Wannabe

Posted by yodamo

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I attended Wannabe: The Spice Girls Show with three friends – one a fan of Girl Power since childhood; one who said they “quite liked” The Spice Girls; and one who claimed the only song they knew was Wannabe. These three people, who went into the show with very different expectations, all came out of it proclaiming their love of the whole production. Everything from the costumes to the staging, and especially the choreography from Becky Jeffrey, is just the right balance of polish versus ferocity. All five Spices are formidable and execute it perfectly, although at our showing, Baby Spice had sustained an injury and spent the big dance numbers perched slightly awkwardly on a stool beside the giant light-up E of SPICE. I would defy anyone who tried to claim that any one of the real Spice Girls could sing better than these girls can!

'Wannabe - The Spice Girls Show' Edinburgh Fringe 2019 (20) photo by Keaton Chau

I have always struggled to understand the point of tribute acts, but if you were considering splashing out on the big Spice Girls reunion tour, save your money and get tickets to see Wannabe instead. You will get lots of costume changes, you will get backflipping Spice Boys, you will get the most high energy dancing you have ever seen. Every single hit is performed, including a memorable jazzed up version of Too Much that is staged beautifully. Each of the Spices also gets her own moment to signify the solo careers of the original girls. This part, which could easily have been the most boring, was actually one of the most exciting. Ginger’s version of Geri Haliwell’s version of The Weather Girls’ It’s Raining Men went down especially well with the crowd, who by this stage were practically clawing at the Spice Boys.

Audiences are really up for it – we get loads of different people at the shows – lifelong Spice Girls fans with their own little daughters, guys and girls, groups and solos and definitely all ages. Melissa Potts (Posh Spice)
Read the full interview…

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Sporty has a brilliant voice and nailed the growlier bits; Ginger’s command of the stage made you want to run to her and join in; Scary has the strength and the spring of an a-list kangaroo; Baby managed to beam her way through the whole show despite the injury; and Posh has five times the musical talent of the real thing. And if you’re looking at the flyer and you’re not too sure, don’t worry: they have sorted out Posh’s wig since the promos!

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Eilidh Sawyers