Spend Spend Spend, The Mayflower, July 17-July 28

RACHEL LESKOVAC, soon to be seen playing the young Viv Nicholson in Spend Spend Spend at The Mayflower, was among the first intake at Paul McCartney's "Fame" school for performers in Liverpool.

The Bradford-born actress says she learned a lot there, including how to deal with failure.

"I was well prepared for rejection, which most drama schools don't teach.

"When you're auditioning it helps to know that, if you don't get the job, it doesn't mean you're not talented enough."

In Leskovac's case, though, the advice was entirely superfluous. Six months out of acting school, and the down-to-earth performer had landed one of the hottest stage jobs going - starring alongside Barbara Dickson in Spend Spend Spend, the musical life story of Sixties pools winner Viv Nicholson.

Nearly two years on, the actress is halfway through a touring version of the award-winning West End stage show - and is still loving every minute of it.

"It's like scoring a goal or having a baby - that's the only way I can describe it," says Leskovac, who has become firm friends with her co-star since the show opened in 1999.

"I feel very close to the show. It's very self-developed - Barbara and myself did a lot of creating during the rehearsal period.

"When I do finally give it up, it will be very sad, because I have put so much in it."

A legend in her own lifetime, Viv Nicholson was the Castleford girl who gleefully announced to the newspapers that she was going to "Spend spend spend!" after scooping £152,000 on the football pools - the equivalent of £8 million today.

This undreamed-of amount of money brought Viv not only incredible luxuries, but a predictable amount of heartache too. Her beloved husband Keith was killed in a car crash and Viv's drink and drug problems spiralled out of control, culminating in at least two suicide attempts. She also got through another four husbands.

Leskovac has met Nicholson, one of the original "15-minute" celebrities of the Sixties, on two occasions, and confirms that she is as much of a character in real life as she was portrayed in the media.

"She was there at the opening in London and when she came on to the stage to take her final bow with myself and Barbara, she flashed her knickers as the curtain came down. We were speechless.

"I met her again recently and she just gave me a massive hug and said she was so happy I was playing her.

"Viv is such a character. Because it all happened to her at such a young age, as soon as she gets in a public place, she becomes what she thinks the press want, which is the Viv who is gregarious and passionate and has no fear.

"But I'm sure if I was to go to her house in Castleford, she's just ask me if I wanted a chat and a cup of tea."

For tickets and information, call the Mayflower box office on 023 8071 1811.