Hot on the heels of the news that a new Willcox/Darlow song, Our Hearts Still Beat, has been recorded for inclusion in the forthcoming new film Extremis – to play over the film’s end titles – Toyah has tweeted that another new song – Fire Escape – again by Willcox/Darlow, has also been recorded for the, soon to open in London, rock musical Crime and Punishment.
London’s Free Open-Air Theatre Season is back as part of the London Bridge City Summer Festival, offering 40,000 free tickets for great theatre within the heart of London. Running since 2003, this is still London’s only ‘free to all’ annual festival of theatre. There’s no need to book so just turn up and take a seat!
• Continue reading at Concert News Online.
Toyah Willcox musical to play free open air festival
Based on Dostoevsky’s novel, Crime and Punishment receives its world premiere in August
A brand new musical retelling of Dostoevsky’s Crime & Punishment, will be staged at The Scoop in London this summer.
Adapted and directed by Phil Willmott, the musical will feature original music by Toyah Willcox and Simon Darlow, as well as some of Willcox’s well-known tracks.
Crime & Punishment: A Rock Musical will be part of the free open air theatre season, held annually at The Scoop, next to City Hall on the south side of the River Thames.
• Continue reading at What’s On Stage.
Toyah Willcox rock musical to run at open air theatre in London
A musical based on novel Crime and Punishment that features the music of Toyah Willcox will run at open air theatre the Scoop this summer. The show, from theatre company Gods and Monsters, runs at the Scoop near London Bridge from August 31 to September 25.
Crime and Punishment: A Rock Musical is adapted and directed by Phil Willmott and features songs written by Willcox and her writing partner, Simon Darlow.
Willcox said she was “excited that this collaboration will engage tens of thousands of people with this extraordinary novel in so fresh and enticing a way”.
• Continue reading at The Stage.
Gods and Monsters Theatre To Present Crime and Punishment: A Rock Musical
London’s Free Open-Air Theatre Season is back as part of the London Bridge City Summer Festival, offering 40,000 free tickets for great theatre within the heart of London. Running since 2003, this is still London’s only ‘free to all’ annual festival of theatre. There’s no need to book so just turn up and take a seat!
This year, Gods and Monsters Theatre are shaking things up with a new rock musical of Crime and Punishment, with songs by the legendary Toyah Willcox. This newly revamped production of this 19th century masterpiece marks the increasingly important role Russia plays in London’s economy and the way our work, social and cultural life is enriched by a strong Eastern European presence in our capital.
Toyah Willcox comments, Who could resist this chance to help introduce theatre-goers, great literature and steam punk all in the one show, performed for free to such a huge and multi- cultural audience, in this iconic, beautiful venue? The on-going work of Gods and Monsters to create vibrant, powerful productions that bring London’s diverse communities together under the stars is a perfect fit with my life-long philosophy of performance for all. Capturing the spirit of Dostoyevsky’s alienated characters has been a wonderful challenge and I’m excited that this collaboration will engage tens of thousands of people with this extraordinary novel in so fresh and enticing a way and is totally fitting with my musical work.
• Continue reading at Broadway World.
New Crime And Punishment musical part of London’s Free Open-Air Theatre Season
London’s Free Open-Air Theatre Season is back as part of the London Bridge City Summer Festival, offering 40,000 free tickets for great theatre within the heart of London. Running since 2003, this is still London’s only ‘free to all’ annual festival of theatre. There’s no need to book so just turn up and take a seat!
This year, Gods and Monsters Theatre are shaking things up with a new rock musical version of Crime and Punishment, with songs by the legendary Toyah Willcox. This newly revamped production of this 19th century masterpiece marks the increasingly important role Russia plays in London’s economy and the way our work, social and cultural life is enriched by a strong Eastern European presence in our capital.
• Continue reading at Live Theatre UK.
Sugar and Spice, written by Nigel Williams and directed by Bill Alexander, opened at the Royal Court Theatre, in Sloan Square, London, 35 years ago today. Starring Toyah Willcox, Caroline Quentin and Gwyneth Strong. Toyah played Sharon, her third stage role – following Tales From The Vienna Woods (Emma, 1977) and American Days (Tallulah, 1979).
• Read an NME interview with Toyah, discussing Sugar and Spice (while she was still appearing in it in 1980), and see the production’s poster at Royal Court Posters. (Thanks to The Official Toyah Instagram)
“Congratulations on your 150th anniversary. I have always loved working at the Theatre Royal. It is a beautiful venue overflowing with history. Here’s to the next 150 years!”
Toyah Willcox, actress and singer
Toyah paid tribute to Maximilian Schell last night: Just heard Maximillian Schell has died. A lovely, kind soul to work with. Directed me @ National Theatre in 1976! God bless. Here is a photo of Toyah as Emma in Tales From The Vienna Woods. View the full version at Instagram.
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.
• Instagram: The Hormonal Housewives entourage lunching with Toyah last week!
• Harrow Times: “The food cravings! The cold feet! The weight gain! The bloating! HELL!”: Toyah Willcox is in a flush 
as she prepares for Hormonal Housewives at Watford Colosseum.
• Wirral Globe: It’s no mystery that Toyah’s show is an ‘absolute scream’: Toyah Willcox returns to Wirral next week in a show which takes a humorous look at the ups and downs of life for women in the 21st Century.
• Gazette Live: Preview: Hormonal Housewives, Forum Theatre, Billingham: Toyah Willcox might not be your typical “hormonal housewife”. With a 30-year career spanning stage and screen her life has been far from “ordinary”.
• Chester Chronicle: Toyah Willcox is starring in Hormonal Housewives at Liverpool and Rhyl: It’s naughty fun and guaranteed to make you ‘howl with laughter’ according to Toyah Willcox one of the stars of a show called Hormonal Housewives on tour right now.
• Romford Recorder: Hormonal Housewives to be performed in Chelmsford: Pop icon Toyah Willcox will be asking if your man is more James May than Christian Grey in a new edition of Hormonal Housewives.
• Surry Comet: Hormonal Housewives to take over the Epsom Playhouse: An evening of women declaring what ticks them off has turned into a hugely successful show which rolls into the Epsom Playhouse next week.
• Skegness Standard: Housewives show set to hit Skegness: Following on from their hugely successful 2012 tour, join this bunch of spirited females for a night of hilarious entertainment, starring Toyah Willcox.
• Milton Keynes Citizen: Toyah has a moan in Milton Keynes: Toyah Willcox joins writer Julie Coombe and former Hollyoaks actress Sarah Jane Buckley in Hormonal Housewives, at MK Theatre this Sunday evening.
• Woman’s Own: Toyah is interviewed in the first issue of the new Woman’s Own magazine “Get Healthy”: In our first Get Healthy magazine we aim to help you feel your best. We share with you the stars’ go-to remedies for staying well. Toyah Willcox tells us what made her sleep after 40 years of insomnia.
• Primitive Screwheads: Friday Night Movies 415: Jubilee is a 1978 film by Derek Jarman… With its uninhibited punk petulance and sloganeering, Jubilee, brings together many cultural and musical icons of the time, including Jordan, Toyah Willcox, Little Nell, Wayne County, Adam Ant, and Brian Eno (with his first original film score), to create a genuinely unique, unforgettable vision.
• Retro Brit: Quadrophenia: Great Retro Brit Flick: I can remember the first time I saw the advert at the Bank Underground station in 1979… There was Sting from the band: The Police and Toyah Willcox who were all rock stars of that time.
• NI Scene: Calamity Jane: Ciara Mackey joins the ranks of Barbara Windsor, Toyah Willcox and the iconic Doris Day herself in playing the disaster-prone Calamity Jane.
• The Hormonal Housewives are now into their third week of rehearsals. There are now only six days until the first show at The Churchill Theatre, Bromley. Info here.
• A new Creative Team page has been added, and updated, at the Official Hormonal Housewives website.
• Toyah has tweeted a couple of updates about rehearsals over the last couple of days: “Starting 2 get 1st night nerves! Just a week 2 go. Rehearsed bizarrest dance I’ve ever done“, and “ran ACT 1, 4 1st time today. It’s really good fun, but wait 4 my madonna dance end of act 2! Its the weirdest thing!”
• The Cresset What’s On: The Show Everyone’s Talking About: A great page dedicated to Hormonal Housewives, which plays at The Cresset Theatre, Peterborough on 12th March.
• Term Times Family Magazine: Win A Pair Of Tickets To See Hormonal Housewives: To win “Like” the Term Times Facebook page and share this post.
• Toyah has also been discussing her involvement with the Hormonal Housewives tour in various recent interviews, including Woman’s Weekly, Birmingham Mail and This is Sussex.
Tons of activity for the Hormonal Housewives, in the second week of their rehearsals.
• Toyah has tweeted a couple of photos from the rehearsals: “dear ray, the only man on the Hormonal Housewives tour has decided he needs a bigger pair of balls :-)“, view photo here, and “Ray had the balls 2 wear a Playboy t-shirt 2 rehearsals….now he’s knackered! :-)“, view photo here.
• A new article on Hormonal Housewives by Cheshire Today: Toyah Willcox and Julie Coombe to star in Hormonal Housewives at the Liverpool Empire: The irrepressible Hormonal Housewives are back this spring with a second national tour, stopping at the Liverpool Empire for one night only on 10 April 2013.
• A new interview with Toyah, focusing on Hormonal Housewives, by This is Sussex: Toyah Willcox is going to pull no punches. Toyah explained: “It’s a sketch show with three acts and we play ourselves in between. It’s a comedy, and it’s not political – but it is very rude and naughty.
• Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone have a Hormonal Housewives competition: (Be quick, it closes at Midday today!!) We are giving away 10 pairs of tickets to come and see Hormonal Housewives at the LCH on Saturday 9 March 7:30pm! For your chance to win email your name and contact details to folkestonemarketing@theambassadors.com by 12pm today. The lucky winners will be picked at random and contacted after the closing date. Good Luck!!
• Keep updated with all the official Hormonal Housewives news at Twitter and Facebook.
It’s the second instalment of Dreamscape’s new Keeping Up With The Hormonal Housewives. There are now just 18 days to go until the tour begins, with the first show at The Churchill Theatre, Bromley.
• Toyah tweeted this week: “Started Hormonal Housewives rehearsals! Very funny! Very rude! Absolutely no phone reception @ venue….heaven” and also “Down deep in the bowels of churchill theatre, bromley, rehearsing HH. world could end we wouldn’t know!!!!”
• The Hormonal Housewives have been tweeting and facebooking over the last couple of days too, keeping everyone updated. View their Twitter and check out their Facebook.
• Get your tickets for the first week’s performances: Churchill Theatre, Bromley (5th March), Regent Theatre, Ipswich (6th), Corn Exchange, Kings Lynn (7th), Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage (8th) and Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone (9th March).
Welcome to Dreamscape’s new “Keeping Up with the Hormonal Housewives” strand: Regular posts in which we will endeavour to keep you updated on what those Hormonal Housewives are up to (I know the title is self-explanatory and didn’t need explaining but…). Here goes:
• Toyah tweeted on Sunday: “So much 2 do! Not packed yet! Start Hormonal Housewives tomorrow! Can’t wait :-)”
• Hormonal Housewives tweeted yesterday: “We are starting today with our rehearsals!!! Happy Monday to everyone! #laughingladies”
• Hormonal Housewives also linked to News Shopper‘s ticket competition yesterday, at Twitter and Facebook, and kindly gave Dreamscape a namecheck! (Thank you!)
• Visit the Official Hormonal Housewives website, and check out Dreamscape’s dedicated page.
• News Shopper: Win a night at the theatre with friends and Hormonal Housewives: News Shopper has teamed up with The Churchill Theatre in Bromley to offer one lucky reader, and five friends, the chance to win tickets to the opening night on 5th March. You can enter online or by text. (Closing date for entries: 21st February)
• The Hormonal Houswives begin rehearsals today for their mammoth three month tour. They tweeted on Friday: “The hormonal housewives are gearing up for a relaxing weekend before rehearsals start on Monday.”
Check out the latest addition to Dreamscape: A page dedicated to Hormonal Housewives, the theatre show that Toyah will tour with through March, April and May.
Dreamscape’s page includes info, photos and the full tour dates. I’ve also added direct links to the Hormonal Housewives page at each theatre website (just click on the theatre’s name).
Hormonal Housewives 2013 opens at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley on Tuesday 5th March and goes country wide over the following three months. The complete dates are also available at The Official Toyah Gigs page.
(Thanks to Valeria Carboni & Jamie Wilson Productions)
It’s the official flyer/leaflet for the Hormonal Housewives 2013 UK tour, featuring great photos and most of the later tour dates (in May). Please click on the photos to zoom.
Hormonal Housewives opens in just under a month’s time, on 5th March, and visits dozens of theatres and venues over the following three months. No doubt there will be tons of press and interviews in the build up to, and during, the tour.
• Visit the Hormonal Housewives website for more info. The complete list of dates is also available at The Official Toyah Gigs page at toyahwillcox.com. (Thanks to Sharon Dickson for the flyer)
• Indie London: Hormonal Housewives: A second national tour of Hormonal Housewives will visit New Wimbledon Theatre on April 19, 2013. With previous Hormonal Housewives including Margi Clark and Carol Smillie, 2013’s ladies will be led by British pop icon Toyah Willcox and writer Julie Coombe, with further casting to be announced.
• Official Blog: Toyah talks Hormonal Housewives in her latest missive: “I am getting ready to tour Hormonal Housewives, dealing with the press for 67 dates, all in different towns.”
• Asda: Win! One of 25 pairs of tickets to watch Hormonal Housewives at a venue near you. (you may have to enable cookies first before entering the competition). There’s another link to this at Competition Hunter.
• Facebook: Visit the Hormonal Housewives Facebook page.
Toyah tours the UK from the beginning of March to the end of May in Hormonal Housewives. The full dates, over 70 in total, are available at the show’s website and the Official Gigs page at toyahwillcox.com. There has already been online press reports on the tour, including the Lancaster Guardian, This is Total Essex and the Brighouse Echo.
