Spice Girl Mel B turned a barmaid's dream into reality after randomly meeting her in a London pub and inviting her to watch the hit musical Hamilton as her VIP guest that evening.
Chance Encounter at the Duke of York
Izzy Brady, 25, was only two hours into her evening shift at the Duke of York pub in London's West End on Thursday night when the singer walked in. The pub sits next door to the Victoria Palace Theatre, where the sold-out production of Hamilton is playing, with Leslie Odom Jr. making his West End debut in his original role as Aaron Burr.
Mel, who was accompanied by her 14-year-old daughter Madison, got talking to Izzy, a devoted fan of the show who often tries to listen to the performance through the pub's walls.
An Offer She Couldn't Refuse
Izzy told the Mirror: "Mel came in and I tried to be all cool, but I was like: 'It's Mel B…what the hell!' She said she was there to watch Hamilton, and my manager told her I was a huge fan of the show. We were gushing over how much we loved Hamilton…and she said she had a spare ticket, and asked whether I would go with her. I have never run faster in my life down the stairs to ask my manager if I could knock off early."
Izzy said she couldn't believe her luck as she walked into the theatre with Mel. "We were in the ninth row or something, and Mel was so lovely. I couldn't believe I was there with a Spice Girl. Afterwards Mel took me backstage to meet the cast - and I even met Leslie, and had my photo taken with him and Mel."
A Fairy Godmother Moment
She added: "I swear Mel was like my fairy godmother. She was just so generous. I just couldn't believe I was there - the tickets are so expensive."
Izzy, who has worked at the pub for just under a year, said she nearly called in sick that day. "I wasn't really feeling well…but thank goodness I didn't," she said.
Hamilton tells the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolutionary War. Odom won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as Burr and a Grammy Award for the original cast recording.
