Toyah plays Rewind Scotland this weekend in Perth. She tweeted photos of a fab ring she will wear and festival rehearsals… Click below to browse all of Dreamscape’s Rewind Scotland 2016 news, and wishing Toyah a fantastic time in glorious Perth (my Mum’s birthplace!).
Toyah Willcox is never less than effusive about her involvement in projects.
On this particular day, her voice is typically bouncy at the end of the telephone – a retro way to interview nowadays, but then again it’s time to talk about the landline-tastic 1980s.
The 58-year-old is almost evangelical about Rewind, the 80s Festival, that will bathe Scone Castle and its grounds in a sea of Day-Glo clothing and lace accessories from July 22 to 24. She is performing at Rewind Scotland and the event in Henley-on-Thames. It’s not a first appearance at either for her – last year her presentation skills were also called on to MC the Scone event.
“That was a great opportunity to see everyone that performed , and I was 
impressed,” she says. “I don’t know why I was so surprised. All the acts come from the era when you had to be able to perform live before a record company would even look at you.”
The concept of Rewind works – as many acts as possible across two days and sets that can only include chart hits. So even if you liked the second track on the B-side of ABC’s Beauty Stab, this isn’t the place to hear it. Every track is a hit, keeping the energy as charged as the end of the night at a secondary school disco.
“Rewind is about fun,” adds Toyah. “No-one is trying to sell anything here; it’s not about plugging records of breaking new acts. It’s like a big ensemble, all feeding into the same musical experience.”
• Continue reading at The Herald. Browse all of Dreamscape’s Rewind Scotland 2016 news here.
Win tickets to the Wickham Festival taking place from 4th – 7th August off Blind Lane.
The Breeze will be there to enjoy live music from The Stranglers, The SAS Band featuring Toyah and Roger Taylor from Queen, Lindisfarne and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers.
It’s a fun filled weekend for the whole family in the Hampshire countryside with activities including a solar powered cinema, storytelling and a laser arena.
• Continue reading/Enter competition at The Breeze.
London’s Free Open-Air Theatre Season is back as part of the London Bridge City Summer Festival, offering 40,000 free tickets for great theatre within the heart of London. Running since 2003, this is still London’s only ‘free to all’ annual festival of theatre. There’s no need to book so just turn up and take a seat!
• Continue reading at Concert News Online.
Toyah Willcox musical to play free open air festival
Based on Dostoevsky’s novel, Crime and Punishment receives its world premiere in August
A brand new musical retelling of Dostoevsky’s Crime & Punishment, will be staged at The Scoop in London this summer.
Adapted and directed by Phil Willmott, the musical will feature original music by Toyah Willcox and Simon Darlow, as well as some of Willcox’s well-known tracks.
Crime & Punishment: A Rock Musical will be part of the free open air theatre season, held annually at The Scoop, next to City Hall on the south side of the River Thames.
• Continue reading at What’s On Stage.
Toyah Willcox rock musical to run at open air theatre in London
A musical based on novel Crime and Punishment that features the music of Toyah Willcox will run at open air theatre the Scoop this summer. The show, from theatre company Gods and Monsters, runs at the Scoop near London Bridge from August 31 to September 25.
Crime and Punishment: A Rock Musical is adapted and directed by Phil Willmott and features songs written by Willcox and her writing partner, Simon Darlow.
Willcox said she was “excited that this collaboration will engage tens of thousands of people with this extraordinary novel in so fresh and enticing a way”.
• Continue reading at The Stage.
Gods and Monsters Theatre To Present Crime and Punishment: A Rock Musical
London’s Free Open-Air Theatre Season is back as part of the London Bridge City Summer Festival, offering 40,000 free tickets for great theatre within the heart of London. Running since 2003, this is still London’s only ‘free to all’ annual festival of theatre. There’s no need to book so just turn up and take a seat!
This year, Gods and Monsters Theatre are shaking things up with a new rock musical of Crime and Punishment, with songs by the legendary Toyah Willcox. This newly revamped production of this 19th century masterpiece marks the increasingly important role Russia plays in London’s economy and the way our work, social and cultural life is enriched by a strong Eastern European presence in our capital.
Toyah Willcox comments, Who could resist this chance to help introduce theatre-goers, great literature and steam punk all in the one show, performed for free to such a huge and multi- cultural audience, in this iconic, beautiful venue? The on-going work of Gods and Monsters to create vibrant, powerful productions that bring London’s diverse communities together under the stars is a perfect fit with my life-long philosophy of performance for all. Capturing the spirit of Dostoyevsky’s alienated characters has been a wonderful challenge and I’m excited that this collaboration will engage tens of thousands of people with this extraordinary novel in so fresh and enticing a way and is totally fitting with my musical work.
• Continue reading at Broadway World.
New Crime And Punishment musical part of London’s Free Open-Air Theatre Season
London’s Free Open-Air Theatre Season is back as part of the London Bridge City Summer Festival, offering 40,000 free tickets for great theatre within the heart of London. Running since 2003, this is still London’s only ‘free to all’ annual festival of theatre. There’s no need to book so just turn up and take a seat!
This year, Gods and Monsters Theatre are shaking things up with a new rock musical version of Crime and Punishment, with songs by the legendary Toyah Willcox. This newly revamped production of this 19th century masterpiece marks the increasingly important role Russia plays in London’s economy and the way our work, social and cultural life is enriched by a strong Eastern European presence in our capital.
• Continue reading at Live Theatre UK.
The Dartford Festival 2016: Bad Manners, Toyah and The Hoosiers
Heavyweight ska legends Bad Manners will be headlining the Dartford Festival this weekend. The two-day free festival on Saturday, July 16, and Sunday, July 17, will be packed with music acts on two stages and a funfair throughout the weekend.
On the main stage will be 1980s singer Toyah, Bad Manners, The Hoosiers and 4th Impact, along with a string of other acts over the two days. There will also be a Battle of the Bands throughout the weekend with local groups competing for a slot on the main stage.
This year the festival celebrates its 80th birthday. The annual shindig in Central Park has been providing free family fun since 1936. Up to 25,000 people turned up for the two-day event last year, and this year the council are expecting to welcome even more. The extravaganza will also feature a fairground with £1 rides, a licensed bar and a 6D cinema.
• Continue reading at Kent Online.
The event will feature big names and local talent
Toyah, Bad Manners and The Hoosiers are among the acts set to perform at this year’s Dartford Festival, which will take place at the weekend.
The two-day event in the town’s Central Park will feature a variety of live acts on the main stage as well as performances from local groups on the community stage.
Birmingham-born punk icon Toyah Willcox, who is currently touring and performing at festivals up and down the country, will appear on Saturday.
• Continue reading at the Bromley Times.
Quadrophenia: Sky Select HD: Sunday 24th July: 0.00am
The Who wrote and produced this energetic story of a young man disillusioned with his life in 1960s London. Phil Daniels excels as the alienated anti-hero Jimmy Cooper. Director: Franc Roddam. Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Toyah Willcox, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting, and Ray Winstone. (Sky Select HD is on Sky Channel 312)
Fab photos of Toyah onstage at Dorchester Corn Exchange on Friday night for an Acoustic, Up Close & Personal date. Click below to view larger versions. (Photos © Angus Turner)
Toyah tweeted a photo from Dorchester on Friday. Remembering a special purchase made in the town some 30 years ago…
Thousands get ready for 80s fest as Let’s Rock gets underway
Southampton’s feast of the 80s has got under way on the Common. Thousands of neon clad revellers have already gathered for Let’s Rock Southampton.
Revellers are getting in the spirit and a Pamela Anderson lookalike stag can be seen leading a whole pack of his Baywatch style lifeguard mates in a Grease singalong at Let’s Rock Southampton. Meanwhile Ghostbusters are patrolling the field, Subbuteo players are in full kit and there are a few superheroes and Star Wars characters at the 80s revival festival.
They are being entertained by 2 Tone ska revival band The Selecter in a change to the advertised line up. Doctor and the Medics, Toyah and Bucks Fizz were set to follow this afternoon before the 80s big guns including current chart-topper Rick Astley.
Organisers are expecting around 9,000 party-goers for today’s third annual event.
• Continue reading at the Southern Daily Echo. (Photo © Southern Daily Echo)
More great shots of Toyah’s Proud, Loud & Electric gig at Hole In The Roof, Deal on June 26th. Thanks to Angus for the photos. Click below to view larger versions. (Photos © Angus Turner)
• Wessex FM: Toyah Tells Us About ‘Quadrophenia 2’: It was great to have a chat with actress and punk legend Toyah on the Wessex FM Breakfast Show, ahead of her appearance at the Corn Exchange in Dorchester. She told me more about her busy work schedule, including her appearance in the follow up to the classic movie Quadrophenia, and also that she’s no stranger to this part of Dorset – Listen to the short interview at Wessex FM…
• Dorset Echo: The Guide: 8 of the best events happening this weekend in Dorset: The much-loved musician and actress Toyah will be performing at the Dorchester Corn Exchange tonight at 8pm – Continue reading…
• Live 2016: Toyah plays two live gigs tomorrow – Saturday 9th July – Let’s Rock Southampton in the afternoon and a full band Proud, Loud & Electric gig in Devon tomorrow night – That’s following an Acoustic, Up Close & Personal date tonight in Dorchester – Phew! Browse Toyah’s complete Gig Diary at toyahwillcox.com…
• Toyah @ Twitter: An update on Toyah and Simon Darlow collaborating on new music for the forthcoming Crime and Punishment musical – View the update/photo…
• Southern Daily Echo: Eighties acts such as Rick Astley, Jason Donovan, Soul II Soul and Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s Holly Johnson to appear at Let’s Rock in Southampton: It’s the decade that fashion forgot, but the music is still topping the charts! – Also on the bill are Scottish rockers Big Country, 2 Tone ska revival band The Selecter, Eurovision favourites Sonia and Cheryl, Mike and Jay from Bucks Fizz, plus chart-topping Toyah and rockers Dr & The Medics – Continue reading…
• M-Magazine: Interview – Toyah: We caught up with her in the PRS for Music tent at Glastonbury 2016 to learn more about her enduring love affair with music – Continue reading…
Toyah’s blog for July 2016 – a tribute to WillyFred – is available to read at toyahwillcox.com.
Singer-songwriter Toyah Willcox has been a quirky tour de force in British culture since she found herself in the heart of London’s music scene as punk imploded in 1977.
Her eclectic musical tastes and penchant for penning life affirming songs have ensured she’s never been far from the public eye during her 40 year career. With eight top 40 singles under her belt, several lauded albums, a new acoustic show plus a musical in the pipeline, she’s a versatile songsmith whose background in acting has helped raise her performance chips.
We caught up with her in the PRS for Music tent at Glastonbury 2016 to learn more about her enduring love affair with music…
Singer and actress Toyah has had many Top 20 hits and appeared in films with stars such as Katharine Hepburn. She has also written several books. She starred at The National Theatre with John Gielgud, and she acted alongside Laurence Olivier in TV’s The Ebony Tower.
Toyah will be singing at The Rewind Festival, Scone Palace, Perth, on Sunday, July 24.
Why do the Rewind Festival?
The audience there is from three to 83 and I seem to get rediscovered by every new generation. It’s very rewarding. It becomes a party for all of us and every song is a hit.
What do audiences say to you?
Usually they say their mothers hate me because I’m the reason they dyed their hair as a teenager, or because I got them expelled from school.
Are you still a rebel?
I prefer to think that I’m just not a conformist. If that makes me a rebel, then I guess that’s what I am.
Is image still important when performing?
Yes, but I’m 58 now and I don’t want to look stuck in the past, so when I dress for stage I try to be age appropriate and reinterpret the songs for today.
• Continue reading at The Sunday Post/in10 Magazine.
Celebrity Fantasy Homes: Home: Sunday 17th July: 10pm
Celebrity Fantasy Homes: Home: Monday 18th July: 3am
Celebrities hunt for a new home. Gaby Roslin helps punk-pop princess Toyah Willcox search for a second home, in Richmond upon Thames, with a budget of £650,000.
Furious front women, terrifying girl gangs and a film that pissed off Dame Vivienne – these are the riotous movie classics you need to see
Punk was never a gender-bound movement. Propelled by a riotous sense of freedom and rebellion, it offered women the chance to break free from the constraints of conformity; and marked a major cultural moment for oppressed outsiders everywhere. Now, to celebrate its 40-year anniversary, one of punk’s principal spearheads Don Letts has announced an excellent programme of films centred on the movement. In anticipation of its premiere at the British Film Institute this summer, we round up some of the season’s biggest female-focused features.
JUBILEE (1978, DIR. DEREK JARMAN)
Derek Jarman’s twisted post-apocalyptic nightmare sees fashion, sex and satire clash in a dystopian London, the streets of which are ruled by an army of terrifying girl gangs. A bizarre narrative in which the Queen is transported 400 years into the future to view what the country will become lets Jarman channel fury and mayhem through his female protagonists. It’s a glorious and gorgeously shot piece of punk history, with a joyous list of cameos including Adam Ant, Toyah Willcox and Brian Eno (with his first film score). Its release garnered mixed reactions (Vivienne Westwood notoriously printed an open letter to Jarman on a t-shirt stating how much she despised the film), but the director remained unperturbed, relishing the tribal-like fierceness of his women at a time when chaos ruled.
• Continue reading at Dazed.
