Victoria Beckham was conspicuous by her absence at the Viva Forever cocktail launch at Harvey Nichols, which was attended by her fellow Spice Girls Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. The four remaining Spice Girls were joined by comedienne Jennifer Saunders, writer of the Viva Forever musical, based on music from the band's back catalogue, and Judy Craymer, the show's producer.Victoria did have a good excuse for her non-attendance – the singer-turned-designer is in the US to launch her ninth collection at New York Fashion Week.
Emma Bunton, Mel B, Melanie C and Geri Halliwell attended a private afternoon tea at Harvey Nichols in west London to launch five champagne-based cocktails to accompany the popular Viva Forever Afternoon tea menu at Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor Bar. Geri tweeted a photo of the event, with the caption "With my girls!!". Each was holding a cocktail that reflected their Spice Girls image. Melanie B held a champagne class with a leopard-print ribbon, while Geri Halliwell's cocktail had a union jack ribbon tied around it. Emma Bunton, who was nicknamed Baby Spice, had an appropriately pink-coloured drink in her hand. The Baby Spice cocktail contains peach puree, fresh strawberries and Harvey Nichols champagne. Judy Craymer has denied that there is a rift between the girls. "They're a great soap opera and always have been," she has said. At the Viva Forever launch last December, Victoria arrived with husband David Beckham instead of her bandmates. Explained Judy: "Victoria came in especially for the event with David. "She was always going to arrive with her family. They definitely all wanted to be there. It was emotional and overwhelming for them all." Viva Forever, which is on at the Piccadilly Theatre in London, has not been well-received by the critics. But, that hasn't stopped fans from flocking to see it. "Everyone but the critics has loved the show," Judy has said. "The Spice Girls are part of our history and pop-culture landscape. They have great pop songs. In fact, nobody – especially the critics – ever thought they would get going in the first place yet they became the biggest band of their time. "Says Jennifer Saunders: "They created a mantra about believing in yourself and, in a way, that's exactly what they've done. They're amazing women."
The five Viva Forever cocktails are:
Baby Spice- Peach puree and fresh strawberries topped with Champagne
Ginger Spice- Domaine de canton ginger liqueur, rose syrup topped with Champagne
Scary Spice- Fresh chilli, lychee liqueur topped with Champagne
Sporty Spice- Amaretto, curacao bleu and lemon juice topped with Champagne
Posh Spice- Apricot brandy, sugar cube soaked in grapefruit bitters, topped with Champagne
