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.
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)
• 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)
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!
Canterbury’s Christmas lights will be switched on in St George’s Street on Thursday, November 15 at 5.30pm.
Herne Bay’s switch-on will be on Friday, November 16, in Mortimer Street, starting at 4pm with the lights going on at 5pm.
Whitstable’s event is on Saturday, November 17, starting with a parade from the harbour to the library at 4.45pm, followed by the switch-on at 6pm. Stars from the Marlowe Theatre pantomime Sleeping Beauty will be flicking the switch at all three events.
• Continue reading at Whitstable People.
Following on from last Wednesday’s post about the Sleeping Beauty cast switching on the Christmas Lights in three different towns, it now looks like there is a fourth!
Countdown to Christmas: Christmas in Whitefriars is always a magical experience and this year is no exception. The Marlowe Theatre panto stars will officially launch Christmas in the city on Thursday 15 November. The popular lights switch-on event in St George’s Street will also feature a mix of games, community activities and music performances.
Smash Hit Panto: 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.
• Continue reading at Whitefriars Canterbury.
Pop star Gareth Gates and former punk singer Toyah Willcox headline the Marlowe Theatre’s pantomime Sleeping Beauty.
Gareth will play Prince Charming to leading lady Faye Brooks who played Elle in the UK tour of Legally Blonde, while Toyah takes up the role of the Wicked Fairy. They will be joined by Katrina Bryan, Nina in CBeebies children’s series Nina and the Neurons, and Margate-born comedian Lloyd Hollett who has supported Jim Davidson on his UK tour.
• Continue reading at This is Kent.
It looks like Toyah and the Sleeping Beauty cast will be lighting up a lot of lives this Christmas, with not one, not two, but three Christmas Lights switch ons. In Herne Bay (16 Nov/5pm), and Deal (22 Nov/7.30pm) and Dover (24 Nov/5.30pm).
Dover Locals: Christmas starts in Dover the 24th November this year as the Town Council are hosting the annual Christmas Switch-on event: The light switch on will take place at 5.30pm in the Market Square 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.
Visit Canterbury: Christmas Lights Switch On at Herne Bay (Fri 16th Nov): Christmas Lights switch on with live music and the stars from the Marlowe Panto Sleeping Beauty. The event starts at 4pm, Christmas light switch on at 5pm.
Herne Bay TP: Panto Stars to Switch On the Herne Bay Lights: The stars for the Marlowe Panto, Sleeping Beauty, including Gareth Gates and Toyah will be switching on Herne Bay Christmas Lights,on Friday 16 November 2012.
• Browse all of our Sleeping Beauty at The Marlowe Theatre 2012 news.
A new trailer for Toyah’s Christmas 2012 panto, Sleeping Beauty at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, has recently been uploaded to You Tube… Oh yes it has! (Thanks to Paul Lomas)
The Marlowe Theatre certainly know how to promote their panto. This was spotted in Canterbury today. View more info on Sleeping Beauty here. (Thanks to Brian Marsh)
There’s a new photo of the Sleeping Beauty cast in the Autumn 2012 Marlowe Theatre brochure, plus full details of the 2012 panto. This is one of Toyah’s lengthiest, running for eight weeks and a, staggering, 90 performances, between 30th November and 20th January, including a handful of three shows in one day. Download it from the theatre’s website.
Evolution Pantomimes have updated their website with details and images for all of their 2012/13 festive season productions, including Toyah’s Sleeping Beauty.
Sleeping Beauty at The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
Cast: Gareth Gates, Toyah Willcox, Katrina Bryan, Ben Roddy, Lloyd Hollett, Faye Brooks, Ieuan Rhys. Director: Paul Hendy; MD: Chris Wong; Choreographer: Paul Tracy.
More photos from yesterday’s Sleeping Beauty press launch/photo call. These were all tweeted by the Marlowe Theatre, the venue where Toyah’s panto for 2012 will play. An advert/etrailer was also filmed to promote the panto. There’s a new video interview with Gareth Gates at Kent Online. This includes footage of Toyah. (Photos © Marlowe Theatre)
Pop Idol and punk princess look to build on success
The stars were out in force ahead of the new Marlowe Theatre pantomime for 2012, Sleeping Beauty.
Pop Idol star Gareth Gates and punk legend Toyah Willcox head the cast which also includes Katrina Bryan, better known as Nina from the CBeebies series Nina and the Neurons.
A stint on Dancing on Ice in 2008 prompted Gareth to change musical direction and he went on to take the lead role in Joseph And His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. He has since appeared in Les Miserables, both on the 25th anniversary tour and in the West End. Former punk princess Toyah appeared in six productions at the old Marlowe and is delighted to be returning to the new venue, where she will play the Wicked Fairy
Sleeping Beauty is at The Marlowe Theatre from 30 November to 20 January 2013. To book tickets, call the Box Office on 01227 787787 or go to marlowetheatre.com
• Continue reading at Kent News. (Photos © Kent News)
Gareth Gates made a promise to the county as he led the cast of Sleeping Beauty at the Marlowe Theatre pantomime launch. The singer and actor, who has sold more than 3.5 million records in the UK, will play a cheeky Prince who is “more Prince Harry than Prince William” when the show gets underway. Gareth, 27, was joined outside the theatre in Canterbury on Monday, June 25, by punk princess and actress Toyah Willcox and CBeebies’ Katrina Bryan from Nina and the Neurons.
Toyah Willcox, who has a home in Canterbury, has only had one Christmas off from panto since her first one in 1993. This will be her seventh Marlowe Theatre pantomime. She said: “It’s a great Christmas tradition which you get nowhere else in the world. It is a time for the family to be together. I love it. I wouldn’t know what to do if I didn’t do panto.”
• Continue reading at Kent Online. (Photo © Kent Online)
