. Opening on January 12, it stars Tamsin Carroll as the "white queen of soul", complete with beehive hairdo (Springfield used so much hair spray that she once said she felt personally responsible for global warming), panda eyes and a wardrobe of super-glam frocks.

Springfield's friend and confidante of more than 40 years, co-writer of the hit song "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" and her former manager, Vicki Wickham, was in Melbourne recently to advise the cast and production team on capturing the sound and charisma of the '60s icon.

Wickham became involved three years ago when producer Dennis Smith and co-writer John Michael Howson - the creator of the Johnny O'Keefe musical, Shout! - visited her in London and said they were thinking of putting on a show based on Springfield's career.

"They showed me a rough script and I thought, 'They're nice lads, but they'll never get it off the ground'," Wickham says. "I've got friends in the theatre in New York, and it's really hard to get the money to put on productions.

"I knew nothing about Australia, but presumed it would be the same here. And it did take them three years to get the money - but they did it."

The day after she arrived in Melbourne, director Stuart Maunder went through every scene with her and showed her the costumes and set.

The main game, though, was Carroll. Despite her earlier fears that the company might choose someone with a theatrical voice, Wickham was thrilled after hearing her perform. While she isn't Dusty "and nor should she be", Wickham says she has a great pop voice with a slight soulfulness that sits well with Springfield's unmistakeable sound.

Wickham, who managed Patti Labelle and the Bluebells at the time of their big hit, "Lady Marmalade" (revived by Christina Aguilera, Pink, Mya and L'il Kim in the movie Moulin Rouge), offered advice on many issues, including the way Springfield moved on stage during her performances.

"During one rehearsal, while Tamsin was singing, I said to Ross Coleman, the choreographer, that when she sang the word 'love', she brought her hand to her heart, as most singers do, whereas Dusty used to stretch her hand out.

"He had noticed it, too, so I was delighted about that. Also, Dusty used to get slightly embarrassed about performing, so she'd often send herself up. Obviously, Tamsin can't do that all the time, because it would look stupid, but, once or twice during the show, she should have that moment where she does things tongue in cheek."

Wickham and Springfield were destined to meet. Both were involved in the music industry - Wickham then as the producer of Ready,Steady,Go, a popular British pop show in the '60s, and Dusty was already making a name for herself with the Lana Sisters and a surprise hit, "Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Back Seat", and "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" with the Springfields.

Eventually, Springfield decided to go it alone, and her debut solo release, I Only Want To Be With You, raced up the charts both in Britain and the US. She had arrived. Then followed a string of hits - "24 Hours from Tulsa", "Wishin' and Hopin'", "Son of a Preacher Man"," The Look of Love", "If You Go Away", "Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "Dancing In the Streets", to name a few. [NOTE: Neither "If You Go Away"or "Dancing In the Streets" were hits for Dusty. The former was an album track, whereas the latter was a song she enjoyed performing live - MJB]

At the same time, singers such as Liverpudlian Cilla Black, the barefooted Sandie Shaw, Petula Clark and, later, Lulu came on the scene, but Springfield had the edge over them with her glamorous looks and soulful voice.

"She was slightly older, and we all responded to those bugle beads, empire line dresses and that big hair. We thought, 'Wow, that's a performer'," Wickham says.

Springfield's status as a gay icon began in the early '60s when drag queen Danny La Rue did impersonations of her at his club in Hanover Square.

"Danny did Dusty better than Dusty. We would go to the club and laugh hysterically." Like many stars, Springfield was extremely insecure. She knew she had a great talent, but was never satisfied, Wickham says.

After a string of hits, she signed with Atlantic Records and went to the US in an effort to crack the big time.

It wasn't to be. According to Wickham, Springfield picked the wrong team, became depressed and started drinking heavily. Then disco took over and the world was dancing to Gloria Gaynor instead of Dusty.

Wickham didn't manage Springfield until her comeback in 1987, when she teamed up with the Pet Shop Boys to release "What Have I Done To Deserve This?", and had her first top-10 hit in more than 20 years.

Her last recording was "Someone to Watch Over Me", for an ad, accompanied by just a piano.

"She was always scared if she didn't have the full-piece orchestra, but this song was beautiful, and I encouraged her to do more of the same. But then the breast cancer came back with a vengeance and she died (in 1999)."

Springfield inspired many performers, including Elton John.

"He used to watch her as a kid and always wanted to sound like her and, of course, he wanted to wear the frocks!"

So how would Dusty feel about the show?

"Part of her would have been horrified, but she would have loved the fact that it isn't a drag show, and, at the end of the day, she would have loved Tamsin and the bigness of the production."

Denise Gadd
The Age
December 22, 2005