The first series of The Older Woman, the six-part radio drama which was originally broadcast in 1993, begins airing again on BBC Radio 4 Extra from today.
Toyah plays Elsa, alongside Martun Clunes and Zoë Wanamaker as Roy and Jane in this excellent, and slightly surreal, drama by Tony Bagley. Toyah also performs the theme song to The Older Woman.
The series, produced by Paul Schlesinger, also features David Troughton, Geoff McGivern, David Holt, Keith Drinkel and Melanie Hudson in a variety of roles.
The Older Woman: BBC Radio 4 Extra: Monday 25th June: 7am/5pm
The Older Woman: BBC Radio 4 Extra: Tuesday 26th June: 5am
The Older Woman: BBC Radio 4 Extra: Saturday 30th June: 12pm
Episode 1 of 6. Local hack journalist Roy Hitchcock meets his former English teacher, and sets out on a crusade to win her heart against all odds. Stars Zoe Wanamaker, Martin Clunes and Toyah Willcox. From January 1993.
• Below are a couple of Radio Times clippings with a little more detail about the series, published when The Older Woman originally aired in January 1993. (Thanks to Anthony Lewis)
Toyah is celebrating her 40th year in music and her 60th Birthday later in the year with four special gigs, one of which takes place at The Fleece in Bristol on 1st November. Click on their promo image below for full details of all four gigs at Toyah’s Official Gigs page.
Dreamscape’s Gallery section will be returning to the site in the not too distant future. There are 1000s of photos of Toyah to browse at the gallery from her mindbogglingly vast and eclectic career. Click below for a look at just one of the many Gallery pages – Toyah 2010 –.
Thanks to Sharon Dickson, Kevin Slyfield, Becky Varley, Claire Wade, Barry Delaney and Claire (FestivalFolkie) for the fantastic photos above of Toyah at Rewind Scotland 2011, Rebellion Festival 2011, Here & Now 80s Concert, Ascot and Wickham Festival 2011. (Great photos and fantastic memories!)
Toyah was a guest at yesterday’s V&A Summer Party. The annual party took place last night at the famous museum itself in South West London. Here’s a couple of press reports featuring photos of Toyah. The Telegraph reported: Singer Toyah Willcox opted for a summer floral midi dress, which she paired with a cobalt clutch.
A previously unpublished photo of Toyah is included on the new official promo image for the Acoustic, Up Close & Personal concerts.
The Acoustic… gigs are now in their fifth year of playing venues around the country, having debuted in February 2014, and show no sign of ending anytime soon!
Many thousands of people have enjoyed hearing Toyah talk about her career, and perform songs from her vast discography acoustically via these gigs.
An update today from Official Toyah on Toyah’s Acoustic… date(s) at Trading Boundaries in October:
Toyah will now be doing two nights at Trading Boundaries, in East Sussex, LIVE this October.
Both evenings will feature a three-piece acoustic band and feature unplugged version of Toyah classics including the recently added Angel & Me, Race Through Space and We Are.
Dining tickets have sold out for 13 October but are now available for 14 October.
• Further info/Book tickets at Trading Boundaries Music. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)
Headliners announced as town prepares to host L Fest
The UK’s only lesbian festival has revealed its two headline acts for the event in Llandudno next month.
Katrina Leskanich and Toyah Willcox will headline a long list of performers at L Fest which will be held in Bodafon Fields between July 13 and 16.
Best known for signing in Katrina and the Waves, Katrina Leskanich won the 1997 Eurovision song contest with Love Shine a Light after rising to prominence with her 1985 hit Walking on Sunshine.
Willcox is an award-winning rock legend as well as a much-loved stage/screen actress and music composer. She has had 13 top 40 singles, recorded 24 albums, written two books, appeared in more than 40 stage plays, acted in 20 feature films and presented hundreds of TV programmes.
• Continue reading at the North Wales Pioneer. Visit the L Fest 2018 website.
Dreamscape’s Gallery section will be returning to the site in the not too distant future. There’s 1000s of photos of Toyah to browse and I’ve been asked numerous times when it will be available again. Click below for a look at just one of the many Gallery pages – Toyah Live 2015.
Thanks to Brian Marsh, Official Toyah, Chesney Hawkes, Paul/P A C Photography, Damon King, Angus Turner, Ian Davis, Mark Evans and Rewind Scotland for the great shots above.
Sparkling set from Toyah closes Devizes Arts Festival
The stage of the Devizes’ Corn Exchange was set for a spectacular performance on Saturday night and Toyah didn’t disappoint. She took the audience, many of whom were lifelong fans, through her back catalogue of hits, including ‘It’s a Mystery’ and ‘I want to be free’. Toyah was 60 earlier this year but you wouldn’t have thought it as she danced and jumped around, wearing a gold dress which sparkled as she moved.
Her performance was even more impressive when she revealed that this was her second gig of the day!
Many of Toyah’s fans have a connection with her which goes back nearly 40 years and they loved every minute of the gig.
It was a night to remember and a fitting end to the main programme of this year’s Devizes Arts Festival.
• Continue reading at the Gazette & Herald.
Absolutely stunning photos of Toyah from her gig on Saturday at Devizes Arts Festival. Please click on them to view larger versions. (Thanks to Angus | Photos © Angus Turner)
• Take a look at just some of the great Toyah Live photos Angus has contributed to Dreamscape over the years… Amazing! Thanks again to Angus.
A fab weekend of concerts for Toyah: “THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! to everyone who made Minehead, Lets Rock Leeds, Devizes and Bognor the best weekend ever! 4 concerts in 3 days…..bring it on xxx photos courtesy Gail Foster“. Click below to visit Toyah at Twitter.
Two great photos of Toyah onstage at Let’s Rock Leeds yesterday afternoon (below right) and at Devizes Arts Festival (left) last night. (Photos © Devizes Arts Festival / Let’s Rock Leeds Official)
Our patron Toyah Willcox visits The Old Rep
A friend of The Old Rep and patron Toyah Willcox visited us on Friday 8 June to see her dedicated seat plaque in our auditorium.
Greeted at stage door by our Executive Director Michael Penn and General Manager Gary Stevens, Toyah was extremely excited as this was her first time back at the theatre in almost 30 years, back when she used to attend our Old Rep Drama School at the age of just 14.
Toyah’s dedicated seat plaque is located in our stalls, it reads:
‘a space where true happiness was found’
Willcox went on to thank The Old Rep for their hospitality, and said “This is where it all began for me, thank you”.
• Continue reading at The Old Rep Theatre. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)
Another busy weekend of concerts for Toyah, with a pair of 80s Weekender shows last night and on Sunday, a visit to Let’s Rock Leeds this afternoon and a band gig on the penultimate day of Devizes Arts Festival this evening. The festival runs from 31st May – 17th June. Toyah’s gig takes place at Devizes Corn Exchange.
Toyah & her Full Electric Band
Saturday 16th June: Corn Exchange: 8:00pm | £20 Standing only
From punk princess to cult stage actress and high priestess of TV, Toyah Willcox is a uniquely gifted performer and an inextinguishable flame. Charismatic, outspoken and impossible to categorise, she is one of Britain’s iconic household names – an award-winning rock legend as well as a much-loved stage/screen actress and music composer. In a career spanning over 35 years she has amassed 13 top 40 singles, recorded 24 albums and toured live across the world.
In this lively and energetic concert with her full live electric band you can expect to hear hit singles Good Morning Universe, Thunder In The Mountains and It’s A Mystery alongside classics Neon Womb, Danced and Ieya.
• Continue reading at the Devizes Arts Festival website.
Headliners announced for world’s biggest lesbian festival
L Fest takes place in Llandudno next month and two stars form the 80s are topping the bill
The headline acts for “L Fest” the world’s largest lesbian festival have been confirmed. Toyah Willcox and Katrina from Katrina and the Waves will top the bill at the concert which is being held at Bodafon Farm Park, Llandudno between Friday July 13 and Monday July 16.
With a month until the festival gets underway, the organisers have announced the two “global 80’s icons” who will take centre stage. Katrina will headline on the Saturday and Toyah Willcox will top the bill on Sunday.
• Continue reading at the North Wales Daily Post. (Photo from 1985 © Daily Record)
Toyah Willcox and Katrina from Katrina and the Waves to headline world’s biggest lesbian festival
Toyah Willcox and Katrina and the Waves will be headlining “the world’s biggest lesbian festival” in July. L Fest, which takes place in Llandudno, north Wales, is going back to the Eighties to provide entertainment for its queer female audience.
“ONE MONTH TO GOOOOO and we have something to shout about, we are sooo excited at HQ. Here are our headliners for L Fest 2018 and as we know how so many of you love your 80’s, we have not one but two GLOBAL 80’s ICONS for you!” wrote L Fest on its Facebook page.
• Continue reading at Pink News.
“Managed to visit the building where it all started for me. Birmingham Old Rep Theatre. It was wonderful to be back, thank u xxxx” – See the full photo at Twitter. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)
Quadrophenia: Film 4 HD: Monday 25th June: 1.35am
The Who wrote and produced this energetic story of a young man disillusioned with his life in 1960s London. Phil Daniels excels as the alienated anti-hero Jimmy Cooper. Director: Franc Roddam. Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Toyah Willcox, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting, and Ray Winstone.
Toyah’s June 2018 blog is available to read at toyahwillcox.com – Click below to read.
A review of Toyah’s gig at The O2 Academy, Newcastle on Saturday, by Northeast Music Guide.
Toyah emerged covered in gold. Good Morning Universe was the opening number, an ageless classic. Toyah had a sparkle in her eye and energy that belies her 60 years. Next, from album Anthem: We Are. Toyah’s introduction suggested it should have been a single. Very in the vein of 8th Day, by Hazel O’Connor.
Her cover of Echo Beach was, in our opinion, better than the Martha And The Muffins original.
Inroducing Thunder in the Mountains, Toyah mentions the mad 80s videos. This song got some early audience participation. Toyah told us about Neon Womb, which was written 40 years ago whilst filming with Katherine Hepburn. Being lonely in hotel rooms as a young woman inspired this claustrophobic track.
Next was Rebel Run and then a song for those who got into trouble with their mothers for dying their hair pink: Be Proud Be Loud ( Be Heard). Toyah is wonderfully eccentric and loved by the appreciative audience as she twirls and takes a bow at the end.
• Continue reading at Northeast Music Guide. (Words and photos: Joanne Oliver for Jowheretogo and Carliol Photography)
The classic 1980 episode of Minder, “All Mod Cons”, starring Toyah as Kate alongside Dennis Waterman and George Cole airs again a few times on ITV4 later this month.
Minder: ITV4: Wednesday 20th June: 2.50pm
Minder: ITV4: Thursday 21st June: 2am
Minder: ITV4: Sunday 24th June: 9am
All Mod Cons. Arthur decides to sell Terry’s flat without his permission. Meanwhile, Terry gets a job minding at a local club and ends up getting into more trouble than he had planned for when he realises the club’s manager is on the fiddle. Starring: George Cole, Dennis Waterman, Toyah Willcox, Simon Cadell, James Ottaway, and Tony Osaba. (Series 2, Episode 8, 1980). Also showing on ITV4 HD and ITV4 +1.
Jubilee, celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year, is showing at The Electric Cinema in Birmingham on Saturday 28th July at 5.30pm. Click below for further info.
Derek Jarman’s apocalyptic fantasia Jubilee couldn’t have been made in any other decade than the 1970s, shot through with punk aesthetics and featuring turns from Adam Ant, Siousxie & The Banshees and Toyah Willcox.
Filmed during the year of Queen Elizabeth II’s silver jubilee, Jarman’s film sees Elizabeth I and her alchemist Dr John Dee conjure up Shakespeare’s sprite Ariel, who sends them travelling through time to a brutal dystopian version of 1970s London where violent girl gangs roam the capital and Westminster cathedral has been turned into a gay disco club.
Sticking two bloodied fingers up to the establishment, Jubilee is a gloriously messy affair that’s as petty and nihilistic as the punk movement it aimed to simultaneously represent and satirise on screen, whilst Rocky Horror fans will get a thrill from seeing Nell Campbell and Richard O’Brien in Jarman’s eccentric cast.
