Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

Following the news that Toyah will be a guest at the Derby Film Festival 2018 on Saturday 5th May – talking about her career in film and on screen – as part of Paracinema, the full programme of films and events has been announced, with Jubilee and The Tempest showing a number of times during the 10 day film fest.

Jubilee (15): UK, 1978: 106m. Dir: Derek Jarman
Saturday 5th May: 7pm, Tuesday 8th May: 12.10pm/8.35pm, Wednesday 9th May: 2.15pm/8.45pm

When Queen Elizabeth I (Jenny Runacre) asks her court alchemist John Dee (Richard O’Brien) to show her the future of England she is transported forward 400 years to 1978. She arrives to discover a post-apocalyptic society on the brink of collapse where girl gangs rove the streets indulging in casual murder, the police are openly fascistic, and public opinion is manipulated by all-powerful media moguls. Forty years on from its first release Derek Jarman’s Jubilee remains the quintessential punk film, a daring and unique vision, featuring many icons of the punk era including festival guest Toyah Willcox, Little Nell, Wayne Country, Jordan, Adam Ant and many more.

The Tempest (15): UK, 1979: 91m. Dir: Derek Jarman
Wednesday 9th May: 12pm/6pm, Thursday 10th May: 1.30pm/8.45pm

Jarman brings sumptuous visual style and a measure of the punk spirit that informed Jubilee to this cinematic version of the Shakespeare text. Festival guest Toyah Willcox plays Miranda, who has been banished to a desolate island with her father Prospero (Heathcote Williams) by Alonso, King of Naples (Peter Bull). Prospero’s plans for revenge are complicated when Miranda falls in love with the king’s son Ferdinand (David Meyer). If you discount the very loose sci-fi adaptation Forbidden Planet this was the big screen’s first version of the play.

• View the full programme at the Derby Film Festival website. Full info on/Book tickets for Toyah Willcox in Conversation.

Midlands Spotlight – Derby Film Festival 2018

The Derby Film Festival is back for its fifth edition taking place from 4th – 13th May 2018 and local audiences can expect another successful array of previews, classic films from the archive and a weekend dedicated to genres beyond the mainstream.

DFF are scouring the globe to find the best in world cinema as well as bringing some special guests to talk about their experiences in the film industry. As ever they’ll be home to the Five Lamps 24 hour film challenge 24/5, the contest to make a 3 minute film in 24 hours.

Over the opening weekend of Derby Film Festival, they also launch Paracinema Weekend, a long weekend dedicated to films and genres outside the mainstream. Events at Paracinema include an on-stage conversation with actress Toyah Willcox and a screening of Nosferatu in the grand surroundings of Derby Cathedral.

• Continue reading at Midlands Movies. Further info on Derby Film Festival and the Paracinema Festival 2018 here.

I’ve voted for my Top 10 singles today in The Official Toyah Website’s Toyah60 Poll. The ultimate Toyah Chart will be revealed as part of Toyah’s 60th Birthday celebrations next month. Seriously difficult to choose 10 from so many great songs but my Top 10 is: 1. Bird In Flight, 2.Ghost Light, 3. Jungles Of Jupiter, 4. Run Wild, Run Free, 5. Elusive Stranger, 6. Brave New World, 7. Symbiotic, 8. Time Is Ours. 9. Moonlight Dancing, 10. Love Me – Vote for yours by clicking below.

• Bubbling Under: Waiting, For You, Snow Covers The Kiss, Computer, Falling To Earth, Tears For Elie, Dreamscape, Pop Star, Danced, Visions, Dawn Chorus, Freedom, When A Woman Cries, Don’t Fall in Love (I Said), Angel In You, Race Through Space… etc… etc.

Over the May Bank Holiday weekend, QUAD launches the first edition of Paracinema, a festival dedicated to films and genres outside of the mainstream. Expect a steady diet of horror, sci-fi and fantasy but in addition to this Paracinema will be exploring other genres outside the mainstream with special guests, previews and talks on a whole range of unusual genres and subgenres.

Toyah Willcox In Conversation
Saturday 5th May at 5:00pm

It is hard to imagine a more perfect guest for the eclectic nature of Paracinema than Toyah Willcox. After gaining positive notices for her debut in the television play Glitter in 1976, Toyah then played the anarchic role of Mad in Derek Jarman’s seminal punk film Jubilee . From there she went on to appear alongside Katherine Hepburn in the TV movie The Corn Is Green, in the mod classic Quadrophenia as Monkey and reteamed with Jarman in his Shakespeare adaptation The Tempest. Genre fans should note her role in the John Mills starring Quatermass series, BBC TV Movie Dr Jeykll and Mr Hyde and Tales Of The Unexpected. Since that early-mid 80s boom, Toyah has gone to appear as Miss Scarlett in the Cluedo TV Series, as Billie Piper’s mum in The Secret Diary Of A Call Girl, and in children’s TV series The Ink Thief. Recently she appeared in the genre defying Aaaaaaaah! by director Steve Oram and alongside Gabriel Byrne and Harvey Keitel in Lies We Tell.

We are excited to welcome Toyah to Paracinema for an on-stage discussion of her screen career.

• Continue reading at Derby QUAD. Visit Toyah’s 2018 Gig Diary at toyahwillcox.com for all confirmed dates and appearances.

2018 is a big deal – This year Toyah celebrates the landmark event of turning 60, on 18th May. Not only that, this year is also the 40th anniversary of Toyah first making music.

Ten years ago I had a blast counting down to and celebrating Toyah’s fantastic 50th and hope to share some celebratory posts in the build up to Toyah’s 60th in just over two month’s time. Toyah’s official website and social media spaces are also celebrating #Toyah60 with special content and Toyah memories, career achievements and highlights.

• Dreamscape is now in its 19th year of sharing Toyah news so we have a comprehensive archive to look back on and simultaneously celebrate Toyah hitting 60! Have a browse at our many features looking at Toyah’s flabbergasting career and stay tuned for more memories…

On This Day 24.2.1982 the British Rock & Pop Awards (now The Brits) was broadcast on BBC One. Toyah received the award for Best Female Singer presented by Leo Sayer. These stunning shots (left) were taken earlier in the day when the ceremony was filmed. (Images © Official Toyah – See the anniversary British Rock & Pop Awards posts at Toyah’s Official Instagram)

• See Dreamscape’s British Rock & Pop Awards related posts here. Here’s a fantastic shot of Toyah and Joel performing I Want To Be Free at the awards show.

Over the May Bank Holiday weekend, we launch the first edition of Paracinema, a festival dedicated to films and genres outside of the mainstream. Expect a steady diet of horror, sci-fi and fantasy but also we’ll be exploring other genres outside the mainstream with special guests, previews and talks on a whole range of unusual genres and subgenres.

Confirmed Guests and Previews

Special Guest – Toyah Willcox. We are delighted to be welcoming actress and pop star Toyah Willcox to Paracinema and Derby Film Festival on Saturday 5th May to talk about her career appearing in classics like Derek Jarman’s Jubilee, The Tempest and the mod classic Quadrophenia as well as juggling a hugely successful pop career.

• Continue reading at Derby Quad. Visit the Derby Film Festival 2018 website here.

The year 2018 is one which includes several momentous milestones for Toyah. This includes her 60th birthday and the 40th anniversary of her music career as Toyah recorded her first studio demos with Joel Bogen in 1978. Stay tuned to Toyah’s official site, instagram, Twitter & Facebook for regular virtual slices of birthday cake!

Toyah Willcox and Islington Council commemorate Derek Jarman at his old flat in Liverpool Road

Much-loved artist, film director and LGBT activist Derek Jarman has been commemorated at his old flat in 60, Liverpool Road.

Mr Jarman, who died in 1994, was renowned for directing films such as Sebastiane (1976). He was also instrumental in the campaign to lower the age of consent for homosexuals, and esteemed for speaking so openly about being HIV-positive.

He lived at number 60 between 1967 and 1969 in a top floor studio. It was here where he worked on artwork and costumes for Sadler’s Wells Opera’s production of Don Giovanni in 1968.

Yesterday, Islington Council held a plaque ceremony commemorating his time there to coincide with the start of LGBT month. It was unveiled by actress and singer Toyah Willcox, a friend of Mr Jarman’s who worked with him on the film Jubilee (1978).

• Continue reading at the Islington Gazette.

Toyah unveils plaque to ‘Jubilee’ film director and LGBT activist Derek Jarman

A plaque has been unveiled marking the former residence of the artist, film director and activist Derek Jarman.

An outspoken campaigner for gay rights and HIV/Aids aware­ness, Jarman is renowned for directing films such as Sebastiane in 1976 and Jubilee in 1978, now adapted into a stage play.

Actress and singer Toyah Willcox, who made her screen debut in the original Jubilee film 40 years ago, was given the honours of unveiling the plaque yesterday (Thursday) at 60 Liverpool Road, where Jarman lived from 1967-69.

Toyah told the Tribune: “In the past 50 years gay politics has come along in leaps and bounds. It has developed into gender fluidity and trans fluidity which weren’t so defined or certainly weren’t public 40 years ago.

“All of us flourish in good, strong communities and one of the blessings of Derek’s life was he had a good community around him. But, it had to be a secret community because of the restrictions on being openly gay back then. What Jubilee addresses today is Derek’s collage of images, colours and ideas but the politics are brought up to date by young actors who are gender fluid and know what it’s like to live in a straight cis world.”

• Continue reading at the Islington Gazette.

Rolinda Sharples – Painted out of History (1996) Featuring Toyah Willcox. Director Lee Cox – 19 Feb 2018

Join PJ Crook, Toyah Willcox and Friends in Bristol for a unique celebration of the life and works of the artist Rolinda Sharples.

Rolinda Sharples (1793-1838) was born in Bath and lived most of her life in Bristol.  She exhibited at the Royal Academy and at the Society of British Artists, where she became an honorary member.  Her painting of The Cloak-Room at the Clifton Assembly Rooms, 1817 (see below) has become one of the most iconic images of the Regency period.

In 1998, Toyah Willcox (as Rolinda Sharples) and PJ Crook (as herself) made a short film for TV entitled Rolinda Sharples: Painted Out of History. For this special screening of the film, we will be joined by PJ and Toyah and also by the film’s director (Lee Cox) and screen-writer/animator (Hazel Gower), who will introduce it.

Ticket price includes entry to and an introduction to the current exhibition Women with Vision from RWA Director Alison Bevan.

• Further info/Book tickets at rwa.org.uk. **NB – Update – Toyah will NOT be at this event – See info here**

15.11.2017. In Conversation: Toyah Willcox with Dave Haslam at Royal Exchange.

The Royal Exchange is currently running a stage adaptation of Derek Jarman’s film, Jubilee (read our preview). And later this month, fans can spend an evening with Toyah Willcox, one of the stars of the play (and indeed the original film). She will be talking to the journalist and author Dave Haslam. They won’t be short of things to discuss, as Toyah has had a long, storied career not only as an actor, but also as a musician and writer. She first broke through in the late seventies as a punk pioneer. Around the same time, she starred in both Quadrophenia and another Jarman film, The Tempest. Over the years, she has appeared many more movies, TV shows AND released 24 albums. Recently, she wrote a book detailing her experiences with plastic surgery. Despite all this, she’s still best known to some as the narrator of Teletubbies.

• Continue reading at Manchester Wire.

Alex Hurst – Observer Mondays Director – gives us an insight into the first week of rehearsals for Jubilee, directed by Chris Goode. Click below to read.

Kim Wilde and her band will be joined by special guests Lawnmower Deth, Carol Decker and Toyah for their Wilde Wild Christmas Show at Manchester O2 Ritz on Thursday 22nd December 2017. Tickets are available by clicking below.

This November, our friends at The Royal Exchange Theatre are staging a free-spirited and gloriously rude reimagining of Derek Jarman’s classic punk movie Jubilee.

The Royal Exchange Theatre are looking for a group of participants to take part in the show, specifically to perform in a key scene set in an outrageous underground club venue.

They are seeking a diverse range of people – from club kids to fetish fans; queer teens to drag queens; New Romantic throwbacks to old-school riot grrrls; and old punks and young punks alike. The Royal Exchange Theatre are looking to represent a real variety of cultural backgrounds, body types, ages and styles.

• Continue reading at Superbia.

A free-spirited, gloriously rude, take-no-prisoners blast of a show with a soundtrack to die for. Marking the 40th anniversary of Derek Jarman’s iconic film, the Royal Exchange’s world premiere of Chris Goode’s stage adaptation of Jubilee is here.

This is set to appeal to young punks, old punks, and anyone who’s ever wanted to set the world on fire.

A marauding girl gang are on a killing spree and a time-travelling Queen Elizabeth I. Her Majesty is played by original film cast member and legendary punk warrior Toyah Willcox.

This has an electrifying ensemble cast, including Lucy Ellinson as Ariel and Travis Alabanza as Amyl. They are re-imagining Jubilee for a 2017 audience. A co-production with Chris Goode & Company, this riot of a show will run from 2 – 18 November.

Chris Goode is a writer, director, performer and musician. Since 2011 Chris has been lead artist of Chris Goode & Company. His work with CGC has included two (of his four) Fringe First award-winning shows.

Toyah Willcox has avoided categorisation for 41 years. She is an award-winning singer/ songwriter/ actress with multiple silver/gold/platinum albums under her belt. Toyah’s career started at the National Theatre when she was 18. It was there where she formed her first band named TOYAH and took the punk scene by storm. It even managed to avoid categorisation within the movement, and successfully pushed out the boundaries for women in music.

Derek Jarman was an English film director, stage designer, diarist, artist, gardener and author.

• Continue reading at The Nubian Times.

Derek Jarman and Aeschylus: the theatre to book now for November

The best new plays in London and Manchester

Jubilee, Royal Exchange, Manchester: 2nd to 18th Nov

Another film adapdation this time of  Jubliee, Derek Jarman’s 1978 punk movie. It was as wild and outrageous as it was imaginative, with Elizabeth I time-travelling to hear Anarchy in the UK and a murderous girl gang listening to New Wave music. One of the girls was Toyah Willcox, now returning to the scene of the crime as Gloriana in Chris Goode’s stage adaptation celebrating the film’s rebellious spirit.

• Continue reading at Prospect Magazine.

This year’s North East Ladies Day Anniversary Luncheon took place on Wednesday 20th September 2017 at the prestigious Hardwick Hall Hotel and it was an amazing day, enjoyed by over 500 ladies.  This marked our 35th Annual Luncheon since NELD began in 1981.  The day was superbly hosted by Toyah Willcox who filled the room with laughter and joy throughout her entire talk.  Toyah gave the audience insight into her very successful acting and singing career, ending her speech with a live performance of It’s a Mystery.

Each of our ladies enjoyed a beautiful three course lunch and had the full day to shop and win prizes at over 20 different stalls.  Our Grand Prize Draw also offered over 15 ladies the opportunity to win a wonderful prize too.

• Continue reading at NELD. (Photo © NELD)

Toyah Willcox In Conversation with Dave Haslam
15 November 2017

The original punk princess Toyah Willcox, is interviewed by legendary Manchester DJ, journalist and author Dave Haslam during her run as Elizabeth I in the Royal Exchange Theatre’s production of JUBILEE.

From award-winning rock legend to critcally acclaimed cult actress of stage, film and TV, Toyah’s eclectic, outspoken and colourful career spans over 40 years, amassing thirteen top 40 singles, twenty-four albums, two books, over forty stage plays and fifteen feature films (working alongside Sir Laurence Olivier and Katherine Hepburn).

Toyah will explore her creative beginnings playing MAD in Derek Jarman’s seminal punk art house film, JUBILEE, her dominance of the 80s music and fashion scene, and her evolution and endurance as a much loved actress, performer and household name.

• Continue reading at Royal Exchange Theatre.

Rewind have announced details on their festivals for 2017. Toyah will play at Rewind North on Saturday 5th August.

• Broadway World: Rewind 2017 The World’s Biggest 80s Festival Announces 3 UK Festival Line-Ups: Tickets for all three festivals will go on sale at 9am on Friday January 27th from the official website rewindfestival.com – Continue reading…

• Stereoboard: Rewind The ’80s Music Festival Returns In 2017: Rewind revisits Scone Palace, Perth in Scotland between July 21 and 23, Capesthorne Hall, Cheshire for the fourth year between August 4 and 6, and Temple Island Meadows in Henley-on-Thames for its ninth year between August 18 and 20 – Continue reading…

• Rewind North 2017: Visit the official festival website for full line-up, more info and ticket booking links (from Friday), here…

• Noble PR: Rewind The 80s Music Festival, the world’s first and biggest 80s music festival, is back for 2017 at Capesthorne Hall, Macclesfield for the fourth year with a fantastic line up featuring the biggest acts of the 1980’s – Continue reading…

• Heart: Win Tickets To Rewind Festival: We have one pair of weekend tickets up for grabs to the world’s biggest 80s music festival at Capesthorne Hall, Cheshire in August – More details…

• Toyah @ Twitter: “I’ll be performing live at @rewindfestival North on Sat 5 Aug! Line-up announced for the festival at http://www.rewindfestival.com” – Continue reading…

Toyah will guest at another Our Disappearing Planet event later this year – Taking place at Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre on Saturday 20th May 2017.

The latest 10th Planet autograph event includes dozens of guests from sci-fi and film.

Our Disappearing Planet, Autograph Show 2, Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre,
Lytton Way, Stevenage SG1 1LZ | Doors Open 10am – 5pm

• Further info at tenthplanetevents.co.uk.