Waterloo Road star returns to stage in Spend, Spend, Spend

“It’s so emotional being part of this production again,” said Rachel. “I’ve cried happy tears every day. It just feels like it was definitely meant to be for me to be here.”

Rachel Leskovac in rehearsals for Spend Spend Spend      (Picture: Chris Payne)Twenty-five years ago an unknown Rachel was cast in the role of Young Viv in Spend Spend Spend in London’s West End, a performance which earned her a Olivier Award nomination.

Since then she has become a familiar face on our TV screens as serial killer nurse Kelly Yorke on Holby City; as hairdresser Natasha Blakeman on Coronation Street, on Happy Valley and Hollyoaks and most recently as teacher Coral Walker in Waterloo Road.

Now she’s returning to the musical where it all began for her - this time playing the grown-up Viv Nicholson.

Spend Spend Spend charts the rags to riches and back to rags story of the Yorkshire-born Viv who found herself one of the first celebrities after she and husband Keith won more than £152,000 on the football pools in 1961.

From abject poverty her life was transformed by the unexpected windfall - today it would be equivalent to around £4.4 million. And Viv lived up to her promise to keep on spending with designer clothes, fast cars and a lifestyle which made her a regular in the newly-emerging tabloid press.

But it was a life blighted by tragedy. Keith died in a car crash aged just 27 without a will leaving his widow broke. Viv would marry three more times, each one being short-lived and tinged with tragedy of their own.

“Viv came out of this black and white world and was a vibrant neon pink,” said Rachel. “She’d had a hard life and yet was a creative person who had always been held down and not been able to grow and shine and be her true self.

“In today’s world where we are bombarded by so many things and there are so many so-called ‘celebrities’ it’s hard to imagine why it was such a big story when she and Keith won the pools.

“But she just emerged as this bright colour out of a grey world. Even though they had ticked the box asking for ‘no publicity’ if they won, Littlewoods Pools persuaded them to have their photos taken getting their winnings and that was it.

“I do feel there was an element of her enjoying the attention that she hadn’t received before in her life. Then, because she was in the public eye, the tragedies that surrounded her became of great interest.

Rachel Leskovac in rehearsals for Spend Spend Spend    (Picture: Chris Payne“I do wonder if she had been middle class whether this story would even exist.”

Having played Young Viv - at the Royal Exchange, the part will be played by Rose Galbraith - does that help Rachel for the role of the grow-up Viv looking back on her life?

“It has given me a deep understanding of her character as I lived with her for so long,” she said. “But it also feels new. She is at a different part of her journey. Also I’m older now and feel as though I have more tools in my box at my disposal.

“Playing the older Viv is challenging. It’s the first narrative role that I’ve ever played and it requires quite a different approach. Ordinarily you are part of the action whereas in this I’m constantly breaking the fourth wall.

“It’s knowing how to maintain the balance between keeping the focus on the action but also as Viv telling the story, sharing her story. At times I’m almost part of the audience.”

Rachel was invited to play Viv by Steve Brown who co-created Spend Spend Spend with Justin Green. Steve sadly died in February, aged 69.

“Obviously I am doing this production for myself,” said Rachel, “but it’s also in honour of Steve Brown because he contacted me at the beginning of the year and asked how I feel would doing it.

“It brought back all the memories. It’s a show which has been really such a pivotal moment in my career and has carried me through up to this point. It has always been a part of me.

“I wasn’t aware Steve was poorly and it was his dying wish for me to do it. That is such an honour.”

The chance to perform at the Royal Exchange was also a major reason for Rachel to come on board.

“It’s always been on my bucket list to perform here,” she said. “I’ve seen loads of things at the Royal Exchange over the years but never been able to get my foot in the door.

“I’m not bitter,” she laughed. “Seriously I think that’s another reason it was meant to be for me to return to Spend Spend Spend.

“We did a promo video for the show and I got to sing in the theatre space and it felt so right and that was without an audience.”

Rachel has appeared in a number of successful stage productions over the years but it is 25 years since she last sang live on stage.

“I made a conscious decision after I’d done it in the West End,” she said. “Times were different then and there were all these amazingly talented people who couldn’t get seen for telly or for straight plays.

“I didn’t feel I was the typical leading lady and I also didn’t want to get pigeonholed so I decided to get more work on TV which I have been very fortunate to do.

“But musical theatre has always been a love of mine and I’ve always held Spend Spend Spend as the best job ever.

“I have had offers over the years but I’m a mum and that factored into my thinking; touring or going to the West End just wasn’t a feasible thing to do.”

Bradford-born Rachel now lives in Sale so Christmas at the Royal Exchange means she can spend as much time as possible with her family.

“We have a matinee on Christmas Eve then on Christmas Day we’ll head over to my parents in Bradford. It wouldn’t be Christmas if we didn’t. I have to be back for Boxing Day so I can’t get as popped up as I might normally but it will still be fun.”

And a final question. What would Rachel do if she won such a large sum of money as Viv?

“I think I’d get Martin Lewis to advise me what to do with it,” she said. “But really I’d make sure my family were all right and I’d love to travel. Oh, and I need to get my gutters sorted.”

Spend Spend Spend is at Manchester’s Royal Exchange until Saturday, January 11. Details from www.royalexchange.co.uk