Book and Lyrics by Steve Brown and Justin Greene
Press Release
Craig Revel Horwood directs sell-out musical sensation Spend Spend Spend! at Richmond Theatre
Music by Steve Brown
Book and Lyrics by Steve Brown and Justin Greene
From the book by Viv Nicholson and Stephen Smith
Directed by Craig Revel Horwood
Musical Supervisor and arrangements by Sarah Travis
**** The Times, **** The Guardian, **** Whatsonstage.com
The sell-out musical sensation SPEND SPEND SPEND! is on tour and coming to Richmond theatre for only 7 performances
If you enjoy fast moving dramas, versatile actors, memorable musicals, breathtaking dancing and musicianship of the first order then The Watermill’s actor musician production of SPEND SPEND SPEND! will be an unforgettable theatrical experience for you. Directed and choreographed by Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood, the show is a cross between BILLY ELLIOT and BLOOD BROTHERS. The original cast, most of who are in this production won the TMA Award for Best Musical last year and Kirsty Hoiles, who plays Young Viv, the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical.
SPEND SPEND SPEND! follows the rags to riches to rags story of Viv Nicholson, a coal miner’s wife from Castleford, who won £152,319 on the pools in 1961, at that time the biggest sum ever won; the equivalent to £3 million today.
Truly memorable musicals on the touring circuit are few and far between and we know this show is breathtaking and wholeheartedly, without reservation, recommend it to you. But don’t just take our word here’s what the critics and audience members said;
“Craig Revel Horwood’s production is a belter, bursting with energy, appetite and coarse humour. Gobsmackingly good.” The Times
“It pulls the heartstrings, and this revival’s pocket-sized nature magnifies the emotion and plays the comedy cannily.” The Guardian
“Horwood’s sassy choreography comes into its own in the outrageous climax to the first half.” The Sunday Times
“Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has directed an admirable revival of Spend Spend Spend.” Daily Telegraph
“This is one of the theatrical "must sees".” Broadway World.Com
Audience members who wrote after seeing the original show: “The vitality, versatility and talent of the players left me speechless. Brilliant acting, singing, musicianship, choreography and dancing. And not a single weak member in the team. What more could anyone want from a night out?”
“Wow wow wow!! I saw this show on Sat evening, and what a fab show it is! I'm a drama teacher in Crawley, and have seen so many shows - this ranks as one of my favourites! Such energy, passion from all of the cast - and so well played! I laughed, cried, and didn't want it to end...and what an amazingly talented cast! They all act, play, sing and move beautifully. Thanks, and I plan to see it again”
Listing Details
Spend Spend Spend!
Tues 2 – Sat 6 Nov
Tues – Sat eves 7.45pm & Wed & Sat mats 2.30pm
RICHMOND THEATRE
The Green, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1QJ
Box Office 0844 871 7651 (fees apply)
(fees apply)
Press Night – Tues 2 Nov
Post Show Discussion – Thu 4 Nov
Audio Described Performance – Sat 6 Nov
Tickets - £15 - £27
Suitable for ages 10+
Notes To Editors
Craig Revel Horwood – Director & Choreographer
Craig Revel Horwood’s credits include Crazy For You, South Africa; Fairy Tales, Drill Hall and Jack In Review, London Palladium. He was Associate Director/Choreographer on West Side Story, UK Tour, Prince Edward Theatre & Prince of Wales Theatre; Resident Director on Miss Saigon, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and assisted Bob Avian on the Olivier-Award winning choreography of Martin Guerre, Prince Edward Theatre.
Craig’s other West End choreography includes The Ballet Boys, Royal Festival Hall and Sadler’s Wells; Hey Mr Producer!, Lyceum Theatre; Spend Spend Spend, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Piccadilly Theatre and UK National Tour, for which he received a nomination for an Olivier Award for Best Choreography and won the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical; Hard Times The Musical Windsor and Haymarket; My One and Only Piccadilly Theatre, for which he received a nomination for the Olivier Award for Best Choreography; Calamity Jane, UK Tour & Shaftsbury Theatre; Tommy Cooper- Jus Like That! Garrick Theatre.
Other choreography includes Pal Joey, Arcadia, On The Razzle and My One And Only all at Chichester Festival Theatre; Eating Raoul, Bridewell Theatre; Guys And Dolls, Sheffield Crucible Theatre; Fred Astaire Tribute, London Palladium; Paradise Moscow, Opera North; Carmen, Holland Park; Anything Goes, Grange Park Opera; When Harry Met Barry a new musical for Hampstead and Bonheur at the world famous Lido De Paris currently running on the Champs Elysee, Paris.
Craig’s directed In Whatever Time We Have, Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and the Opening Ceremony Of The Commonwealth Games, Manchester. He directed and choreographed The Legend of the Lion King currently at Disneyland, Paris; Once Upon A Time…The Life of Hans Christian Andersen, Endemol/Initial TV, a worldwide televised, live concert in Copenhagen starring Tina Turner and Olivia Newton-John.
For the Watermill Craig has previously directed Copacabana (which runs at the theatre until 4 Sept) Spend Spend Spend!, (winner of two TMA Awards including Best Musical and returning on tour this Autumn), Hot Mikado (and tour), Martin Guerre, and Sunset Boulevard which transferred to the Comedy Theatre in the West End.
Craig has a well-known face on television in the UK as a judge on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, presented by Bruce Forsyth. Craig also judged Comic Relief Does Fame Academy. He was a finalist in the recent hit TV show for BBC 1 Celebrity Masterchef.
In New Zealand Craig has judged the first three seasons of Dancing with the Stars. Recent choreography for TV includes How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria and The Two of Us for BBC1. Craig has written a book entitled Teach Yourself Ballroom Dancing and his autobiography All Balls and Glitter was published in 2008.
For further press information please contact Charlotte Twining, Press Officer, on 020 8332 4521 or email
RICHMOND THEATRE LTDRichmond Theatre, The Green Richmond TW9 1QJ
Box Office 0844 871 7651Stage Door 020 8332 4500
020 8332 4509