Spend Spend Spend, Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester Review
Rose Galbraith, Alex James Hatton in Spend Spend Spend. Photo by Helen Murray
Written by Marianna for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The musical comedy, Spend Spend Spend, tells the true story of Viv Nicholson, whose life changed when she won the football pools in 1961, but maybe not for the better. The musical presents the audience with two parallel versions of Viv, current and younger, who take you on a journey from her teen years, to her winning the prize money and then her inevitable downfall.
The Royal Exchange’s theatre in the round lent very well to this type of production and allowed for some very clever and interesting set and costume changes. As someone who has never been to the Exchange before I was blown away by the way the production worked and the overall experience. The cast changed outfits and moved the set seamlessly which really made the show a spectacle. I specifically loved the Neon light cars and the check which set alight!!
Rose Galbraith’s depiction of the working class younger Viv was done beautifully and was thoroughly entertaining in the humorous sections and allowed you to understand her overwhelming sorrow in the sadder parts of the musical. Despite lacking prior knowledge of the musical and story, seeing it told from the perspective of Older and Young Viv gave the character emotional depth and helped the audience to understand her downfall.
The use of symbolism throughout the musical was potentially my favourite part, with a trolley filled with champagne representing the couple's lavish and materialistic lifestyle. I also loved the change between the Young Viv to the older one in the final section of the musical in which they wore the same outfit, it was a very thoughtful moment.
The ensemble who played various parts throughout the show were extremely talented and were able to portray the distinct differences between each of the characters they played. Credit to the male ensemble members within the show who played Viv’s love interests and respective husbands, of which there were many. The songs were varied; catchy and flashy, or sentimental, reflective of the emotional ups and downs of Viv’s winnings, and they were brilliantly executed vocally.
The musical answers the fundamental philosophical question: does money buy happiness?? Allowed the audience to reflect on their own life and consider what really matters. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this musical.
At The Royal Exchange Manchester until 11 January 2025
★★★★★
