Feature: Edinburgh Festival - Could It Be Forever, Gilded Balloon Theatre - Two Camden girls love for 70's pop pin-up David Cassidy

Published: 22 July 2010
by DAN CARRIER

WHEN these two schoolgirls clambered into a photo booth in the old Woolies on Camden High Street, waited for the “pffh” of the flash and pulled faces, David Cassidy was at the height of his creative powers. 

It was 1973 – the pop heartthrob had been in London, and as Vicky Willing and Lucie Fitchett recall, he was staying on a boat moored in the middle of the Thames. 

A previous trip saw fans lay siege to his suite at the Dorchester. London hotels banned him, but even the river offered scant protection: police officers and a lifeboat crew spent the duration of his stay pulling girls out of the Thames who had tried to swim over to his accommodation.

These and other youthful memories – both Vicky and Lucie say they loved Cassidy, but won’t admit to leaping off the Embankment to show it – have formed the basis for a new play co-written by the two former Camden School for Girls pupils.

Both have enjoyed a successful TV and stage careers, and have come back together to co-write and star in a new comedy show called Could It Be Forever? 

Vicky and Lucie met when they were 11 years old, but there was a gap of around 30 years after leaving school where their paths did not cross. 

Now, having rediscovered the friendship forged in class, their show debuts at Edinburgh next month – and it tells the story of a gang of school friends who meet up again after many years.

Could It Be Forever? is semi-autobiographical: the two actors’ paths crossed again five years ago, when mutual friends invited them both round for dinner. They hit it off again, and as they were both acting, started talking about collaborations.

“We thought about doing a radio play focusing on a reunion of old friends, and using David Cassidy as the glue that helped bring their past back into focus,” says Vicky.

“We both had an innocent infatuation with him when we were young teenagers.”

Their idea evolved into a stage show, and has been given an airing at the Soho Theatre, where it was well received.

Writing a drama with themselves as two of the leads was a challenge, but also one they relished. 

“As an actor you spend your life not really being control of your destiny – but by writing yourself, you can be in charge,” says Lucie.

“It is such a relief to have a script you’ve created yourself.”

But they stress that while featuring David Cassidy’s hits, this is not a jumped-up tribute show to the man. 

It is, rather, a consideration of how you view your past, the decisions you made, and how they have affected the present.

However, word has reached Cassidy in America that the play is due to be performed – and to their delight, he has written about it on his website, giving the pair his blessing and saying he felt humbled that he was the subject matter for a production that talks of personal histories, looking at the past and learning from it.

The feeling is mutual: both Vicky and Lucie can’t contain their excitement that David took the time to write about their efforts.

“We decided we would not contact him, and we thought: Let’s just do the play,” says Vicky.

“Then we found out someone had gone to our Facebook page and then to his website and tipped them off. It prompted him to write a lovely piece about it – we were, of course, thrilled – just like 14-year-olds.”

• Could It Be Forever is at the Gilded Balloon Theatre, Edinburgh, from August 4-29. 
For tickets, see www.gildedballoon.co.uk. 0131 622 6552