Wishing all of
Dreamscape's readers a very Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you
to everyone who has taken the time to
visit the site and an extra thanks to all
who contributed news and much viewed
& appreciated photos. Sending extra
special thoughts to anyone who is alone
this year or missing a loved one, and
Season's Greetings too, of course, to
Toyah and Robert x
Toyah
@ Christmas: Once Upon A
Christmas
Christmas
Eve, 2011
Christmas
1996, Toyah contributed a thoughtful
recollection of childhood Christmasses to
the charity publication 'Once Upon A
Christmas'. This book is now out of
print.
In this delightful Christmas book, a host
of our most popular and well-known
celebrities from all walks of life have
contributed stories, memories, recipes
and thoughts about Christmas to make this
the most irresistible festive anthology
there is... Once Upon A Christmas will
help to put - and keep - you in the
Christmas spirit.
Toyah Willcox: Broadcaster and
Singer
Childhood Christmasses were the most
magical.
It was the appearance of the Christmas
tree that cued two weeks of sheer
all-encompassing joy. I'm talking about
being four years old. Just able to talk
but unable to comprehend the hidden
meanings of the words of wisdom from the
giants, the adults.
My family home, although modest, was a
castle to me and everything in it was
rare and precious. But the Christmas tree
was proof that Narnia, fairies,
hobgoblins and fauns truly did exist. For
the tree miraculously appeared overnight
and it shed such light and a divine
perfume. Being small, I could sit under
it all evening with the glass baubles
dangling in my face.
Christmas
was a time that my brother was nice to
me. Fighting was not on the agenda, only
receiving.
Oh, it was perfect. I was too young to do
any washing-up, too small to hoover, too
innocent to be blamed when icing was
picked off the uncut Christmas cake. In
later years my teeth marks gave me away
and punishment followed.
In retrospect my parents were
miracle-workers. I totally believed in
the existence of Father Christmas until
an embarrassingly late age. But back
then, at two in the morning, my brother
would wake me to say Father Christmas had
been because there were stockings on our
beds, and we'd snuggle up under the
blankets with torches, sworn enemies
calling a truce on Christmas Day and eat
all the chocolate in our heavily laden
stockings. I'd boast that I'd heard
Father Christmas on the stairs and he'd
pooh-pooh the very thought, being five
years older than me.
In the morning Mum
and Dad would play Hard to Wake Up. We'd
take them tea and biscuits in bed, made
by my sister Nicola because she was eight
years older and could reach the kettle.
Then they'd slowly amble downstairs to
the door of the lounge which had been
locked by Father Christmas and wouldn't
be unlocked until he knew we'd been good
children. This drove me into a frenzy,
because I didn't fully understand the
concept of good and if this man could
come all the way from Lapland and deliver
our presents in one night surely he must
be like God and know whether we'd been
good or not. This was my first experience
of guilt!
Shazam! The door would be ceremoniously
opened by my father, and my brother and
sister and myself would dive into what
seemed a sea of treasures. My parents
were unforgettably generous. There'd be a
blackboard on an easel, a tricycle, Rupert
Bear annuals, punch balls (I was
determined to beat my brother in our many
fracas), cowboy outfits, Etcha-Sketch, Blue
Peter annuals - the list is endless.
Magic does exist and it's invariably
performed by those people who keep their
children innocent of their hard work,
parents!
Christmas, to me, is a place where I wish
time itself would stand still and embrace
us all, for ever, in that feeling of
love, security and happiness.
(Thanks, and a Merry Christmas,
to Paul Lomas)
The
Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz:
Screen Caps
22 December, 2011
Screen caps from The
Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz. This has
been showing on 'Vintage TV' for the last
week and there are still numerous
opportunities to
catch it. The next airing is on Christmas
Eve at 6pm and Christmas Day at Midday
and 9pm. Please click on the caps for
larger versions.
Steve
Lamacq Show: BBC iPlayer
22 December, 2011
Yesterday's
Steve Lamacq 'BBC Radio 6 Music' show,
with Toyah guesting, is now available,
for the next six days, at 'BBC iPlayer'.
Toyah talks panto in the show's Panto
Good Day Bad Day feature (this was Bad
Day as Toyah is playing the baddie in Snow
White). She also discusses the first
single she bought (T Rex's 'Ride A White
Swan'), the best gig she attended (David
Bowie at Milton Keynes Bowl, 1983), her
good day ('A Forest' by The Cure) and bad
day ('I Hope There's Someone' by Antony
and the Johnsons) records, and next
year's The Changeling Resurrection.
Toyah's interview begins approximately
45m in and runs for around seven minutes.
Listen here.
Toyah
@ Christmas: Pop Goes Christmas
1982
20 December, 2011
Hallelujah
Noel... I can't let a Christmas
go by without including this... Boxing
Day (or Christmas Sunday) 1982: Pop
Goes Christmas on ITV. Toyah
performs the Greg Lake classic 'I Believe
In Father Christmas' with Joel Bogen and
Keith Hale looking festive amongst the
forest of lit up trees. I love the
original but this should maybe also have
been released as a single. Fans may not
have approved back in 1982 but in
retrospect it would have meant Toyah
being played on radio and all the digital
music channels every December :)
Christmas
Sunday: 26th December 1982: ITV/London
Weekend Television (LWT)
4:45pm Pop Goes Christmas: Guests; David
Essex, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Duran
Duran, Mari Wilson & The Wilsations,
Musical Youth, Shakin' Stevens, Simon
Drake, The Nolans, Toto Coelo, Toyah,
Wah!, St. Winifred's School Choir.
Toyah
@ Christmas: Christmas Day TOTP
1981
20 December, 2011
On
Christmas Day 1981 Top Of The Pops
included Toyah performing their biggest
hit of the year, 'It's A Mystery', with
Toyah looking incredible, and incredibly
similar to the sleeve of the, recently
released, 'Four More From Toyah' EP. Only
the night before the band had appeared on
The Old Grey Whistle Test, live
from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The
concert, and this Top Of The Pops
appearance, marked the end of an
amazingly successful year for Toyah.
Definitely a year worth celebrating 30
years later!
I
Was A Teenage Toyah Fan @ Amazon
20 December, 2011
'I
Was A Teenage Toyah Fan' is now available
to buy at Amazon.com.
A page is also now online at Amazon.co.uk,
though the book can't be ordered just
yet.
Rare
Toyah: Three Photos From 1980
18 December, 2011
There's just a week to go
now till Christmas Day... Here's an early
pressie, courtesy of the fantastic Andi
Westhorpe. Three rare photos of Toyah,
looking amazing, from 1980. Please click
on the photos for larger versions. (I'd
like to dedicate this post to Jack -
Thanks again to Andi)
Toyah
@ Christmas: Toyah's Vintage
Christmas 2011
18 December, 2011
Festivelicious
screen caps from Toyah's Vintage
Christmas, which has been airing on
'Vintage TV' over the past week. There's
another eight, yes eight, chances to
catch the three-hour festive special
between now and Boxing Day. It is next on
again tomorrow at 11am and Tuesday at
8pm. The programme is packed full of
Christmas music, seasonal trivia and
Toyah. What better way could there be to
rollercoast towards Christmas Day? Please
click on the caps for larger versions.
Dreamscape
News Archive: November 2011
18 December, 2011
Dreamscape's Toyah news for
November 2011 has now been added to our
News Archive.
Snow
White: Newsy Bits & Pieces!
16 December, 2011
•
Snow White is included in the
latest issue of 'All About St Albans'
(Autumn to Winter 2011): Panto
Fun: This year enjoy Snow White
at the Alban Arena (9 December - 1
January). Celebs include pop icon, Toyah
Willcox as the Wicked Queen. Read the
magazine online here.
• View a great selection of photos
from the first performances of the panto,
at 'The Aban Arena Facebook', here.
The photos are viewable without a
Facebook account.
• View another selection of photos
of Toyah, from last week's This
Morning panto appearance, here.
• St Albans City FC: Panto cast
visit to St Albans City FC a great
success: The cast of this year’s
Arena pantomime, including Snow White,
the Seven Dwarfs with the Jester and the
Henchman, took time out from their busy
rehearsal schedule to visit to St Albans
City Football Club at Clarence Park. View
photos here
(no Toyah unfortunately).
Snow
White: 'Leighton Buzzard
Observer' Review
16 December, 2011
Positive
review number seven for Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs
at The Alban Arena, St Albans.
What a joke... but this
panto’s great!
Hi-ho, hi-ho it’s off to the Alban
Arena I go... for the obligatory annual
family pilgrimage to a local theatre
during panto season, writes Steve Sims.
But would the success of Snow White dwarf
all other productions I’d seen over
the years, or would this be a poisoned
apple of a show? Leading this year’s
cast in St Albans was singer/TV star
Toyah Willcox as the wicked Queen
Ivannah.
Toyah’s singing talent is not in
question, having had 13 top 40 singles in
her career, and with the boos ringing in
her ears it was obvious the audience, and
indeed the star, were both enjoying every
minute as she belted out her songs.
• Read the full review, at 'Leighton
Buzzard Observer' website, here.
Toyah
On The BBC This Christmas
16 December, 2011
BBC Christmas,
"Consider Yourself One Of Us",
is now online, and the Christmas 'Radio
Times' is out now. Both confirm that once
again Toyah is part of the BBC festive
schedules, on radio and tv.
Steve Lamacq : BBC
Radio 6 Music
Wednesday 21st December : 4.00pm
Toyah Willcox joins Lammo
for Panto Good Day Bad Day. Plus he plays
some of the best new music around as well
as some interesting selections from his
home collection.
Celebrity Antiques
Road Trip : BBC HD - Friday 30th December
: 6.00pm
Episode 4. Tony Blackburn
and Toyah Willcox start their journey in
the historic town of York.
Original BBC productions, Cash In The
Celebrity Attic and Bargain Hunt
Famous Finds are also showing on the
Watch and Home channels.
Snow
White: 'Herts Advertiser' Review
16 December, 2011
A
comprehensive review of Snow
White from 'The
Herts Advertiser'.
All
White on the Night for Alban Arena Panto
It's not often that a pantomime triumphs
on the strength of a multi-layered,
post-modern script and a stand-out
performance from one of the least-known
members of the cast.
But the Alban Arena’s version of
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs manages
to capture the spirit of 1970s BBC light
entertainment and inject it with a 21st
Century twist, producing a piece of
festive theatre which for once entertains
the adults just as much as the kids.
Toyah created an interpretation of the
wicked Queen Ivannah which actually
captured the inherent vanity of an aging
beauty slowly losing her looks, and a
jealousy of the young which that prompted
within her – aided of course by her
ever-exemplary vocals belting out a
selection of revamped Rolling Stones
classics. And in an unbilled cameo (just
like those TV Christmas specials of years
gone by!), her Magic Mirror was played by
none other than Phil Daniels,
pre-recorded of course, but a nice
unexpected touch nonetheless.
• Read the full review, at 'The
Herts Advertiser' website, here.
Toyah
Newsy Bits & Pieces!
16 December, 2011
•
'House Of Self Indulgence' added an
article on Urgh! A Music War to
their website last weekend:
#6
-- Toyah Willcox - "Danced"
– Look at her! Fashion: Toyah's
jumping jacks and new wave-friendly poses
are complimented by one square-shaped
earring that was hung on an angle in her
right ear, two giant gold bracelets on
each arm, and a black mesh top. View here.
• Toyah was interviewed
on Friday Focus on 'Radio
Verulam' today: John Stephenson
interviewed Toyah Willcox and opened by
asking her how should he describe her -
rock star, TV star, actor, author. Toyah
laughed and said she just 'liked
working'. View a summary of the interview
here.
This may be available to listen to soon
at 'Radio Verulam' here.
• Toyah is namechecked in an
interview, published on Wednesday, with
freelance journalist, Paul Cockburn. View
here.
BBC
Radio 6 Music: Steve Lamacq
16 December, 2011
Toyah
will be guesting on The Steve Lamacq
Show on 'BBC Radio 6 Music' next
Wednesday afternoon.
Steve
Lamacq : BBC Radio 6 Music
Wednesday 21st December : 4.00pm
Toyah Willcox joins Lammo for Panto Good
Day Bad Day. Plus he plays some of the
best new music around as well as some
interesting selections from his home
collection.
Snow
White: 'All About St Albans'
Review
14 December, 2011
Five
stars for Snow White,
from 'All About St Albans'. I can't
recall any of Toyah's previous pantos
being quite so universally praised.
Teatime on a chilly Saturday in December
and the Alban Arena was packed with
school groups, scouts, beavers and
slightly harassed parents awaiting this
year's production of Snow White.
Part-way through the first act, when a
slightly restrained audience isn't
fulfilling the expected 'he's behind
you!' role to Bob Golding's character
– Herman the Henchman's
satisfaction, he ad-libs the immortal
line, “Ladies and Gents, it's not
Chekhov, it's panto!”. If you're
over twelve then this is the mindset you
have to adopt when panto season comes
round.
Veteran performer Toyah Willcox revels in
being the classic baddie as Wicked Queen
Ivannah, expertly delivering her own take
on Rolling Stones' tracks 'Sympathy for
the Devil' and 'Paint it Black'. Phil
Daniels also makes an un-credited
appearance as the Queen's Magic Mirror.
• Read the full review, at the 'All
About St Albans' website, here.
Another
four star review for Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs,
from the 'Ealing Times'. Show/ticket info
for Toyah's 2011 panto here.
You can always rely on The Alban Arena to
present a cracking pantomime and this
year’s offering - Snow White and the
Seven Dwarfs, starring Toyah Willcox and
Phil 'Mister Maker’ Gallagher - is
yet another excellent show to add to the
list.
Written by Paul Hendy and directed by Pip
Minnithorpe, it’s a noisy,
rumbustious affair with plenty of all the
elements that make panto unique – a
top-notch baddie, beautiful princess,
handsome prince and a couple of hapless
sidekicks.
Toyah Willcox was suitably scary –
possibly even a little too scary –
as the wicked queen and clearly revelled
in the role.
• Read the full review, at the
'Ealing Times' website, here.
Snow
White: 'The British Theatre
Guide' Review
13 December, 2011
Yet
more praise for Toyah's panto, from 'The
British Theatre Guide'.
Female-led narratives can often lack the
drive of their male counterparts due to
the plot concentrating on matters of the
heart. However at the Alban Arena, Snow
White zips along at a great pace brimming
with energy thanks to a strong script
from Paul Hendy and skilful comic
performances from Bob Golding and Phil
Gallagher as Herman the Henchman and
Muddles.
Meddling in their affairs and wanting to
dispose of Snow White to be re-crowned
the fairest in the land, Toyah
Willcox’s Wicked Queen struts across
the stage, full of venom and ready to
pounce on any unsuspecting man. Her
wicked ways have the audience booing
throughout and Willcox’s musical
numbers enable her to release her inner
rock-chick courtesy of musical direction
from Michael Roulston.
• Read the full review, at 'The
British Theatre Guide' website, here.
St
Albans CDC: Come To The
Mayor’s Carol Concert
13 December, 2011
The
Mayor Cllr Aislinn Lee invites you to
join her and the Deputy Mayor Cllr Geoff
Harrison for traditional Christmas carols
outside the Alban Arena on Sunday 18
December from 4pm until approximately
4.45pm.
The event will be run jointly with Iain
Rennie Grove House Hospice Care who will
be inviting people to take time out of
the busy build up to Christmas to
“Light Up a Life” to remember
friends or loved ones who are no longer
with us. All the funds collected will go
to the hospice.
• Toyah attended yesterday's launch
but there's no indication of whether she
will be at the concert next Sunday | View
the full report here.
Watford
Observer: "My Baddie Is So
Vile"
12 December, 2011
A
new, panto-themed, interview with Toyah
from the 'Watford Observer'.
The opportunity to raise the roof with a
riotous performance has never escaped
Toyah Willcox, as audiences at The Alban
Arena pantomime, Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs, will soon see as she takes on the
role of the Wicked Queen.
"I let rip whatever I do,"
Toyah says. "I give 110 per cent,
which can be a problem or it can be
beneficial. If you’re playing a
baddie you need to have the right to
bring the darkness in. You have to
demonstrate the difference between good
and evil; light and darkness.
"I do like the fact I that can scare
people. Wanting to be liked, telling
jokes or trying not to offend,
that’s not for me.
"My baddie is so vile, I’m so
horrible to Snow White it makes the
audience motivated. If they shout out
things like I really hate you, I think,
well, I’ve done my job properly
then."
• Read the full interview, at the
'Watford Observer' website, here.
Snow
White: 'The Stage' Review
12 December, 2011
Another
positive review for Snow
White in St Albans,
from showbiz bible, 'The Stage'.
If
traditional pantomime is all about the
story, then look no further this
Christmas than the Alban Arena for the
perfect execution of that ideal.
Evolution Productions’ Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs cleverly teases its
audience with charm and good humour, into
a cacophony of delight that threatens to
blow the roof off.
Toyah Willcox’s frightening Queen
Ivannah belts out bitter songs that
juxtapose affably with Bob Golding and
Phil Gallagher’s double act of
Muddles and Herman.
• Read the full review, at 'The
Stage' website, here.
Toyah
@ Christmas: The Festive 50
11 December, 2011
Last Christmas
Dreamscape compiled the 'Toyah Festive
50'. A tinseltastic half tonne of
Yuletide related Toyah facts, figures and
trivia. Revisit the full rundown here.
Why was Toyah Scarlett at Christmas? ...
Who would be her dream dining companion?
... Just how many town's lights did Toyah
switch on at Christmas 2003?... What were
Toyah and Tony Robinson doing at
Christmas 1988? ... Which other
programmes were aired the Christmas Eve
night that Toyah's legendary Theatre
Royal, Drury Lane concert was watched by
millions on BBC2?
Toyah's
Vintage Christmas Takeover
11 December, 2011
Most of the digital
channels have now released their full
Christmas TV schedules, including
'Vintage TV'.
The
channel could be rebranded 'Toyah TV' for
Christmas Eve and Day, with Toyah
programmes on screen for a staggering 12
hours this December 24th & 25th!
The two best days of the
year just got better!
Toyah's Vintage Christmas :
Vintage TV - Christmas Eve :
6.00am/7.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Christmas Day : 7.00am
Snuggle down by the fire
with the family as punk princess, Toyah
Willcox, introduces 30 of the finest
Christmas videos of the 20th Century,
sprinkled with a generous handful of fun
festive facts.
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz :
Vintage TV - Christmas Eve : 6.00pm
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Christmas Day : 12.00pm/9.00pm
Mike Read's 80s hit show Pop
Quiz has been revamped for this Vintage
TV Christmas Special. Toyah, Geno
Washington and Paul Young versus Jay
Aston, Nick Heyward and Dave Hill. Who
will reign supreme?
St
Albans People: Toyah Starts The
Jingle Bell Jog
11 December, 2011
Toyah
Willcox and CBeebies Mister Maker start
The Jingle Bell Jog in St Albans
Toyah Willcox and CBeebies Mister Maker
started The Jingle Bell Jog in St Albans
this morning, Sunday 11th December 2011.
The duo, who are currently starring in
Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs at The
Alban Arena, kicked off the Reindeer Run
all-age event at 11am. Many families with
antlers and flashing red noses took to
the streets of St Albans for the 1.5km
course.
• Read the full report, at the 'St
Albans People' website, here.
Toyah
on Christmas TV
11 December, 2011
Toyah is on TV over this
Christmas possibly more than she has ever
been. There are numerous appearances,
both new and old, with drama, interviews,
music, film, quizzes and more to help you
through the festive season. A retro Cash
In The Celebrity Attic, from July
2008, airs this morning on Watch. Click
below for the full 'Toyah on Christmas
TV' schedule.
Snow
White: 'What's on Stage' Review
11 December, 2011
A
four star review for Toyah's 2011 panto, Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs,
from 'What's on Stage'.
Disney is all very well, but you need
something more – even something
different – when confecting a
pantomime out of the story of Snow White,
her wicked stepmother and the seven
little people who succour her before
Prince Charming steps forward with the
kiss that restores her to life and
happiness. Writer Paul Hendy and director
Pip Minnithorpe are very well served by
their cast and designer Helga Wood in
this version of the story. There's a
particularly effective walk-down in red
Tudor costumes.
Toyah Willcox is Queen Ivannah –
we’re definitely in the Balkans,
perhaps even in Dracula country –
swooping and sweeping across the stage in
a dazzling selection of gleaming costumes
and gravity-defying headpieces.
• Read the full review, at the
'What's on Stage' website, here.
The
Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz
10 December, 2011
The
air date and time for the, revived for
Christmas, Pop Quiz has now been
confirmed for next Thursday. It will also
be shown on Friday (16th December) and a
number of other times in the run up to
Christmas. The programme has a running
time of an hour.
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz :
Vintage TV
Thursday 15th December : 8.30pm
Punk princess Toyah Willcox, R&B soul
star Geno Washington and 80s teenage pop
idol Paul Young versus Bucks Fizz's Jay
Aston, Haircut 100's Nick Heyward and
Slade's Dave Hill, in Mike Read's revived
and revamped Pop Quiz for Vintage TV at
Christmas.
Toyah's
other 'Vintage TV' Yuletide offering, the
(almost) three-hour, Toyah's Vintage
Christmas is repeated this evening
from 7pm.
Toyah's Vintage Christmas :
Vintage TV - Saturday 10th December :
7.00pm
Snuggle down by the fire with the family
as punk princess, Toyah Willcox,
introduces 30 of the finest Christmas
videos of the 20th Century, sprinkled
with a generous handful of fun festive
facts.
Toyah
Interview Archive: 1987 Interview
10 December, 2011
A
transcript of Chris Limb's rare 1987
interview with Toyah, that was recently
made available at 'Toyah.org', has now
been added to the 'Toyah Willcox
Interview Archive' too.
Toyah talks 'Desire', Cabaret, Three
Men On A Horse, not being a director
and much more.
• Read the full transcript, at
Minna's excellent Archive site, here.
Listen to the interview here.
This
Morning: Screen Captures
09 December, 2011
A few screen caps of the
Wicked Queen from This Morning's
Big Fat Panto Quiz. As I post this update
Toyah's panto has just opened in St
Albans. Please click on the caps for
larger versions.
This
Morning: Watch @ ITV Player
09 December, 2011
Today's This Morning
is now available to watch online at 'ITV
Player' for viewers in the UK. Toyah, in
Wicked Queen mode, took part in the
programme's Big Fat Panto Quiz alongside
Lynda Bellingham, Bonnie Langford, The
Krankies and Timmy Mallet!! Toyah appears
approximately 30 minutes in... Click
below to head back to Christmas in the
Eighties :)
Studio filming of
The Big Fat Panto Quiz has also just been
uploaded to 'You Tube' here.
Snow
White: Toyah's Wicked December
Gets Underway!
09 Dec, 2011
Toyah's
panto for Christmas 2011, Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs, opens this
evening at The Alban Arena, St Albans.
A
number of the dates have already sold out
at the 865 capacity theatre.
The panto runs until 1st January and
there are 40 performances in total,
including a thigh-slappingly exhaustive
three on Thursday 15th December.
This is Toyah's 15th panto (in 16 years)
and the fifth time she has played the
Wicked Queen/Witch in Snow White.
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.
• View further Snow White and
the Seven Dwarfs information, show
dates & times, and ticket booking
details, at The Alban Arena website, here.
Toyah
Newsy Bits & Pieces!
09 December, 2011
•
Lulu.com are currently running a special
Christmas discount offer: 25% off any
order (include the code: COUNTDOWNUK305
at checkout). A great reason to buy I Was A
Teenage Toyah Fan.
The book would make a fantastic Christmas
gift for the Toyah fan in your life. Buy
it here.
• Harpenden People:
Record Numbers Turn Out for the Christmas
Carnival in Harpenden. View here.
• Toyah was tweeting
today from This Morning at
London Studios: "I'm in the
green room with the Crankies, Bonnie
Langford and Linda Bellingham......
childhood memories of afternoon TV"
and "Said Happy Christmas to
Paul O' Grady, Eamon Holmes, Ruth, Gloria
Hunniford, Denise Welsh, Andria and the
Loose Women".
Toyah
on This Morning... Today!
09 December, 2011
Toyah
guests on today's This Morning,
taking part in their Big Fat Panto Quiz,
from 11am, with a host of other panto
stars. The Wombles are also performing
'Wombling Merry Christmas' to really get
you in the festive mood.
UK residents will be available to watch This
Morning online at ITV Player
post-broadcast.
This Morning : ITV1 - Friday 9th
December : 10.30am (11.30am on ITV1 +1)
Toyah's
Vintage Christmas: Tonight at 9pm
08 December, 2011
Yipee! Christmas officially
gets underway at 9pm... with Toyah's
Vintage Christmas!
Herts
Advertiser 24: Snow White at the
Alban Arena
08 December, 2011
A
sell-out performance gets the Alban Arena
pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
underway when it opens tomorrow night
(Friday).
The Arena elves have been dressing the
foyer to get it ready for tomorrow’s
performance at 7pm with a Witches’
Shack, Castle Walls and a Dwarfs’
Bed full of goodies.
Last year’s pantomime Peter Pan set
the record for the highest audience
figures and this year is on track to beat
it hands down. Snow White stars Toyah
Willcox and Mr Maker who have been
rehearsing hard for the show which runs
until January 1.
Tickets are available from the website on
www.alban-arena.co.uk or the box office
on 01727 844488.
Legendary celebrity Joan Collins is
coming to the Arena next March to share
the stories and secrets of her celebrated
career. The Dynasty diva, who played
Alexis Colby in the soap, is a
last-minute booking at 7.45pm on Tuesday,
March 13, and will give a glimpse of life
as a celebrity.
St
Albans People: Jingle Bell Jog
& Reindeer Run
08 December, 2011
The
Jingle Bell Jog and Reindeer Run take
place in St Albans this Sunday, 11th
December 2011.
Dozens of locals will get in to the
festive spirit as they take to the
streets in Santa outfits to take on the
5km Santa Dash. Those not up for the 5km
can join in the fun with the 1.5km
Reindeer Run, which is open to all ages
and even Santa dogs are welcome to join
in but they must be kept on leads before,
during and after the runs
Both runs will be started by stars from
this year's panto at The Alban Arena,
Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, where
80's pop queen, Toyah Willcox is topping
the bill.
• Read the full report, at the 'St
Albans People' website, here.
Vintage
TV Newsletter: Toyah's Vintage
Christmas
08 December, 2011
Toyah's
Vintage Christmas premieres tonight
on 'Vintage TV'. The channel's December
Newsletter has just been mailed out and
includes news on, and a small photo from,
tonight's special.
Toyah’s Vintage Christmas
Punk princess, Toyah Willcox, introduces
30 of the finest Christmas videos of the
20th Century, sprinkled with a generous
handful of fun festive facts. Filmed in
John Lewis on Oxford Street, this 3-hour
bumper special is a joyful celebration of
Christmas pop which will have you smiling
from ear to ear. These memorable songs
are only played once a year, so make the
most of them. It’s perfect family
viewing this Christmas.
• You can receive Vintage TV for
free on Sky 369 and Freesat 515 in the
UK. Unfortunately it isn't available via
any other digital TV providers as yet.
(Thanks to Michael O'Brien for the
newsletter)
Toyah's
Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV - Thursday
8th December : 9.00pm Snuggle down by the fire with
the family as punk princess, Toyah
Willcox, introduces 30 of the finest
Christmas videos of the 20th Century,
sprinkled with a generous handful of fun
festive facts.
Toyah
Newsy Bits & Pieces!
08 December, 2011
•
More wonderful Toyah art by Mark
Satchwill: Portrait of Toyah (based on a
1981 photo). Digital, 2011, drawn in
Manga Studio and finished in Sketchbook
Pro. Visit Mark's blog here.
• Welwyn Hatfield Times:
New Price rides to Snow White's rescue in
St Albans pantomime, View here.
• View some great photos, of Toyah
and Robert at last month's London
premiere of The Power Of Three, here (@
Robert Fripp's online Diary - Thanks to
Minna)
• Maidenhead Advertiser:
Let's Rock the Moor move approved. View here.
•
The full, 100 minute +, Jubilee
has just been uploaded to 'You Tube'. I
doubt it will be available for long so
catch Toyah's audacious and exciting 1978
movie debut, while you can, here.
Toyah
in Pantoland... AKA St Albans!
07 December, 2011
Toyah is now festively
ensconced in Pantoland, currently in
rehearsals for Snow White & The
Seven Dwarfs, which opens this
Friday evening at the Alban Arena, St
Albans. Toyah tweeted
yesterday: "the stage is looking
beautiful.....I'm so excited", and
the photo below right today. View here.
Kitty-Advanced:
Forgotten Songs Of The 80s
07 December, 2011
Forgotten
Songs of the 80s: If Kate Bush Was Into
Sci-Fi & Punk Rock...
She'd totally be the subject of today's
entry, Toyah Willcox. Actress, author,
singer-songwriter etc. Toyah writes all
her own stuff much like Kate Bush does,
and has a similar singing style (Toyah
loves her some Kate Bush) except that
Toyah tends to sometimes trends more to
the...well, Sci-Fi fantasy stuff. Angels,
Druids, futuristic mine collapses, it's
all there.
Wiki has some
lyrical explainations. There's far more
depth to some of her songs than just say,
"Bugs crawling on her". If I
really had to pick one song, I'm going
with "Danced", a fantastic
new-wavey punk thing with some serious
sci-fi inspired lyrics and sounds (like
that raising pitch "danced"
thing she does). That guitar solo at
4:10? Maybe best new wave guitar solo
ever.
Toyah
guested on the festive edition of Pop
Quiz on Christmas Eve 1984. She even
kissed host Mike Read under the
mistletoe. View the full programme here.
Click on the caps for larger versions.
The
Guardian: Music: The Changeling
07 December, 2011
There's
a great new review of 'The Changeling' at
'The Guardian' website.
Surprisingly dark & absorbing
album from the 'punk princess' of '82
By 1982 Toyah had risen from the
intriguing goth/rock/jazz indie vibe
kicked off in 1978, to become a platinum
selling 'pop' artist, and had recently
taken the Best Female Singer category at
the British Rock & Pop Awards...
The album is worth buying for 'The Packt'
alone, but with a bit of time and an open
mind, you'll fall in love with it as a
whole. In April 2012 Toyah is marking
this album's 30 years with a brief
'Changeling Resurrection' tour, so
there's no better time to get to know
what is a much underrated work, which
perhaps only the likes of Florence &
the Machine could pull off today.
• Read the full review, at 'The
Guardian' website, here.
Toyah
on Christmas TV & Radio
07 December, 2011
Toyah's
Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV - Thursday
8th December : 9.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Saturday 10th December : 7.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Saturday 17th December : 00.15am
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Monday 19th December : 11.00am
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Tuesday 20th December : 8.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Wednesday 21st December : 2.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Friday 23rd December : 2.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Christmas Eve : 6.00am
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Christmas Eve : 7.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Christmas Day : 7.00am
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Boxing Day : 8.30pm Snuggle down by the fire with
the family as punk princess, Toyah
Willcox, introduces 30 of the finest
Christmas videos of the 20th Century,
sprinkled with a generous handful of fun
festive facts.
This Morning : ITV1
- Friday 9th December : 10.30am
Toyah guests, talking about her new panto
in St Albans. Also airing on ITV1 +1
The Most Fertile Man
In Ireland : Sky Movies Indie - Saturday
10th December : 11.45am
The Most Fertile Man In Ireland : Sky
Movies Indie - Tuesday 20th December :
1.15pm
Satirical comedy with Kris Marshall,
Kathy Keira Clarke, Bronagh Gallagher,
James Nesbitt, Kenneth Cranham, Olivia
Nash, Pauline McLynn, Tara Lynne O'Neill,
Toyah Willcox, Harry Towb, Marc O'Shea
and Paddy McCarney. Also airing on Sky
Movies Indie HD.
Cash In The
Celebrity Attic : Watch - Sunday 11th
December : 10.00am
Cash In The Celebrity Attic : Watch +1 -
Sunday 11th December : 11.00am
80s pop icon and actress Toyah Willcox
invites the team into her home to raise
money for MacMillan nurses. She even gets
on the podium herself to sell some of her
items.
The Vintage
Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage TV -
Thursday 15th December : 8.30pm
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Friday 16th December : 11.15pm
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Sunday 18th December : 6.00pm
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Monday 19th December : 9.30pm
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Tuesday 20th December : 10.00am
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Thursday 22nd December : 9.00am
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Christmas Eve : 6.00pm
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Christmas Day : 12.00pm
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Christmas Day : 9.00pm
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Boxing Day : 11.15pm
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Tuesday 27th December : 10.00am
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Tuesday 27th December : 11.00pm
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Wednesday 28th December : 9.00am
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Wednesday 28th December : 10.30pm
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Thursday 29th December : 10.00am
The Vintage Christmas Pop Quiz : Vintage
TV - Thursday 29th December : 11.00pm
Mike Read's 80s hit show Pop Quiz has
been revamped for this Vintage TV
Christmas Special. Toyah, Geno Washington
and Paul Young versus Jay Aston, Nick
Heyward and Dave Hill. Who will reign
supreme?
The 100 Greatest
Musicals : More 4 - Saturday 17th
December : 12.50pm
The 100 Greatest Musicals : More 4 +1 -
Saturday 17th December : 1.50pm
Denise Van Outen kicks off a sumptuous
two-part celebration of the great songs
and performers from the best classic and
contemporary musicals - as voted for by
the British public. Toyah appears
numerous times talking about various
musicals including Breaking Glass,
Calamity Jane, Singin' In
The Rain, The Sound of Music
and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
The 100 Greatest
Toys with Jonathan Ross : Channel 4 -
Saturday 17th Dec : 7.00pm
The 100 Greatest Toys with Jonathan Ross
: More 4 - Christmas Eve : 1.35pm
The 100 Greatest Toys with Jonathan Ross
: More 4 - New Year's Eve : 5.45pm
Presented by gadget, gizmo and toy
collector extraordinaire Jonathan Ross,
100 Greatest Toys with Jonathan Ross is a
three hour countdown of the nation's
favourite toys and games. Includes a very
brief rare clip of Toyah at the Rubik's
Cube championships in 1981. Also airing
on the +1 channels.
The 100 Greatest
Musicals : More 4 - Sunday 18th December
: 12.50pm
The 100 Greatest Musicals : More 4 +1 -
Sunday 18th December : 1.50pm
Denise Van Outen presents the concluding
part of this celebration of the great
songs and performers from the best
classic and contemporary musicals.
Originally aired in 2003.
Bargain Hunt Famous
Finds : Home - Monday 19th December :
9.00am
Bargain Hunt Famous Finds : Home +1 -
Monday 19th December : 10.00am Toyah Willcox v Kiki Dee.
Singers Toyah Willcox and Kiki Dee search
for antiques at a fair in Farnham,
Surrey, with their finds being sold at
auction in Chiswick, London. Toyah is
joined by friend John Wain and Kiki is
accompanied by Jenny, one of her closest
friends.
Tales Of The
Unexpected : Sky Arts 2 - Tuesday 20th
December : 6.00pm
Tales Of The Unexpected : Sky Arts 2 -
Wednesday 21st December : 0.00am Blue Marigold. Series 5, episode
1. Dropped by her agency for her
diva-like behaviour, supermodel
Marigold's mental health deteriorates.
Years later, she plots a comeback.
Director: Giles Foster. Starring: Toyah
Willcox, Ralph Bates, Sharon Duce, Helen
Fraser, Billy Hamon, Edward Jewesbury.
Steve Lamacq : BBC
Radio 6 Music - Wednesday 21st December :
4.00pm
Toyah Willcox joins Lammo for Panto Good
Day Bad Day. Plus he plays some of the
best new music around as well as some
interesting selections from his home
collection.
Dirty Sexy Funny:
Olivia Lee : Comedy Central Extra -
Thursday 29th December : 2.50am
Olivia Lee stars in this hidden camera
sketch show. New and made exclusively for
Comedy Central. Deaf Bubba makes a mess
of things at the marina and Elaine Caine
meets Toyah Willcox.
Celebrity Antiques
Road Trip : BBC HD - Friday 30th December
: 6.00pm Episode 4. Tony Blackburn and
Toyah Willcox start their journey in the
historic town of York.
Toyah
@ Christmas: Happy Xmas From The
Stars
06 December, 2011
At
Christmas 1982 'Smash Hits' magazine
gifted its readers with their Happy
Christmas From The Stars
flexi-disc.
A
large guest list of pop stars sent
seasonal greetings to readers, including
a pretend squiffy Toyah - with her unique
recipe for "shampoo". Click
below to listen - Toyah arrives at 4.46,
inbetween Martin Fry of ABC and Steve
Strange of Visage. Too-de-loo!
.
Harpendia:
Over 10,000 Attend The Christmas
Carnival
06 December, 2011
Toyah
is on the cover of the latest issue of
'Harpendia', Harpenden's online magazine
and video channel, pictured with Mike
Weaver, Harpenden's Mayor.
Above average weather ensured a record
attendance on Sunday afternoon (Nov 27th)
and early evening. The whole town centre
was packed with people enjoying all the
events that had been organised by the
Christmas Carnival Group, including the
Town Centre Council and several sponsors.
The 'Lights Switch On' ceremony by the
Town Mayor, Toyah Willcox and the
Christmas poster competition winner
concluded a fantastic event which will be
remembered by everyone.
• Visit the 'Harpendia' website here.
View their online magazine here.
View further details about Toyah's St
Albans panto, Snow White, here.
Official
Toyah: Christmas/December 2011
Blog
05 December, 2011
Toyah's
Christmas/December 2011 Blog is now
online at toyahwillcox.com. I'm sure
everyone will join me in wishing our
favourite workaholic a wonderful
Christmas time and a successful 2012.
Thanks to Toyah for yet another amazingly
busy year of music, entertainment and
fun!
Toyah's
Vintage Christmas: More Airings
05 December, 2011
Over
the next couple of weeks, in the lead up
to Christmas, there's now more
opportunities to catch Toyah's three hour
Christmas spectacular on 'Vintage TV'.
Toyah's Vintage Christmas :
Vintage TV - Thursday 8th December :
9.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Saturday 10th December : 7.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Saturday 17th December : 00.15am
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Monday 19th December : 11.00am
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Tuesday 20th December : 8.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Wednesday 21st December : 2.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Friday 23rd December : 2.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Christmas Eve : 11.00am
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Christmas Eve : 7.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Christmas Day : 2.00pm
Toyah's Vintage Christmas : Vintage TV -
Christmas Day : 8.30pm
Snuggle down by the fire with the family
as punk princess, Toyah Willcox,
introduces 30 of the finest Christmas
videos of the 20th Century, sprinkled
with a generous handful of fun festive
facts.
Watford
Observer: Panto Round Up 2011
05 December, 2011
Snow
White And The Seven Dwarfs
Rock around the Christmas tree at The
Alban Arena as pop icon Toyah Willcox
heads up a star-studded cast as the
Wicked Queen. Children’s favourite
Phil Gallagher (CBeebies’ Mister
Maker) plays The Jester and funnyman Bob
Golding (from the Olivier Award winning
play Morecambe) is The Henchman. Actress
Jemma Carlisle takes the role of
pure-hearted princess Snow White with
David McGranaghan as The Prince.
Details: The Alban Arena, St
Albans. Dec 9-Jan 1. 01727 844488,
www.alban-arena.co.uk
Harpenden
Christmas Carnival 2011
05 December, 2011
Video footage of last week's
'Harpenden Christmas Carnival' has been
uploaded to 'You Tube'. This includes a
brief interview with Toyah, talking about
Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs.
View here,
Toyah appears approximately 11 minutes
in. (Thanks to Paul Lomas)
Birmingham
Music Heritage: Untold Stories
05 December, 2011
The full Untold Stories
documentary from 'Birmingham Music
Heritage' is now available to watch at
'You Tube'. Visit the channel here.
Toyah's main interview is on Part Six.
View more Toyah interview footage, at the
BMH website, here.
(Thanks to Paul Lomas)
The
Magical Times: Toyah Speaks About
Fairies!
02 December, 2011
Toyah is the cover
star of the Winter issue (Number 10) of
'The Magical Times' magazine. Inside
features an exclusive 'fairytale'
interview with the 80's Punk Princess
herself!
The pages of issue 10 are set to
shine a splash of
colour and a magical sparkle to your
winter season...!
Inside this edition we present an
exclusive interview with 80's punk
princess Toyah Willcox, who shares with
us her spiritual experiences and why she
believes that fairies do exist!
Kyle Gray writes about Angels and
Ascension, Kit Berry speaks about her
journey to Stonewylde and Laura Daligan
explains to us how we can welcome the
goddess Aphrodite's loving energies into
our everyday life.
Our natural health contributors share
some excellent tips and remedies to help
you feel refreshed and energised
throughout the winter and Sally
Morningstar talks about nuts. We take a
peek at the new clothing label
'Legendary' by Marcie Ford and Craig
Sackett of 'Celtic Moon' presents an
exclusive interview with director of the
soon to be released movie ' The Spirit of
Albion'.
Alongside our many in depth articles, we
present artist features, music, news,
reviews, horoscopes and lots more to be
revealed inside!
• Full details on how to order this
issue, or subscribe to 'The Magical
Times', here.
Daybreak:
Screen Caps/Watch at ITV Player
02 December, 2011
A few caps of Toyah guesting
on yesterday's Daybreak on ITV1.
Please click on these for larger
versions. UK folks can watch the full
edition of Daybreak over at ITV Player
for the next week or so.
Toyah
on TV: The 100 Greatest Christmas
Moments
02 December, 2011
Welcome
to December! This is shown
earlier by the year. The 100 Greatest
Christmas Moments has aired each
& every festive season since it was
first recorded in 2004. This year is no
exception.
Toyah reminisces about Pop
Goes Christmas from
1982: "Pop Goes Christmas
was a Christmas special with all the
favourite, current, pop artists. And they
are such homely pop artists. You've got
Shakin' Stevens. There's David Essex...
Why they had me I really do not know. I
come out like a little gremlin, who just
suddenly appears, looks like no one
else... Black contact lenses, that are
larger than my pupils, so I look like I'm
on speed! Everyone on the show got to do
two songs. Everyone got to perform their
current hit and then chose a Christmas
song to do."
A clip of Toyah's 'I Believe In Father
Christmas' performance from Pop Goes
Christmas is shown.
The 100
Greatest Christmas Moments : More4 -
Saturday 3rd December : 11.40am
The 100 Greatest Christmas Moments :
More4 +1 - Saturday 3rd December :
12.40pm
Jimmy Carr reveals the greatest Christmas
moment of all time.
Burnham
Advertiser: Let's Rock The Moor
02 December, 2011
This
article, from yesterday's 'Burnham
Advertiser', has Toyah possibly
performing at next year's "Let's
Rock The Moor" in Cookham,
Berkshire.
The concert could attract up to 6,500
people if organisers are granted a
licence to move it to Marsh Meadow. A
decision will be made on Monday.
This summer's sell-out event saw 4,500
revellers pack on to Cookham Moor to see
Rick Astley, T'Pau, Curiosity Killed the
Cat, and the Real Thing, raising
thousands for charity.
• Read the full article, at the
'Burnham Advertiser' website, here.
Christmas
1996, Toyah contributed a thoughtful
recollection of childhood Christmasses to
the charity publication 'Once Upon A
Christmas'. This book is now out of
print.
Christmas
was a time that my brother was nice to
me. Fighting was not on the agenda, only
receiving.
In the morning Mum
and Dad would play Hard to Wake Up. We'd
take them tea and biscuits in bed, made
by my sister Nicola because she was eight
years older and could reach the kettle.
Then they'd slowly amble downstairs to
the door of the lounge which had been
locked by Father Christmas and wouldn't
be unlocked until he knew we'd been good
children. This drove me into a frenzy,
because I didn't fully understand the
concept of good and if this man could
come all the way from Lapland and deliver
our presents in one night surely he must
be like God and know whether we'd been
good or not. This was my first experience
of guilt!
Hallelujah
Noel... I can't let a Christmas
go by without including this... Boxing
Day (or Christmas Sunday) 1982: Pop
Goes Christmas on ITV. Toyah
performs the Greg Lake classic 'I Believe
In Father Christmas' with Joel Bogen and
Keith Hale looking festive amongst the
forest of lit up trees. I love the
original but this should maybe also have
been released as a single. Fans may not
have approved back in 1982 but in
retrospect it would have meant Toyah
being played on radio and all the digital
music channels every December :)
BBC Christmas,
"Consider Yourself One Of Us",
is now online, and the Christmas 'Radio
Times' is out now. Both confirm that once
again Toyah is part of the BBC festive
schedules, on radio and tv.
Most of the digital
channels have now released their full
Christmas TV schedules, including
'Vintage TV'. 
Toyah's
Vintage Christmas premieres tonight
on 'Vintage TV'. The channel's December
Newsletter has just been mailed out and
includes news on, and a small photo from,
tonight's special.
•
More wonderful Toyah art by Mark
Satchwill: Portrait of Toyah (based on a
1981 photo). Digital, 2011, drawn in
Manga Studio and finished in Sketchbook
Pro. Visit Mark's blog 
Over
the next couple of weeks, in the lead up
to Christmas, there's now more
opportunities to catch Toyah's three hour
Christmas spectacular on 'Vintage TV'.
