Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

Toyah guested on Kat Orman’s show on ‘BBC Radio Oxford’ yesterday afternoon. The interview is available to listen to at BBC iPlayer. It will remain online until next Thursday.

Join Kat Orman for amazing stories from Oxfordshire.

• The interview begins at approximately 2hr 6ms into the programme and runs for around 25 minutes (including the music and a travel update). Toyah talks about what she’s been doing, enjoying work, her inspirations, how a lack of support drives her on, Madonna, memories of the 80s, Hormonal Housewives, previous visits to Oxford and more. There’s also plays of ‘I Want To Be Free’ and David Bowie’s ‘Life on Mars’.

A rather prickly new Toyah interview, published yesterday by the Oxford Mail.

Katherine MaCalister talks to punk priestess Toyah Willcox about her latest incarnation as an hormonal housewife

Toyah Willcox has made a career out of being prickly, so I was prepared for the punk priestess and her lashing tongue, ready even, willing. But on the morning in question, she was particularly abrasive.

So where to start? “Let’s just talk about the play,” she says. Right, the play, I think rifling through my legions of notes on her legendary career…

• Continue reading at the Oxford Mail.

The artist Toyah continually cites as her greatest influence, including in a radio interview which aired just yesterday, David Bowie is the subject of an amazing exhibition, David Bowie Is, currently running at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

Toyah tweeted the other day that the Autumn dates (marking the 30th anniversary of the Love Is The Law album and tour) will be announced soon. Now seems as good a time as any to take a look back at the other recent anniversary Toyah tours. Click on each of the below to view numerous photos from each tour. (Thanks to Angus Turner & Ray Sears)

Toyah: Echo Beach (Surf Mix, 7″ Mix), Plenty

This is a cover. The original was by a Canadian new wave band called Martha and the Muffins. There were actually two Marthas in that band at one point, so they really should have been called Marthas and the Muffins, but I guess that doesn’t really roll off the tongue. What are the odds of having two Marthas in a band anyways? Is that like some crazy common name in Canada or something?

I’m getting off topic. This version is by perennial UK oddball Toyah, and I prefer it to the original. It has less horns and more synthesizers.

• Continue reading at The Lost Turntable.

• Toyah @ Twitter: A couple of interesting tweets from Toyah recently: “Just driven past Battle. Where Sheep farming In Barnet was recorded ……35yrs ago !!!!!!!” and “…on another subject Toyah Autumn dates will announced soon“. Twitter is also a great way to stay updated on Hormonal Housewives with news direct from Toyah.

• Edinburgh Evening News: City star of The Voice happy for second chance: Toyah is mentioned in this article on former Bilbo Baggins singer Colin Chisholm. Colin appeared in Glitter in 1976, alongside Toyah in her first TV role.

• Tamworth Herald: Laughs and gasps aplenty at Garrick: They have caused “mayhem and mania in theatres across the country” – and now the Hormonal Housewives cast are heading to Lichfield.

• Toyah received a name check on the Snooker World Championships 2013 on Wednesday afternoon: “As Toyah Willcox said, it’s a mystery…” said one of the commentators. The snooker is currently airing on BBC2 and Eurosport.

Toyah’s full interview from this morning’s BBC Breakfast is now available to watch at the BBC One website.

Punk princess Toyah talks about her latest role as a Hormonal Housewife

She’s been a punk princess, presenter and even lent her voice to a teletubbie, Toyah Willcox’s career has never been predictable.

Now, the singer is playing herself on stage in Hormonal Housewives, a no holds barred look at everything from pregnancy to old age. ‘Hormonal Housewives’ is touring the UK until the end of May.

A new cover for Toyah, from Dunfermline Press’ ‘Press:On’ magazine:

Toyah Willcox: The Hormonal Housewife on stand-up, style and why she’ll never be ‘normal’.

Hormonal Housewives play a handful of Scottish dates early next month, at the King’s Theatre, Glasgow (Sunday 5th May), Caird Hall, Dundee ( Tuesday 7th May) and beginning at the Alhambra Theatre in Dunfermline on Saturday 4th May.

The ‘Press:On’ interview with Toyah is only currently available in the print version of the magazine, published today and mainly on sale in the Fife area, but may appear online at some point at the Dunfermline Press website.

Click on the cover to view a larger version of the cover.

… when she comes to Swindon

Punk princess of the 1980s Toyah Willcox is now trying her hand at stand-up comedy. This spring she is on the road with Hormonal Housewives, a sketch show covering all things woman.

Toyah and her stage cohorts, Julie Coombes and Sarah-Jane Buckley, stop off in Swindon as part of the UK tour next Tuesday.

The singer says she is having a good giggle every night, not just with her mates on stage, but with a whole room full of women on a girls’ night out. “It is like nothing I have done before,” she said. “It is an observational piece, little scenes where women recognise themselves when they are moaning about their men or boasting about their kids. We cover book groups, erotic literature and a gym scene, which is all girlie bad, and the audience love it.”

• Continue reading at the Swindon Advertiser.

Toyah will guest on BBC Breakfast tomorrow morning. The programme airs from 6am to 9.15am on BBC1.

BBC Breakfast is not currently available post-airing at BBC iPlayer so please set your recorders.

BBC Breakfast: BBC1: Thursday 25th April: 6.00am
All the latest news, sport, business and weather.

Toyah guested on Su Davies’ show on ‘BBC Radio Wiltshire’ on Monday afternoon. The interview is available to listen to at BBC iPlayer. It will remain online until next Monday.

Toyah Willcox talks about Hormonal Housewives at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon. Find out about the first Festival Of Local in Purton. And Salisbury Arts Centre on Monday’s Movies.

• The interview begins at approximately 1hr 14ms into the show and runs for around six minutes. Toyah talks Hormonal Housewives, performing comedy, living in Wiltshire and more. She also participates in a short quiz. Listen here.

• M-Magazine: Interview: Simon Darlow: Simon Darlow’s songwriting is synonymous with the eighties. He has penned hits for the likes of Grace Jones, Dollar, The Buggles, Toyah Willcox, while as an arranger and musician he played with iconic acts from the era including Wham!, Bucks Fizz and Musical Youth.

• Steve Randall interviews Toyah: A short audio interview with Toyah by Steve. Toyah talks Hormonal Housewives, her career and more. Listen at Steve’s website or at Audio Boo: Hear my chat with 80s legend & actress TOYAH who’s in Hormonal Housewives @ AnvilArts this Friday.

• Celebrity Plastic Surgery Photos: A recent article which is really just a rehash of an old interview with Toyah, talking about cosmetic surgery and the ‘Diary Of A Facelift’ book.

• Adventures with the Wife in Space: A review (sort of) of More Than 30 Years in the TARDIS. Quite amusing at times ;)

• DAA Management: Great page for Toyah at this agency/casting website.

Another new interview, this one from the Derby Telegraph.

Learning how to be a housewife proves ‘big eye-opener’ for Toyah Willcox

After years of living the touring life as a musician, actress or TV presenter, all-round performer Toyah Willcox has now been forced to learn about the type of life she didn’t choose – that of picking the children up from school and doing the housework.

“It has been quite an eye-opener to take on this role,” says Toyah, who stars in the sketch show Hormonal Housewives alongside Julie Coombe, who also wrote the script. “It was interesting to find out more about the things which are just commonplace to most women and mums such as chatting at the school gates, competitive parents and going to book groups.”

• Continue reading at the Derby Telegraph.

IN2 talks to rock legend TOYAH WILLCOX about her starring role in Hormonal Housewives, which comes to Chelmsford in May…

“In rehearsals I thought it was going to be really scary, because this is something I’ve never done before,” says Toyah of working on a comedy. “But the laughter really lifts you and as soon as I stepped out on stage for the first time I knew I was going to enjoy it. When you’re touring with a band and you’re the lead singer, there’s a lot of weight on your shoulders, but being a three hander, it’s like an equal ride.”

Indeed, joined on stage by writer Julie Coombe and former Hollyoaks actress Sarah Jane Buckley, the show features sketches covering everything that makes today’s women tick.

• Continue reading at The Enquirer.

All Star Mr & Mrs: ITV: Wednesday 8th May: 8.00pm
Tonight in the second show of the new series TV Presenter Gabby Logan & husband Kenny Logan, singer Toyah Willcox & husband, guitarist Robert Fripp and Eastenders actor Jake Wood & wife Alison Wood will all compete for big cash prizes for a charity of their choice. Also airing on ITV +1.

All Star Mr & Mrs is back. Hosted by Phillip Schofield, this series will see celebrities such as Ricky Tomlinson, Gabby & Kenny Logan, Tom Fletcher, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Paula Radcliffe, Jake Wood, Will Mellor, Joey Essex & Sam Faiers, James & Ola Jordan, Jennie McAlpine and their partners competing to win up to £30,000 for their chosen charity.

Every episode, the audience gets an insight into the lives of three celebrity couples as they battle it out to win the jackpot for their charity.

In the second show of the new series TV Presenter Gabby Logan & husband Kenny Logan, singer Toyah Willcox & husband, guitarist Robert Fripp and Eastenders actor Jake Wood & wife Alison Wood will all compete for big cash prizes for a charity of their choice.

Toyah’s My Vintage, which originally aired on ‘Vintage TV’ last March, is repeated again in early May.

My Vintage: Vintage TV: Tuesday 7th May: 11pm
Toyah Willcox. Toyah was a rebellious child, but the arrival of rock ‘n’ roll reinvented her life and gave her grounding. Here she shares with us the songs that brought her to where she is today.

• View all of Dreamscape’s previous My Vintage news here.

• Lichfield Live: Hormonal Housewives returning to the Lichfield Garrick stage: The Lichfield Garrick is welcoming back the popular Hormonal Housewives for a new production starring Toyah Willcox and Julie Coombe.

• Chad: Hormonal Housewives promise naughty night at Mansfield Palace Theatre: A night of naughtiness, hilarious stories and roaring laughter is coming to Mansfield thanks to the rather risqué Hormonal Housewives. Star of the show is actress and 80s pop star Toyah Willcox, who told Chad that the show, which is on at Mansfield Palace Theatre on Wednesday 1st May, is ‘a complete scream’. “It’s a very joyful celebration of all women of all ages,” she said.

• Dundee Evening Telegraph: Toyah set for a girl’s night in Dundee: Actress and singer Toyah Willcox is gearing up to treat Dundee’s women to a giggly girls night out. The British pop icon is set to star in comedy theatre show, Hormonal Housewives, which is based around everyday lives of women.

• The York Press: Review: Hormonal Housewives: Toyah Willcox, Julie Coombe and Sarah Jane Buckley, a.k.a the Hormonal Housewives, descended on the Grand Opera House last night to share their experiences of modern housewifery with the similar-minded women of York… The Housewives’ style is cheeky and full of heart, not to mention completely puerile. As such, it may not be to everyone’s taste.

• Newark Advertiser: Sketch show highlight of new theatre season: Toyah, who has appeared at the Palace in Steve Steinman’s Vampires Rock, said: “This is a fantastic show about women of a certain age who reveal things about themselves and others in a rather naughty way.”

• Belper News: It’s ladies’ night with hit show: Starring British pop icon Toyah Willcox, writer Julie Coombe, and former Hollyoaks actress Sarah Jane Buckley.

Praying to the silent man…

‘Rebel Run’, released in September 1983, was Toyah’s 13th single in the UK. It’s fitting that the song is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary in 2013.

This was one of only two singles to be released by Toyah in 1983 and was the debut from the album ‘Love Is The Law’. It was written by Toyah and Simon Darlow and reached number 24 in the UK Top 40.

Toyah made a memorable video for the single and promoted it with numerous appearances and interviews on shows including TVAM’s Summer Run, Hold Tight, The Saturday Show, Saturday Superstore, and German TV show Jugendabend. The video was also played on Top Of The Pops.

Toyah said of the imagery: “This is the Rebel Run look. I was into armour. A friend, Simon, made a bronze headdress based on the skeletal structure of American football players.”

• Download ‘Rebel Run’ at iTunes, view the promo video, and the airing on Top Of The Pops. Watch Toyah perform the single on Hold Tight and Saturday Superstore. Listen to the song live at Hammersmith Odeon on the ‘Rebel Run’ Tour in December 1983. Andromeda Rising covered the song in 2005. Listen to their version here.

Rare photos from The Tempest. Toyah played Miranda in the 1979 film and her performance won her a nomination as Best Newcomer at the 1980 Evening Standard Awards. Click below to view these photos, and more, at Dreamscape’s Gallery. (A huge thanks to Andi for these)

Monica Winfield’s BBC Radio Leicester show, which aired on Saturday morning and includes an interview with Toyah, is now available to listen to at BBC iPlayer.

There appears to be a fault with the audio for this and the first hour or so of the programme is silent but luckily it begins working just before Toyah’s interview begins, at just after 1hr 15m into the show.

Toyah talks Hormonal Housewives, touring and more. The interview lasts for around six minutes.