Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

• Cine Vue: Steve Oram’s directorial debut, Aaaaaaaah! (2015), comes on like a collaboration between Dogme ’95 and Chris Morris. It’s hard to think of another film closely like it in British cinema. It really is that out-there and singular. You can bet your bottom dollar on Aaaaaaaah! becoming a cult oddity in years to come, but it’s equally fair to say that the general cinema-going audience would be left nonplussed. It’s an experimental work for the arthouse crowd, certainly, but it’s also one of the funniest and most poignant movies of the year – Continue reading…

• Nerdly: Aaaaaaaah! is a film that defies easy categorisation, not to mention pronunciation. It is set in a fictionalised London that looks and operates much like the one we know – except all of its inhabitants communicate purely through animalistic grunting, whooping and mewling. Everyone understands each other (more or less) within the film but the audience is left to figure out the subtext through the actors’ onscreen actions, most of which are violent or hyper-masculine in nature – Continue reading…

• The Velvet Onion: One of the things that distinguishes the artists that we write about at The Velvet Onion is their ability to think differently and to make waves in a sea of entertainment mediocrity. At their best, they conjure up ideas and dream of worlds so creatively vibrant that they force us, the audience, into a different headspace ourselves. In this respect, Steve Oram‘s AAAAAAAAH! (always written with eight ‘A’s) totally nails it – Continue reading…

• Flickering Myth: Aaaaaaaah! is a bizarre choice for a directorial debut, but I can guarantee, hand on heart, you have never seen a film like this in your life. And more likely, you never will either. Due to its incredibly bonkers nature, Aaaaaaaah! is destined to become a cult classic in the same vein as Pink Flamingos, but it won’t appease anyone. It will be very interesting to see the reaction to the movie coming off the back of its debut at FrightFest, that’s for damn sure – Continue reading…

• Movie Ramblings: Once part of the psychopathic duo in Sightseers (Ben Wheatley, 2012), Steve Oram makes his directorial debut with the barmy concept that is AAAAAAAAH! Presented as “Romero and Juliet meets Planet of the Apes”, the bizarre narrative sees 80s queen Toyah Willcox star along side Boosh boys Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt, with Green Wing’s Julian Rhind-Tutt – Continue reading…

Human beings have the same violent tribal urges as wild apes in this surreal horror comedy, the directing debut of British actor and screenwriter Steve Oram.

An outlandish blend of wacko sci-fi horror and grotesque comedy, this low-budget British oddity will divide critics, but it should pick up a devoted following among fans of macabre, surreal, cheerfully disgusting cult cinema. The feature-directing debut of its writer and co-star Steve Oram, AAAAAAAAH! takes place in a contemporary London where humans behave like wild apes, speaking only in simian grunts as they masturbate, defecate, urinate, copulate and engage in deadly tribal rivalries. Vulgar and violent and intermittently hilarious, Oram’s uncompromising experiment in arty trash has its world premiere this weekend as part of Frightfest in London.

• Continue reading at The Hollywood Reporter.

As well as Aaaaaaaah!, 3 Sides Of The Coin, Kaleidoscope Man and Extremis – Toyah is also about to begin work on a fifth new film, Lies We Tell.

Byrneholics reported yesterday: Lies We Tell is in pre-production in the UK, with a release expected in 2016. Director Santosh Sivan tweeted on August 23 that he is headed to West Yorkshire, UK to begin filming.

A trusted driver must deal with his dead employer’s British-Pakistani mistress, her dark past pulling him into a quest to save her 16 year-old sister from a forced marriage to their gangster cousin.

Director: Santosh Sivan, Writers: Ewen Glass (screenplay), Andy McDermott (screenplay), Stars: Gabriel Byrne, Reece Ritchie, Toyah Willcox.

• View further info at the film’s imdb entry.

Film4 FrightFest has returned for more macabre mayhem. The 5 day residency at the Vue West End, Leicester Square marks its 16th year with its biggest line-up to date. From Thurs 27th August to Mon 31st August, the UK’s leading event for horror genre fans returns to present 76 films across five screens, plus a host of other special events.

There are eighteen countries representing 5 continents with a record-breaking 16 European premieres and 26 UK premieres. In addition, there is a further ‘Discovery’ strand at The Prince Charles Cinema, signalling a welcome return to FrightFest’s spiritual home.

The festival kicks off with David Keating’s Cherry Tree, there is the world premiere of Steve Oram’s hilarious and very disturbing AAAAAAAAH!.

• Continue reading at Entertainment Focus. Click below for full details on FrightFest 2015.

The forthcoming New Mills Festival, and Toyah – who plays the festival on Saturday 12th September – are featured in the, just published, new issue of Artsbeat magazine. Click below for more info on how to get a copy/subscribe. (Photo © New Mills Festival/Artsbeat)

This month’s Total Film magazine includes a small photo of Toyah (yes, the now almost legendary shot of her with that frying pan) and article on Aaaaaaaah! on their “agenda” page feature on FrightFest 2015 – the film festival which began today in London.

FrightFest 2015 offers 75 horror movies in five days! Here are a few that are making Agenda’s spine tingle…

We know Steve Oram can do weird, wild and wonderful – with Alice Lowe, he wrote and starred in Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers – but his directorial debut is a different kettle of fish altogether. Or make that barrel of monkeys, because the cast (Noel Fiedling, Toyah Willcox, Oram, Lowe…) communicate only with ape-noises in this bizarre talke of the battle to take over a community. Proof that human beings really are animals.

• View a larger version of the scan here. (Thanks to Lärwi, of The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive, for the scan)

– Aaaaaaaah! premieres at FrightFest tomorrow evening, with Toyah, Steve Oram and the cast in attendance, and also participating in a Q&A session.

Icon Film Distribution (IFD) and FrightFest have announced the first films which will be released under the curated banner FrightFest Presents.

The seven titles selected will all have their UK theatrical premieres at the FrightFest five day festival in August at the Vue Leicester Square and represent some of the most exciting genre filmmakers working today.

The exclusive Icon and FrightFest partnership, first announced in April, will see titles released across the UK and Ireland via the distributor’sdigital partners (including iTunes, Virgin Movies, Sky, Google Amazon, Xbox , Blinkbox, Google, Wuaki, TalkTalk and Volta) giving film fans instant access to some of their favourite FrightFest titles.

FrightFest Presents launches officially on 19 October with a consumer campaign pushing out from the beginning of the month. Each release has the collective backing of IFD and FrightFest across all marketing, PR and social channels.

The seven titles to be released under FrightFest Presents are: AAAAAAAAH!, The Sand, Afterdeath, Landmine Goes Click, Emelie, The Lesson and Estranged.

• Continue reading at the Horror Channel.

Click below to view, or print, the New Mills Festival 2015 programme/brochure.

Ten Unmissable Horrors From This Year’s Festival

FrightFest founder and co-director Alan Jones picks his top ten movies showing at this year’s festival. Tickets are on sale now here and the festival runs at Vue Leicester Square from 27 – 31 August

AAAAAAAAH!: If you liked actor Steve Oram in the quirky comedy thriller Sightseers, chances are you’ll adore his directorial debut, bound to become the cult film of this year and many more to come. Original to the point of WTF, imagine future humanity regressing to ape-like behaviour and put under a wildlife documentary microscope. Dialogue-free and featuring a game cast of Oram’s best mates – including Toyah Willcox, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Noah Fielding and Alice Lowe – this is terrifyingly funny, deeply offensive hilariously sick and unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. David Attenborough, eat your heart out!

• Continue reading at VUE.

Icon, FrightFest confirm first films for new genre label

The Sand and Aaaaaaaah! among first FrightFest Presents acquisitions.

UK distributor Icon Film Distribution and UK horror festival FrightFest have set the first films to be released under their FrightFest Presents banner.

The films will premiere at FrightFest, which gets underway in London on Thursday (Aug 27), before unspooling online between October and February 2016. Digital partners will include iTunes, Virgin Movies, Sky, Google Amazon, Xbox , Blinkbox, Google, Wuaki, TalkTalk and Volta.

Among the first batch of titles is Sightseers actor-writer Steve Oram’s surreal ‘monkey comedy’ Aaaaaaaah!, which Icon will release online this October.

Oram stars alongside Noel Fielding (The Mighty Boosh), Alice Lowe (Sightseers), Lucy Honnigman (The Ex-PM), Julian Rhind-Tutt (Lucy), Julian Barratt (The Mighty Boosh) and Toyah Willcox (Quadrophenia) in the story of a tribe of warring ‘monkeys’.

• Continue reading at Screen Daily.

Sightseers co-writer and star Steve Oram delivers his demented directorial debut AAAAAAAAH! at FrightFest this Friday 28th August. The mad as a plate of badgers, monkey horror/ sci-fi hybrid previews in Discover Screen 1 with Steve, Toyah Willcox and other cast members due to attend.

With stateside screening dates booked, AAAAAAAAH! looks to destined for cult status and is sure to set Steve on a path to greater film-making opportunities. We chatted to Steve about AAAAAAAAH!’s inception and production along with the state of modern indie cinema and the secrets to mining comedy genius.

How do you pronounce the title is it AAAAAAAAH!?
However you want, I will leave that to the viewer. You can say it like AAAAAAAAH! or AAAAAAAAH! or AAAAAAAAH! Many variations. Multi.

How did you come up with such a warped idea? Did it evolve from something else or was it more of a light-bulb moment?
It’s something that has always fascinated me: how ape-like we all are and yet we rarely reference it in our every-day lives. I’ve always been a big fan of Planet of the Apes and did a short film with the same concept a couple of years ago. So I guess it grew from there.

Was it an easy casting process?
I always had a few names in mind: the two Julians (Rhind-Tutt and Barratt), Tom Meeten but Toyah Willcox I wasn’t expecting, I just sent her the script which she loved and was very enthusiastic about. I think if you tell an actor they have to do run around being a monkey, they’ll probably do it. They love that sort of shit.

The soundtrack to AAAAAAAAH! was pretty amazing. As a musician, did you have much involvement?
The main person who provided the soundtrack was Robert Fripp who donated a largely improvised album to us to use however we wanted. So that’s all just the genius of Robert really. I did most of the shit stuff that sounded like an ape made it.

• Continue reading at HeyUGuys.

A great review, of Toyah’s recent Acoustic, Up Close & Personal gig at The Hippodrome, London, by Clare Brotherwood at the UK Theatre Network.

She began acting at the age of 18… at the National Theatre! She has starred in the West End in Calamity Jane, in films such as Quadrophenia, and has worked with Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, George Cukor and Katharine Hepburn – who admired her bright red hair. This year alone she has made four new films.

But to a generation she is punk rock star Toyah Willcox, who made around 30 albums and won awards for best female singer with self penned hits such as Be Proud, Be Loud, Be Heard; Thunder in the Mountains; It’s a Mystery, and I Want To Be Free.

Last week she reprised these hits in the intimate surroundings of the performing space which is housed above the roulette tables of Leicester Square’s Hippodrome Casino – walking into the building was an experience in itself!

She’s also a TV presenter and only two days before I had been watching her looking for a house on the Thames. So down to earth and friendly did she appear that when the opportunity came up to see her perform live I jumped at the chance – and I’m so glad I did.

I don’t do music reviews. I know what I like but can’t tell you why, so I paid for my ticket and went along as an ordinary punter. But I was so blown away by this little powerhouse of talent that I felt I just had to let people know she is a must-see act.

• Continue reading at the UK Theatre Network. Check out where else you can catch Toyah’s Acoustic, Up Close & Personal tour at her Official Website.

As well as playing a set at Saturday’s Flashback Festival, Toyah also compered – something she has already done this Summer at Rewind Scotland and Rewind North. She was standing in for an unavailable Clive Jackson, aka the Doctor of Doctor & The Medics, who usually hosts.

He explained his absence, and thanked Toyah, at doctorandthemedics.com: “Apologies From The Doc – Hello Everybody out there in Medic Land Do to unforeseen circumstances and a family emergency, The Doc was not able to attend Flashback To The 80’s at Clumber Park Today. Many thanks to Toyah for taking over my responsibilities. Don’t be sad. We have a full gig schedule.”

Toyah Willcox headlines free music festival in Vale Park

Live in the Park, the free music festival being held in Vale Park over the Bank Holiday weekend, is set to be a great day out for all the family.

Starting at noon on Saturday, August 29, 80s’ pop singer Toyah Willcox will perform on stage following eight and a half hours of continuous live music featuring many local bands and musicians, including Platform Soul, the ultimate soul, disco and dance band.

Rob Casey, lead guitarist with Platform Soul, said: “We are very excited that Toyah will be headlining Live in the Park. It’s an honour to share the large outdoor stage with such a popular national star as well as a wide range of talented local artists. Live in the Park is going to be a great free concert in the centre of Aylesbury. It’ll be a gig to remember.”

• Continue reading at Bucks Herald. More info at toyahwillcox.com.

Jason Donovan and the Human League were among the acts performing at the Flashback to the 80s concert at Clumber Park at the weekend.

With their picnics, bottles of wine, cans of lager, umbrellas, fold-up chairs and fancy dress, thousands of people ventured deep into Clumber Park for the Flashback to the 80s concert on Saturday night.

With a line-up boasting Toyah, Jason Donovan, Five Star, Marc Almond and Human League, it promised to transport people back to a different age.

Toyah was superb, belting out a mix of her songs and cover versions, and she compered the night. Toyah clearly still has it.

Five Star don’t. As far as I could tell, it was more like one out of Five Star; she gave it a good go to be fair, but kept on shouting Come on Nottingham. She couldn’t hear me shouting back that we were about 23 miles from Nottingham and people were as likely to have come from Sheffield or Spalding as they were Nottingham.

• Continue reading at the Derbyshire Times.

Many thanks to those who have been sending photos from some of the recent gigs. I’m not being ungrateful by not adding them, just need to find some spare time to do so. Also Andrew’s In The Fairground website will be updated at some point. The site was never intended to be regularly updated – there were many in the first year just to get it “established”, but Andrew has created more spectacularly awesome Toyah art over the last year which will be added.

A news update today, from toyahwillcox.com, on Toyah’s forthcoming, and by the look of the photos published so far – retrotasticjustslightlyexciting –  appearance on The One Show on BBC1

Look out for a special appearance by Toyah on The One Show scheduled for broadcast week of Monday 14 September… but may be subject to change.

Here is an exclusive sneak look at Toyah in hair & make-up for the filmed segment.

• Continue reading at The Official Toyah Willcox website. Here is “Four From The One Show” photos of Toyah!! (Photos © Toyah Willcox/Sean Chapman)

Toyah will be guesting on Dermot O’Leary’s Saturday afternoon show on BBC Radio Two in a couple of weeks.

Dermot O’Leary: BBC Radio Two
Saturday 5th September: 3pm
Dermot hosts Saturday Sessions from Richard Hawley and Editors and chats to Nigel Kennedy and Toyah Willcox.

Toyah Willcox, 5 Star and Jason Donovan at Flashback Festival: Review and pictures

It was the rain that dominated the second day of pop nostalgia at the 80’s Flashback Festival at Clumber Park, but whilst this packed crowd donned waterproofs and brollies, their enthusiasm for good 80’s music was not in any way dampened. The regular compere for the Saturday night slot, Clive Jackson, the Doctor from Doctor & The Medics was unfortunately unable to attend. Toyah Willcox took up the mantle and did a great job keeping the party going.

Soul II Soul hogged the sunshine and had the crowd on their feet with their hits including, Keep On Movin’ and Back To Life before handing the stage over to Toyah for her set. With a huge back catalogue of hits, she did not disappoint with old tracks such as Good Morning Universe and I Want To Be Free. Covers included a sterling performance of Guns ‘n’ Roses Sweet Child Of Mine, before finishing with It’s A Mystery.

• Continue reading/View Photo Gallery at the Nottingham Post. (Photos © Kevin Cooper/Nottingham Post)

Aaaaaaaah! has its world premiere at FrightFest 2015 on Friday 28th August at VUE West End, Leicester Sq (with a Director/Cast Q&A, including Toyah). It will also show at Picture House Central, London on Friday 4th September (this also has a Q&A which includes Toyah), End Of The Road Festival, Dorset on Saturday 5th September and Mayhem Film Festival, Nottingham which runs between 15th – 18th October. Director Steve Oram will also participate in Q&As at these two festival screenings. There is also the, just announced, LA premiere (see below)

FrightFest said: “Oh, and wait until you see Steve (SIGHTSEERS) Oram’s AAAAAAAAH!, which we guarantee will World Premiere to a sea of open-mouthed astonishment.”

An interesting new interview with, Toyah’s former PR person, Judy Totton.

Getting the right publicity for concert tours and festival appearances is a skill, and, despite the open internet field provided by Facebook and Twitter, some directed guidance and good old common sense remain valuable assets

Who are you?
Judy Totton of Judy Totton Publicity. I’m based in London and work in the UK, though I do have media contacts overseas. I promote big events, charity shows, companies and theatre, as well as artists releasing albums or touring. Some of my current clients are Bill Wyman, who has just released his first UK solo album in 33 years, Joan Armatrading on her last big world tour, Andy Fairweather Low and his band The Low Riders, Joe Brown and Paul Brady. I’ve represented many artists from all genres over the years and been involved with big festivals including Blenheim Palace and 11 years of Castle Donington Monsters of Rock.

How did you end up where you are now?
I started out in music publicity at Magnet Records. After two years there I joined CBS where I worked with a wide variety of artists from The Jacksons to ABBA, with John Cooper Clarke, The Only Ones, The Vibrators and many more in between. By the late 1970s Epic records was being split away from CBS and a lot of internal changes were happening. I wasn’t sure what to do, and it was artist agent Ian Flukes who suggested I set up my own company.

That was 1979. John Cooper Clarke and The Only Ones came with me and within a month I was approached by Status Quo. Toyah soon followed and then Haircut 100 and Orange Juice. From there I never looked back.

• Continue reading at PSN Europe.