Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

The curtain closed on Canterbury’s Sleeping Beauty pantomime for the final time at the weekend. And crowds still turned up to the show, despite widespread snowfall across the area. Since its first show on 30 November, nearly 84,00 people turned up to see the pantomime, which starred singers Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox.

Marlowe Theatre director Mark Everett said: “More people saw Sleeping Beauty than any other Marlowe pantomime. I am absolutely delighted that they enjoyed such a wonderful show and my thanks go to the cast, company and all the theatre staff who worked so hard to make it such a success, especially over the last few, snowy, days.”

• Continue reading at Canterbury People.

Another new review for Sleeping Beauty, now into its final 10 days at The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury. High praise for the production, and Toyah, by the British Theatre Guide.

As soon as ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ sweeps across the auditorium spreading its melodic happiness during the overture, the audience knows they’re in for a good time. Last year’s Cinderella at the Marlowe Theatre was a resounding success, but somehow Evolution Productions has managed to top it with this year’s festive treat Sleeping Beauty.

Not only does the production boast an excellent Comic and Dame, it has one of the finest Villains in Pantoland in the form of Toyah Willcox’s Carabosse. An experienced pantomime performer, Willcox knows how to work an audience and ensure she gets the boos her character so desires. Her involvement in the schoolroom scene works well as she tries to think up ways to prick the Princess and a mysterious birthday card efficiently lures Beauty to her fate.

• Continue reading at the British Theatre Guide. Read more Sleeping Beauty reviews here.

Toyah’s brief appearance, from early December, on ITV1’s Lorraine is still available to watch online at the ITV website.

More than half a million people have been checking out our Little Black Dress Diet – and there are just two days to go until our finale on Thursday! Today it’s all about last-minute tips, and to get us in the Christmas mood, Jane Wake has enlisted the help of panto stars Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox to show us some great simple arm exercises.

It’s the first Gallery update of 2013! Sensational photos of Toyah, Gareth Gates and some of the Sleeping Beauty cast. These shots were taken on Wednesday. View larger versions at Dreamscape’s Gallery. (Photos © Brian Marsh Photography | Thanks to Brian)

For those that are still feeling even slightly festive. Toyah’s panto, Sleeping Beauty at The Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, continues way through until Sunday 20th January. Dates and ticket info is available at The Marlowe’s website. Check out Dreamscape’s bumper Sleeping Beauty news section, and read all the great reviews for the show, and Toyah.

A second review, published on Thursday, of Sleeping Beauty by Kent Online.

Where the mishaps are magical

The mark of a great panto is how unscripted those apparently off-the-cuff moments appear. Great writers weave in sequences where things seem to go wrong, that are in fact, carefully choreographed mishaps. Equally the mark of a great pantomime actor is how convincing they can make these “slip ups” appear. In both cast and script, Sleeping Beauty at the Marlowe Theatre had these qualities in abundance.

The crowd were even left wondering whether members of the audience were in fact, strategically placed crew members, such was the hilarity of some of the heckles. “Don’t touch it!” shrilly screamed someone at the back as Carabosse, played deliciously devilish by Toyah Willcox, revealed the last working spinning wheel in the land to Beauty, played by Faye Brooks.

• Continue reading at Kent Online. Read their other review, from 6th December, here.

Another positive review for Sleeping Beauty at The Marlowe Theatre, this one by Inquire Live.

Sleeping Beauty is the pantomimic treat at the Marlowe theatre this year. Paul Hendy’s vibrantly stunning, glittering, unashamedly hilarious show will have you in gleeful spirits and ready for the upcoming holidays. Where else will you find a heart-warming fairy tale, countless gags, sing-alongs, wacky costumes, and a well-rounded cast of actors, comedians, dancers, and a fire breathing dragon, all in the same place? I’ll give you a clue: Nowhere.

Toyah Willcox as Carabosse was sassy, edgy, and her rock numbers were electric.

• Continue reading at Inquire Live.

Yet another positive review for Sleeping Beauty at The Marlowe, this one by This is Kent.

Good Fairy Katrina Bryan from children’s TV show Nina and the Neurons has cast her magic spell the Marlowe Theatre to create a spectacular production of Sleeping Beauty. In the wake of last year’s hugely successful pantomime Cinderella, production company Evolution had a lot to live up to.

The cast and crew do not disappoint. Sleeping Beauty has all the ingredients for a festive family treat packed with glitz, glamour, camp comedy and a fire-breathing dragon.

Former punk princess Toyah Willcox is enchanting as the evil queen Carabosse. She has great stage presence and basks in the boos and hisses as she plots against the beautiful princess who *****s her finger on a poisoned needle and falls asleep for 100 years.

• Continue reading at This is Kent.

Laughs, frights and too much water at Marlowe panto

It’s that time of year when hundreds of people gather in one place to watch a man dressed as a woman dressed as a jockey riding an ostrich.

Or at least that was my expert assessment as I sat down at the Marlowe on Tuesday to watch this year’s panto Sleeping Beauty.

Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates, as the charming Prince Michael, and ex-punk princess Toyah Willcox, playing the evil Carabosse, were given star billing.

• Continue reading at Kent Online.

The third review of the day for Sleeping Beauty, and it’s another one full of praise from Kent News.

Writing a pantomime can be no easy task. There before you sits an audience as diverse as Alec Guinness’ CV and all with the expectation that their hard-earned money spent on the tickets will deliver laughs and pratfalls a-plenty.

With that in mind, there’s also the added complication of weaving in the particular talents of your eclectic cast – drawn from a wide variety of showbusiness disciplines – and still make sure you don’t lose sight of driving the storyline along.

Toyah Willcox is an excellent Carabosse, endlessly eliciting boos and jeers as her character looks to kill the young princess.

• Continue reading at Kent News.

A positive review for The Marlowe Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty, and Toyah, by The Stage.

This rather wet show meant that my notebook was soaked during the water pistol chase. And water spouts out of every corner and orifice in a hilarious slapstick scene set in a bathroom with Lloyd Hollett – very accomplished as Jangles – and Ben Roddy, terrific as Nurse Nellie. But water makes for wonderful comedy, and Hollett and Roddy know how to exploit every drop of it.

Rather drier, but also in fine form, is the ever-youthful Toyah Willcox, who cackles, curses, sings and dances like a teenager as Carabosse, the wicked fairy.

• Continue reading at The Stage.

Sleeping Beauty reviewed by The Public Reviews.

It’s panto time again and Paul Hendy and Emily Wood’s Evolution Productions is back in residence at Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre. This production brings the sunshine back to a cold winter’s evening with plenty of laughs and heaps of audience participation.

The ‘big names’ this year are Toyah Willcox as Carabosse the bad fairy, and Gareth Gates as Prince Michael, closely followed by children’s favourite Katrina Bryan as Fairy Moonbeam.  Toyah Willcox has an incredible energy and presence, and her vocals are strong in her rock numbers, as expected.

• Continue reading at The Public Reviews.

A few screen caps from Toyah’s guest appearance on Lorraine. Click below to zoom!

This morning’s edition of ITV1’s Lorraine is now available to watch online at ITV Player.

Lorraine Kelly presents a topical mix of entertainment, discussion and showbiz glamour.

Toyah’s short guest appearance is in part three of the programme. This will remain online at ITV Player for the next seven days.

Toyah’s guest appearance on Lorraine, along with Gareth Gates, finally airs this morning.

The footage was pre-recorded last week. Lorraine is airing this morning from 8.30am to 9.25am on ITV1. It should be available to watch online at ITV Player post broadcast.

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.