Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

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.

Toyah is guesting on Monica Winfield’s show on BBC Radio Leicester this morning.

The programme begins airing at 6am and runs for three hours. It can be listened to live online at the BBC website, and will also be available at BBC iPlayer post broadcast.

Monica Winfield: BBC Radio Leicester: Saturday 20th April: 6.00am
Olympic Gold medalist and Toyah Willcox. Find out why an Olympic Gold medal winning cyclist will be racing through the Leicestershire countryside this weekend. Plus, can answer Monica’s question of the day?

A new Toyah interview from South London Press, published yesterday.

When Toyah Willcox burst on to the pop scene in the 1980s with her multicoloured punky hair and her songs I Want to To Be Free and It’s A Mystery, she embodied fun, excitement and energy.

In the 30 plus years since then, the pop icon has notched up 13 Top 40 hit singles, released more than 20 albums, written two books, appeared in more than 40 stage plays and 10 films, been on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity and presented TV programmes as diverse as The Good Sex Guide Late, Watchdog and Songs Of Praise.

Charismatic and often outspoken, she has become a household name with an energy which is still like a force of nature and that shows no signs of diminishing.

• Continue reading at South London Press.

• Heaven Is An Incubator: Found Vinyl: Toyah – Love Is The Law: Up first is the 1983 album “Love Is the Law,” from English performer Toyah.  Look at that album cover.  Seriously, look at it.  It’s got a bunch of fencers and a girl that looks like an extra from the 80’s movie “Solarbabies.”

• Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury 24: Toyah Willcox causes mayhem in Hormonal Housewives: Toyah Willcox and Julie Coombe are back on stage causing mayhem as the irrepressible Hormonal Housewives.

• Justin Moorhouse: Toyah’s recent interview, which aired on BBC Radio Manchester, is now available to listen to at Audio Boo.

• Staffs Live: Hormonal Housewives returning to Lichfield: The Hormonal Housewives are returning to the Lichfield Garrick. Their new show, starring Toyah Willcox alongside Julie Coombe, will take a look at what really makes the modern housewife tick.

Hole In The Wall: CBBC: Saturday 27th April: 8.55am
Anton Du Beke hosts the madcap gameshow. The celebrity contestants are TV chef Simon Rimmer, singer Toyah Willcox, actress Zaraah Abrahams and presenter Barney Harwood, captained by rugby legend Austin Healey and EastEnders’ Joe Swash. Joe gets to play a special wall with a mystery guest.

The 2013 edition of Toyah’s most recent studio album, In The Court Of The Crimson Queen, is available to buy online from Burning Shed. Originally released in September 2008, the new version includes an extra song, ’21st Century Supersister’, revised cover art and changes to the images included in the CD booklet. Click below to buy.

The last remaining stock of The Changeling Resurrection II Tour t-shirts are also now on sale online from the Toyah shop at Burning Shed alongside some Sugar Rush/The Humans t-shirts. These limited edition t-shirts will not be re-printed and are all signed by Toyah too. Copies of The Humans album Sugar Rush and the collaboration album This Fragile Moment is also available at the Burning Shed Toyah store.

Rare photos from the filming of Jubilee in 1977. The film premiered in February 1978 and is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. Click below to view larger versions of the photos. Browse Dreamscape’s recent Jubilee news here. (Thanks to Andi)

Following 2012’s celebrated reception as they caused mayhem and mania in theatres across the land, the irrepressible Hormonal Housewives are back and return to The Sands Centre, Carlisle on Friday 3rd May, 2013 and they have three pairs of tickets to give away.

• Enter at the Worcester News website (Registration required).

Toyah is included in the latest issue (number four) of Classic Pop, the magazine that is steadily growing in reputation and popularity since first publishing at the end of last year.

We’re delighted to announce that the latest issue of Classic Pop magazine is on sale today! Issue four features our first female cover star in the form of the indefatigable Annie Lennox – striking front-person of the Eurythmics, award winning solo artist and outspoken campaigner. We have an exclusive interview with Annie…

There’s a veritable host of Toyah content in the issue, including a full-page black and white pin-up (taken from the ‘Neon Womb’ performance from the 1980 ATV documentary), plus a short article and photo from the Crimson Queen era (Floored by Toyah: Toyah Willcox was the undisputed queen of aggro pop…), a couple of photos are also included in a feature on Birmingham’s music scene, and there’s also a photo of Toyah and Nick Heyward on the contents page.

Great to see Toyah’s presence in the magazine, which hopefully means they will include a full feature on her sometime soon.

• View further info on Classic Pop at the magazine’s website.

Another new interview with Toyah, this one from the North East’s Chronicle Live, published on Friday.

Interview: Toyah Willcox who is in Hormonal Housewives at the Tyne Theatre

Singer-actress Toyah Willcox is gearing up for two performances in Newcastle. On Sunday it will be in her acting capacity as she stars in Hormonal Housewives at the Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre. Then, on July 20, she is back in Newcastle to headline Northern Pride at Leazes Park.

• Continue reading at Chronicle Live.

… Long-Distance Relationships

4. Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp

She once famously said: “I see my husband 12 weeks a year.” After marrying in 1986, the 80s punk pop star and the guitarist decided to live separately. At one point they even went 11 months without clapping eyes on each other. Toyah said of their set-up: “We’re never bored of each other, just always thrilled at the thought of meeting up again and leaping into each other’s arms.” Awww, and they say romance is dead!

Toyah’s April blog is available to read at toyahwillcox.com. Click below to leap on over.

Low quality photos of a cover feature on Toyah from 1981. These are from Italian music magazine ‘Melody News’, which included a couple of very rare photos of Toyah. Click below to view slightly larger versions. (Thanks to Andi)

A new print interview with Toyah, from Thursday’s Wimbledon Guardian.

Prepare yourself for an evening of insightful observational comedy – looking into what makes women tick – and the opportunity to witness a star in action.

The irrepressible Hormonal Housewives is back and at the New Wimbledon Theatre on April 19, featuring the fantastic Toyah Willcox, who describes the show as ‘like Al Murray in drag’.

Toyah, 55, famous for 80s singles ‘It’s A Mystery’ and ‘I Want To Be Free’, describes the stage show as: “Very light-hearted, and incredibly funny. “It seems to have just caught the audience’s imagination in the right way.

• Read the full interview here. The article has also been made available online at the ‘Wimbledon Guardian’ website today. (Thanks to Larwi for the scan)

Toyah guested on Andy Potter’s show on ‘BBC Radio Derby’ yesterday afternoon. She talked Hormonal Housewives, her career, not looking back too much and more.

The interview begins around 17 minutes into the show, with a play of ‘I Want To Be Free’, and runs for approximately 11 minutes. ‘It’s A Mystery’ was also played.

The full programme is available at BBC iPlayer for the next week.

A selection of recent Hormonal Housewives reviews.

• Shropshire Star: Review: Hormonal Housewives, Wolverhampton Grand: A tiny sprinkling of very brave males turned out in support of their WAGS at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre last night, as 1980s pop princess Toyah Willcox and the cast of Hormonal Housewives flew into town on their broomsticks to begin a run of this hilarious comedy. It’s a light-hearted look at all things female through the eyes of three middle- aged woman, and providing you can see the humour in someone else’s sex life, PMS, bodily functions and other personal aspects of growing older, you’ll be entertained. (Photo © Shropshire Star)

• This is Devon: Review: Ellie Cox sees Hormonal Housewives at the Queen’s Theatre: Lighthearted sense of humour? Check. Gaggling group of girls? Check. Lover of sparkle, pink fluff and gym lycra? Check. If you ticked all of the above criteria, then this is a show for you.

• It’s On Cardiff: Hormonal Housewives: I have to say, I haven’t belly laughed like that in a long time! The show was packed with humour from start to finish as the ladies acted out different sketches on stage (with the help of their not-so-fetching male accomplice – Zeus), portraying different scenarios in a woman’s life.

• Metro: From Absolute Beginners to Quadrophenia: Mod culture on page and screen: Mod culture in books and on the silver screen include Absolute Beginners and Quadrophenia. Here’s our guide: Quadrophenia (1979) – Against the soundtrack of The Who’s 1973 concept album, this mod classic features Phil Daniels as Jimmy – a mod who hates his job and is misunderstood by his parents.

• You’re Standing In It: Australian comedy series that looks very similar to the UK’s Three Of A Kind and Not The Nine O’Clock News. Tim & Debbie pay tribute to Toyah Willcox. (This “Toyah” clip has just been added to You Tube. I’m not sure I’d call this a “tribute” or a “homage” but worth a look anyway). More info on the series here.

• One + One Filmmakers Journal: Out Of The (Blog) Archive: On Derek Jarman’s Jubilee.

• All Star Mr & Mrs: Toyah Instagrammed a photo of herself and Robert while they were being filmed at home for a forthcoming edition of the ITV show. View here.

• The 45 minute video of Toyah’s speech from the recent FSB Conference in Leicester has now been deleted from You Tube but there is an edited, eight minute, version available at the FSB website. View here.