol. London may be the place to be when it comes to musicals but personally I think it is too smelly and almost seedy. The show has a high profile and I have many close ties with Bristol as my sister-in-law and her husband have links with the Old Vic, so I cannot wait to see them.
"I want to visit the ss Great Britain and enjoy the surroundings. Having two weeks is just fantastic as I only usually have one or two nights so I can really relax and explore the place again.
"Of all the things I have achieved, one of the most rewarding was walking over Clifton Suspension Bridge - I'm terrified of heights!"
Barbara Dickson had established herself as world-class singer before her career took a new turn when she created the original role of Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers and since then her acting credits include the award-winning Band of Gold and The Missing Postman.
Kelly Crane
