Another chance to watch Toyah’s 1982 episode of Tales Of The Unexpected. Click here to read an interview and see Toyah’s TV Times cover for the programme, from April 1982.
Tales Of The Unexpected: Sky Arts: Wednesday 16th December: 12.30pm Blue Marigold. Series 5, Episode 1. Dropped by her agency for her diva-like behaviour, supermodel Marigold’s mental health deteriorates. Years later, she plots a comeback. Director: Giles Foster. Starring: Toyah Willcox, Ralph Bates, Sharon Duce, Helen Fraser, Billy Hamon, Edward Jewesbury.
Welcome to December!It’s getting cold outside, the festive music and movie channels are in full swing (though they have been since about September ;)) and even the Christmas tree in Toyah’s town now has pride of place (see Toyah’stweet)… It must be the beginning of Christmas, and the start of our annual countdown to the 25th.
Dreamscape has counted down to Christmas, almost, every year since December 2000, and here we go again. Visit every day until Christmas Eve for a festively Toyah related post.
To start the bauble rolling we have a Christmas Surprise, which I hope at least some of you will like… More info soon. In the meantime, it really wouldn’t be the true start of Christmas without a play or two of this.
Franc Roddam, Director of Quadrophenia Joins Original Cast Members To Talk About Their Generation
Franc Roddam, Director of British movie classic Quadrophenia will join original cast members for an exclusive Q&A as part of a special, interactive cinematic event in honour of the cult film.
Franc Roddam joins original cast members Mark Wingett, John Altman and Phil Davis, as well as Phil Daniels, Toyah Willcox and more for a Modtastic night of nostalgia. Taking place on 11 February at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, the event will showcase Quadrophenia like never before, plunging fans into the sights and sounds of 1964 and capturing the spirit of the era.
Franc Roddam said: “This event is a great celebration of the film and era. It’s overwhelming to think that Quadrophenia is still held in such high regard all these years later. I’m looking forward to being reunited with the cast and talking to fans of the film.”
Tickets for this fully immersive showcase of Quadrophenia are on sale now available at eventimapollo.com and AXS.com.
• Continue reading at Just Another Mag. Browse all of our Quadrophenia: The Immersive Cinematic Experiencehere.
The fantastically festive edition of Ready Steady Cook with Toyah is being repeated for the first time in half a dozen years next month. This originally aired on Boxing Day 2008 on BBC2 and was also repeated the following Christmas. Click below for more screen caps from the programme.
Ready Steady Cook: Food Network: Thursday 10th December: 5pm Toyah Willcox and Shauna Lowry. Singer Toyah Willcox and TV presenter Shauna Lowry battle it out to see who’ll be Christmas number one in the kitchen as Ainsley Harriott hosts another 20-minute cooking challenge. Also airing on Food Network +1.
This was Toyah’s third time on the BBC2 cookery show. The other guest was TV presenter Shauna Lowry. Toyah’s previous appearances were in April 2001, with Midge Ure, and in October 2007, with Carol Decker. The Christmas 2008 show was the second time Toyah, along with her celebrity chef, won the Ready Steady Cook plate.
Minder: ITV4: Wednesday 2nd December: 1pm Minder: ITV4: Thursday 3rd December: 7.50am All Mod Cons. Drama series about the shady dealings of a spiv and his reluctant sidekick. While Terry is trying to evict two squatters, Arthur decides to sell Terry’s flat without his permission. Meanwhile, Terry gets a job minding at a local club and ends up getting into more trouble than he had planned for when he realises the club’s manager is on the fiddle. Starring: George Cole, Dennis Waterman, Toyah Willcox, Simon Cadell, James Ottaway, and Tony Osaba. (Series 2, Episode 8, 1980). Also showing on ITV4 HD.
The Marlowe celebrates a delightful decade of pantomimes produced by Eastry-based company Evolution Productions.
Last year, Evolution Productions celebrated 10 years of pantomime in Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre. The Eastry-based company, comprising of Paul Hendy and Emily Wood, have produced some star studded productions at Canterbury’s Marlowe in the last decade.
We take a look at some of the most iconic stars who have appeared in Evolution pantomimes at the Marlowe over the last 10 years. Paul, who produces, directs and writes The Marlowe’s pantomimes, said: “I am immensely proud of our long association with the theatre. It has a wonderfully loyal, vocal audience and I’m grateful to the people of east Kent for their support.”
“…one of the most unusual, blackly comic and ultimately disturbing British films in years.” Den of Geek
On DVD & Blu-ray from Monday 11th Jan, 2016.
Fast Sell:
Steve Oram, known for hit Brit thrillers SIGHTSEERS and KILL LIST stars in his long-awaited directorial debut feature with a host of famous names. Get ready for the most unusual celluloid primal scream – an anarchic, hilarious, disturbing and touching look at the human condition. Recently nominated for the Discovery Award at the British Independent Film Awards, Aaaaaaah! is a film that needs to be seen and heard.
Key Talent:
Toyah Willcox – Secret Diary of a Call Girl
Noel Fielding – The IT Crowd, The Mighty Boosh, Nathan Barley
Julian Rhind Tutt – The Hour, Green Wing, Lucy, Notting Hill
Tom Meeten – Paddington, Sightseers
Julian Barratt – The Mighty Boosh, Being Human, Nathan Barley
• Continue reading at Fetch. Click below to see the Aaaaaaaah! DVD cover.
British distributors Icon Home Entertainment have announced that they will release on Blu-ray Steve Oram’s thriller Aaaaaaaah! (2015), starring Julian Barratt, Holli Dempsey, Noel Fielding, and Lucy Honigman. The release will be available for purchase on January 11.
Steve Oram, known for hit Brit thrillers Sightseers and Kill List, stars in his long-awaited directorial debut feature with a host of famous names. Get ready for the most unusual celluloid primal scream – an anarchic, hilarious, disturbing and touching look at the human condition. The film was recently nominated for the Discovery Award at the British Independent Film Awards.
Special Features:
– Carolla Cooks – Carolla Cooks is a 10 min version of the cooking show you see at the beginning of the film with Shelley Longworth
– PUB! – Pub is the full 5 min version of the sitcom that the characters are watching at the end of the film. Stars Tony Way and Alice Lowe
– The Cast Speaks
– Audio commentary with Steve Oram
Choccywoccydoodah: Watch: Tuesday 1st December: 9.30am Choccywoccydoodah: Watch: Tuesday 1st December: 1.35pm Show Business. Another chunk from the ultimate chocolate shop. Tom and Christine make their live TV debut on Sunday Brunch, and Dave creates a chocolate replica of Toyah.
Toyah Willcox first made the cover of Smash Hits on 27 November 1980, the day before her band Toyah released a ‘live’ album. It had been recorded at Wolverhampton’s Lafayette Club on 17 June 1980; the gig was also filmed for inclusion in a television documentary about Willcox and her band. Of the documentary (a ‘fly-on-the-wall’ in which she was followed around over a period of months), she spoke about her unhappiness at being under the control of ATV, the station producing it: “The director wouldn’t give me all the shots I suggested. For example, when we were playing Blue Meaning on top of Battersea Power Station he wouldn’t take a camera up in a helicopter. A lot of it is quite personal though, down to fights with the band in the dressing room.”
One of the tracks performed at the Wolverhampton show, Danced, was issued as Toyah’s fourth single: “A live album – Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! – contains further tracks recorded at this concert but Ghosts and Neon Womb [the B-side songs] are available only on this single,” the sleeve notes ran.
Toyah’s interview on the Doctors set is online at the BBC website. Now you’ve seen the episode, watch this behind-the-scenes exclusive with the legendary Toyah Willcox. Click below to watch.
• Ever wondered what it takes to be a zombie? This DoctorsEXCLUSIVE shows you the fabulous work our make up artists do. Browse all of Dreamscape’s “Toyah on Doctors” news here.
Doctors: Afternoon Of The Living Dead aired on BBC1 on Tuesday. It’s available to watch at BBC iPlayer for the next four weeks. Toyah plays Bill. Click below to watch (may be unavailable outside the UK).
Toyah is one of many to design and donate a puppet for the Norwich Puppet Theatre Celebrity Puppet Auction, taking place 25th November.
Many thanks to all the talented people who have decorated a puppet for the auction. The funds raised will go towards supporting the Norwich Puppet Theatre Trust’s outreach projects working with the local community and schools. Click here to book your ticket for the auction and get your hands on a unique glove puppet!
• Browse all the creations at the Norwich Puppet Theatre website. Toyah also retweeted a photo of her puppet yesterday.
Sneak peek into Toyah in Wonderland – Coming Soon >> “weep heart, weep / the sun’s hiding, crying in the night“… Ask Toyah >> Post your questions to be in with a chance of seeing them answered on video by Toyah. Click on both below for more info.
Kavanagh Q.C.: ITV Encore: Tuesday 24th November: 1.50pm A Family Affair (1995). Kavanagh finds himself caught up in a bitter family feud when he represents a frustrated father who has kidnapped his son in a desperate attempt to win custody. On the home front, Kavanagh’s daughter wants to let her boyfriend stay overnight. Directed by Renny Rye. With John Thaw, Holly Aird, Robert Ashby, Toyah Willcox and Lisa Harrow.
Take the leap to Dreamscape’s Gallery and browse photos of Toyah from through, almost, her entire professional career; 1977 – 2015. Next year will be the 40th anniversary of the beginning of Toyah’s multi-faceted career – Glitter, with Toyah’s first screen role, as Sue, and debut public singing performances, aired on the BBC in November 1976 (though filmed in ’75).
UPDATED: The Live 2015 Gallery page updated with photos from a variety of Toyah’s gigs this year, as well as some of the festival appearances, including these great shots, by Brian Marsh, from the Eastbourne Bandstand concert in August. Thanks also to Angus Turner, Ian Davis, Layne Patterson and Chris Cox, as well as everyone else from earlier in the year who shared photos. Browse the gallery by clicking below.
Another chance to see Vintage TV’s 60 minute Toyah special tonight…
Neil McCormick’s Needle Time: Vintage TV: Sunday 8th November: 10pm Toyah Willcox. Prolific artist and actor, who enjoyed hits with ‘It’s a Mystery’, ‘Thunder in the Mountains’ and ‘I Want to be Free’, shares the story behind her remarkable career – Running Time: 60 minutes. Vintage TV is available on Sky 369, Freeview 242, Virgin 343 and Freesat 505.
Great photos of Toyah from Thursday’s Proud, Loud & Electric gig at The Fleece Bristol. The final Electric concert of 2015 takes place at The Garage, London tomorrow night. View larger versions of these photos at the Live 2015 page at Dreamscape’s Gallery. (Many thanks to Chris Cox for the photos)
Welcome to December!
