… at the fabulous Marlowe Theatre
Following the incredible success of last year’s smash hit pantomime Cinderella, you’re guaranteed a feel-fantastic festive treat this Christmas with a whole host of stars including singing sensation Gareth Gates, pop legend Toyah Willcox, children’s favourite Katrina Bryan.
For your chance to win two tickets to this year’s pantomime at The Marlowe Theatre complete the form here (entry closes 4th January 2013).
Toyah’s panto for Christmas 2012, Sleeping Beauty, opens at The Marlowe Theatre this evening.
A number of the dates have already sold out at the 1200 seat capacity theatre.
The panto, one of Toyah’s longest ever, runs until 20th January and there are over 90 performances in total, including a thigh-slappingly exhaustive three on Saturday 22nd and 29th December.
This is Toyah’s 16th panto (in 17 years) and the third time she has played the Bad Fairy in Sleeping Beauty.
Toyah’s first panto appearance was in the title role of Jack & The Beanstalk at the Theatre Royal, Norwich in 1996. Since then she has played Peter Pan, Aladdin, the Genie, the Bad Fairy and the Wicked Queen in a variety of successful pantomimes across England.
Panto time is always a busy period for Toyah news but this year it has been exceptionally busy. View all of our Sleeping Beauty related news here.
• View further Sleeping Beauty information, show dates & times, and ticket booking details, at The Marlowe Theatre website, here.
As mentioned earlier this week, Toyah and her Sleeping Beauty co-star Gareth Gates are guesting on ITV1’s Lorraine. The appearance was pre-recorded yesterday.
Lorraine: ITV1: Wednesday 28th Nov: 8.30am
Morning show with a topical mix of entertainment, discussion and showbiz glamour, as well as featuring the latest fashion, food and celebrity gossip. (Thanks to Paul Lomas)
Update: Toyah’s appearance didn’t happen today unfortunately! Maybe tomorrow?
A collection of great behind-the-scenes photos from the Sleeping Beauty script read through, costume fittings and rehearsals have been added to The Marlowe Theatre’s Facebook. View by clicking below. (Photos © The Marlowe Theatre/Tim Stubbings)
• Visit Canterbury: Sleeping Beauty at The Marlowe Theatre: Last year’s pantomime was seen by more than 83,000 people, so book early to avoid disappointment! (Thanks to Michael)
• Kent Online/Dover Mercury: Festive Lights Switched On: Panto stars Toyah Willcox and Gareth Gates help Dover Mayor Cllr Anne Smith and deputy Mayor Cllr Ronnie Philpott light up the town for the festive season.
• Tim Stubbings Photography: Sleeping Beauty rehearsals at The Marlowe Theatre Canterbury; A great selection of cast photos.
• Dover Xmas Lights, Toyah/Gareth Gates: Actors/singers Toyah Willcox and Gareth Gates, promoting the Marlowe Theatre panto (Canterbury), at the Dover Xmas lights switch-on, Market Square, Saturday, Nov 24, 2012.
• Great photos of Toyah in Market Square, Dover on Saturday during the Christmas Lights Switch-On. (Thanks to Angus Turner for the photos)
A very brief video interview with Toyah, recorded in Canterbury on Saturday, from ITV Meridian: Panto season is almost upon us – oh yes it is! And across the region, the stars are encouraging us get into the Christmas spirit. In Canterbury they’re gearing up for Sleeping Beauty at the Marlowe Theatre with Pop Idol finalist Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox in the lead roles. (Click below to watch the clip, and view larger versions of the screen caps here)
Toyah and Gareth Gates are guesting on Lorraine this week, the morning magazine show that directly follows breakfast programme Daybreak.
Lorraine airs on ITV1 weekday mornings, 8.30 to 9.25am and is also available on ITV Player post-broadcast.
With just a week to go until opening night, rehearsals for Sleeping Beauty, the Marlowe Theatre’s spectacular pantomime are well underway…
Toyah said her love of pantomime and the shows by Evolution Productions, the creative team behind Sleeping Beauty keeps drawing her back to the theatre.
She said: “I like the history of pantomime, the concept and genre. The production team have brought it back to the original storytelling genre, that sticks to the story of good versus evil, and where good always wins. It is very funny and clever show. I can’t wait to open, I think it is a winner.”
• Continue reading at This is Kent. (Photo © This is Kent)
An advert for Sleeping Beauty at The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury aired last night on ITV1 in the Meridian region (Kent). It was shown in the ad breaks of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! View the full ad here or by clicking on the screen caps below. (Thanks to Michael)
• Unfortunately in the age of the internet negative news seems to attract far more attention and interest than positive (funny that!). The Herne Bay Christmas lights switch-on story has went “viral” and been “trending” over the last 24 hours, with even the big media guns giving it coverage, including The Sun, Daily Mail and BBC News.
An interview with Toyah, from October, by The Weekender.
It’s that time of year already! Pantomime returns to The Marlowe Theatre this winter with a new production of Sleeping Beauty. Alongside former Pop Idol Gareth Gates, pop stalwart Toyah Willcox stars as the Wicked Fairy. Toyah has had a long-running musical career; her first album was released back in 1979 and she still tours with her band today. Having performed in numerous theatre, television and film productions she is also a panto veteran. Toyah tells Emma Featherstone why she is looking forward to hitting the Canterbury stage.
You’ve worked in panto since 1993. What makes you return to it?
I’ve learnt to love pantomime as a form of theatre, which is more successful than any other. In the last 20 years it has been completely reinvented, mainly by one man, Kevin Wood (one of Britain’s top pantomime producers). His daughter Emily produces Sleeping Beauty.
• Continue reading at The Weekender.
Record ticket sales have been recorded at the Marlowe Theatre as thousands of panto fans gear up for their Christmas celebrations in Canterbury.
Next Friday will mark the first performance of Sleeping Beauty, starring pop idol Gareth Gates and punk princess Toyah Willcox, with predictions of several sell-out shows throughout the seven-week stint.
60,000 tickets have already been snapped up, more than 2,000 than was sold at this time last year, with bookings taken from as far afield as the USA, Australia and South Africa. Tickets have also been bought in France, Holland, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Canada, adding a global flavour to thie year’s audiences.
Rehearsals for the production began last Monday with many making noises that it will go down in history as the city’s greatest ever pantomime. (Photo, below right © Canterbury Extra)
The Gigs page at toyahwillcox.com has been updated with Toyah’s forthcoming live/theatre activities: Sleeping Beauty and Hormonal Housewives. There’s also a new live track: Echo Beach live at Concorde2, Brighton on the final date of The Changeling Resurrection II Tour.
• All About You: Top 10 Christmas Pantos: Wakey, wakey… and take yourself off to Canterbury’s new Marlowe Theatre to see Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox starring in this year’s panto spectacular Sleeping Beauty. The lavish musical numbers, comedy and even fire-breathing are guaranteed to keep you wide awake.
• Kent Online: Festive Illuminations: Panto stars on the road: A full rundown of Sleeping Beauty‘s busy fortnight before opening at The Marlowe Theatre.
• WikiNut: Christmas comes to Herne Bay: …The evil queen played by Toyah Willcox cheekily remarked that she hoped to snog Gareth Gates on stage every night. He made a very handsome Prince, who could blame her?
• This is Kent: Singer Gareth is a charmer: It’s A Mystery girl Toyah said: “I feel moved and honoured to be part of the show. It is great fun. Everyone is really well suited and we all like each other. It is very funny and clever show.”
• Dover Community Radio: Dover Christmas Lights 2012: The Grand Switching On of the towns Christmas Lights which will take place at 5.30pm with the Mayor of Dover being supported by the cast of the Marlowe Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty who include amongst others; Gareth Gates, Toyah WilLcox and star of the west end, Faye Brookes (on Saturday 24th November).
• Whitstable People: Pantomime stars with festive cheer: Panto stars from Sleeping Beauty have been waking up Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable. Singer Gareth Gates, actor Ieuan Rhys and former punk princess Toyah Willcox joined the Saxon Stars cheerleaders to turn on the Christmas lights at Herne Bay on Friday. (This story advises that Toyah and Gareth won’t be at the Whitstable switch-on this Saturday!)
• This is Kent: Plenty to do at the festive turn-on: Dover’s Christmas lights will be switched on this weekend during a day packed full of events. Town Mayor Cllr Anne Smith and members of the cast of Sleeping Beauty – which includes Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox – will illuminate Market Square at 5.30pm on Saturday (24th November).
• Metro: Britain’s worst Christmas tree lights are a turn-off in Kent: A big crowd had come out to watch Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox switch on a town’s festive lights. (Unfortunately a negative report but quite amusing)
Stars from the Marlowe Theatre panto ‘Sleeping Beauty’ will meet fans in Canterbury on Saturday.
Cast including singers Gareth Gates, Toyah Willcox, Ben Roddy, Lloyd Hollett and Ieuan Rhys will don their costumes to take part in a meet and greet session in department store Fenwick. They will appear in the toy section of the store from 3.45pm to 4.14pm on Saturday, 24 November.
• Continue reading at Canterbury People.
Panto stars Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox switch on Christmas lights in Canterbury
Stars of the Marlowe Theatre’s panto bathed Canterbury in light yesterday evening (Thursday), as they turned on the city’s Christmas lights.
Pop idol Gareth Gates and punk princess Toyah Willcox were among the celebs to flick the all-important switch in the city centre.
Crowds descended on St George’s Street to meet the pair, who will be appearing together in Sleeping Beauty this Christmas.
• Continue reading at This is Kent.
• The cast of Sleeping Beauty switching on the lights in Canterbury on 15th November. View at You Tube.
• Toyah tweeted a great photo of herself and Wongoose (aka Chris Wong) “blatantly advertising” Sleeping Beauty at The Marlowe Theatre. View another photo of the Toyah van, by Brian Marsh, here.
• Sleeping Beauty: Rehearsals Day One: A short video blog from Toyah Willcox and Ben Roddy on day one of the Sleeping Beauty rehearsals. View at You Tube.
• Visit Kent: Deal Christmas Lights Switch On: Deal Town Christmas Light Switch-On to be held on Thursday 22 November 2012 at St George’s Church forecourt. See Toyah Willcox, Gareth Gates and other stars of Sleeping Beauty plus music by Black Catt Disco and The Kingsdown Band.
• Dover People: Panto stars to switch on Dover’s Christmas lights: The cast of the Marlowe Theatre’s panto ‘Sleeping Beauty’ will switch on Dover’s Christmas lights on Saturday.Stars including singers Gareth Gates and Toyah Wilcox are due to turn on the town’s festive illuminations. They will flick the switch along with the Mayor of Dover at 5.30pm in Market Square.
• Kent Christmas: Christmas Lights & Events: Stars of this year’s Marlowe Theatre pantomime Sleeping Beauty, including pop singer Gareth Gates and punk princess Toyah Willcox, will be flicking the switches across the district.
• Sleeping Beauty, starring Toyah and Gareth Gates, opens at The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury on Friday 30th November and runs for almost eight weeks. View full details, including ticket booking info, by clicking below.
A Sleeping Beauty postcard from The Marlowe Theatre. Click to zoom. (Thanks to Michael)
• SFX: Celebrity Sci-Fi Raves: The Toyah article “My Sci-Fi”, originally published in ‘SFX’ magazine in July 2007, is now online at their website: “I like all the Aliens, I like Pitch Black, and I’m a big fan of Chronicles Of Riddick. I actually think it’s a superb film and I get very angry when I read bad reviews about it. I think all the cast are stunning in it, and the effects are stunning.” (View the original magazine version here).
• Steve Lamacq’s Roundtable: Toyah Willcox, Frankie from Frankie and the Heartstrings and James Endeacott get a little 80s and review new releases from Madness and Adam Ant plus singles from Willy Mason and The Lumineers amongst others. (Podcast available to download for the next 24 days!)
• Spiral Earth: Damien Barber – Spiral Firsts: First celebrity you fell in love with? Toyah Willcox.
• This is Kent: Dover Town Christmas Lights Switch On: Dover Community Radio, working with the town council, will be compering and co-ordinating the mainstage events at the Dover Town Christmas Lights Switch On on Saturday November 24. The event will be attended by Mayor of Dover Anne Smith and the cast of the Marlowe Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty, which includes Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox.
• Toyah @ Twitter: Toyah has received an early Christmas pressie (Thanks to Lärwi)
• A few years ago Phil Spalding played on Robbie Williams’ album ‘Escapology’, and on his new CD ‘Take The Crown’ Bill Rieflin plays drums. Joel Bogen for the next one? Maybe not! (Thanks to Colin Dew-Parry)
• World’s Strangest: 11 Notable Doctor Who Fans: More than almost any series (apart from Star Trek, perhaps), the term “fan following” seems to have been invented for Doctor Who. As the series prepares for its 50th anniversary in 2013, it’s worth noting some of the more prominent fans.
• Another new photo of Toyah from the Hormonal Housewives session. New dates are being advertised by theatres for Folkestone, Rhyl, Scunthorpe, Bristol & Southampton.
• The Baths Hall tweeted earlier this week: “Lots of early interest in Hormonal Housewives, starring Toyah Wilcox and coming to The Baths Hall in May!”
• Kent Online: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Sleeping Beauty: One of the original reality show stars, Gareth Gates’ road to becoming runner-up on Pop Idol is still remembered fondly and he takes to the stage as the Prince. The Unchained Melody singer is joined by another singing hero, Toyah Willcox, who returns to the Marlowe for her seventh time, as the Wicked Fairy.
• Visit Canterbury: Canterbury Christmas Lights will be switched on on 15 November at 5.30pm. The full Pantomime cast from Sleeping Beauty will be appearing. Check back for more information soon.
• TCM: Quadrophenia on Blu-ray: Phil Daniels is very likeable as the woebegotten Jimmy, an okay guy with a loser’s attitude: A look at the recent Blu-ray release and of the film from an American perspective.
Following the success of last year’s smash-hit Marlowe Theatre pantomime, you’re guaranteed another fabulous, festive treat this Christmas with Sleeping Beauty. Topping the bill are singing sensation Gareth Gates and pop legend Toyah Willcox. With lavish sets, beautiful costumes, brilliant musical numbers, amazing illusions, lots of comedy and even a fire-breathing dragon, this promises to be Canterbury’s most magical pantomime yet. Sleeping Beauty runs from 30 November to 20 January.
Whitefriars has a family ticket for four to give away for this year’s panto, courtesy of The Marlowe Theatre. The tickets are for the special 4 December VIP performance and include free passes to the after-show drinks party with the cast. Closing date is 26 November 2012.
• Continue reading, and enter the competition, at Whitefriars Canterbury.
The ‘Whitstable People’ news report (see below) means there are now five Christmas Lights switch-ons by the Marlowe Theatre Sleeping Beauty cast taking place in the lead up to the panto opening on 30th November.
These are: Canterbury (15 Nov/5.30pm), Herne Bay (16 Nov/5pm), Whitstable (17 Nov/6pm), Deal (22 Nov/7.30pm) and Dover (24 Nov/5.30pm).
Please note that the Sleeping Beauty cast appearing at the above events are thus far unconfirmed. As is which cast members will be participating in each switch-on!
