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.
Steve Lamacq’s Rock College is now available to listen to online at BBC iPlayer. It will remain there until 11pm next Thursday.
You don’t need books, there’s no detention and the common room record player works. Lammo opens the doors to his rock college, joined by Bernard Sumner, Toyah and Gideon Coe.
Toyah was Guest Lecturer: She talked about the moment that changed her life forever: First seeing, and hearing, David Bowie, specifically the album ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’.
Toyah talks passionately about Bowie and the influence his music and imagery had on her life and career, as well as many other people over the years. She appears at approximately 44 minutes into the show.
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.
The artwork for both the Australian and American DVD releases of Doctor Who: The Legacy Collection (aka The Legacy Box) have now been made available. These go on sale in early January 2013. BBC Worldwide are releasing the DVD in the USA as Shada, but do still include More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS as an extra. No sign of the Region 2 artwork as yet. View much more info on this release at The Doctor Who Site.
A few more photos from The Changeling Resurrection II Tour, taken at The Horn, St Albans and Concorde2, Brighton, the final two dates. View these and numerous others from many of the tour dates at Dreamscape’s TCRII Gallery. (A huge thank you to Angus Turner)
• Toyah is currently featured on the front page of the Vintage TV website, advertising the forthcoming Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo. There are now three showings of the new festive special in the schedules. See the air dates & times here.
• TCM Turner Classic Movies: Tempest, The (1979) — (Movie Ciip) The Goddess On Whom These Airs Attend.
• The Tempest is showing on TCM tonight at 11.15pm – The film reimagines The Tempest as a homoerotic romp with punk overtones (primarily courtesy Toyah Willcox, here cast as Miranda).
• Toyah’s short interview on Radio Verulam which aired at the end of October is now available as a transcript at The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive. Click below to view/read. There’s also a great Changeling Resurrection 2012 Tour Archive. View that here.
• 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)
Toyah is guesting on BBC Radio 2 later tonight on Steve Lamacq’s Rock College.
Steve Lamacq’s Rock College: BBC Radio 2
Thursday 22nd November: 11pm
Lammo opens the doors to his Rock College with help from Bernard Sumner and Toyah.
The show can be listened to online as it airs at the Radio 2 website and will also be available at BBC iPlayer post broadcast and will remain online for a week.
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.
• Birmingham Mail: The Tube broke the mould – and a few new bands too: An interview with Chris Phipps, Toyah’s co-presenter on Look! Hear! and Assistant Producer on The Tube. The article also includes a rare photo taken at Pebble Mill in 1981.
• This is North Devon: Adam Ant, Suggs and Toyah head to North Devon: They are just some of the names waiting in the wings to entertain you this autumn. North Devon Theatres announces a new season to brighten up winter nights.
• TellyMix: I’m A Celebrity 2012: Limahl missing his gadgets: “I can’t compare it to anything I have done before. And yet if my own heroes and heroines, Christopher Biggins, Toyah Willcox and Sheila Ferguson, can do it, then so can I.”
• Big Weekends: Here and Now, Bognor, March 2013: Join us at Bognor Regis for Here and Now, a brand new break showcasing some of the biggest and best stars of the 80s.
• BBC Radio Two: Both ‘It’s A Mystery’ and ‘I Want To Be Free’ have been played on BBC Radio Two over the last few days. Toyah and Robert Fripp were also the subject of one of the questions on last night’s Eggheads on BBC2.
• Bennett Griffin: What will we do for Children in Need? “It’s A Mystery”!! – I don’t ever recall Toyah sporting the look Jackie opted for but, hey ho, it was all for a good cause!
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)
Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Thursday 29th November: 2.00pm
Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Monday 3rd December: 11.00am
Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Wednesday 5th December: 2.00pm
Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Saturday 8th December: 11.00am
Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Monday 10th December: 2.00pm
Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Tuesday 11th December: 11.00am
Cosy up with family and friends as Toyah Willcox brings you 30 of the finest Christmas songs and a sprinkling of festive stories, surrounded by an extraordinary variety of creatures great and small.
• Watch the trailer at Vintage TV’s You Tube channel.
An incredibly rare Toyah photo from 1979. This was only ever used during Toyah’s Neon Womb performance on PopRock in 1980. (A huge thank you to Andi)
Kavanagh Q.C.: ITV3: Monday 26th November: 11.35am
A Family Affair (1995). Kavanagh finds himself caught up in a bitter family feud when he represents a frustrated father who has kidnapped his son in a desperate attempt to win custody. On the home front, Kavanagh’s daughter wants to let her boyfriend stay overnight. Directed by Renny Rye. With John Thaw, Holly Aird, Robert Ashby, Toyah Willcox and Lisa Harrow. Also showing on ITV3 HD.
Toyah’s November blog is now available to read at toyahwillcox.com, and it’s a missive of two, starkly different, halves. As you’ll see when you have read it! Click below to read.
• 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.
More information on the forthcoming Doctor Who DVD set ‘The Legacy Box’ has been made available by the British Board of Film Classification.
The set will be bursting with extras, including tributes to Verity Lambert and Nicholas Courtney, the full 2003 Shada animation starring Paul McGann and a More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS photo gallery.
• A full rundown of ‘The Legacy Box’ contents is available at Doctor Who News.
Striking similarities between these two amazing live photographs of Toyah, taken 30 years apart during tours celebrating the same album: One from The Changeling Resurrection II 2012, by the very talented Paul Crutchley, and the other from The Changeling Tour 1982. Please click below to zoom. (2012 photo by Paul Crutchley | Photo © PAC Photography)
