From punk to the West End: Toyah Willcox
Fans of Doris Day’s original portrayal of Calamity Jane may have been surprised when former punk rocker, Toyah Willcox was given the role in a leading West End production. However, with her usual dedication, Toyah has made the show into a commercial success, which is about to embark on a world wide tour, despite initially receiving some mixed reviews from the press.

A long time Chiswick resident, last week Toyah talked to the Times about her love of the area, her career, her views on those critics and her plans for the future.

Originally, she came to live in Chiswick by chance: ‘‘I chose Chiswick by complete accident. A friend was selling about ten years ago and I needed to buy somewhere, as I hadn’t had place in London for a few years but it was definitely a happy accident, as I think it’s a great community.

‘‘I have wonderful neighbours who are all in the same business, so there’s nothing embarrassing, no one’s star struck and I can just be normal, which I really appreciate. Some people on my street were born here and they keep an eye out for strangers etc, which is really important in a local community.

Toyah, who doesn’t eat dairy or wheat and is closer to a vegan than a vegetarian, still enjoys the variety of restaurants Chiswick has to offer: ‘‘I love Thai restaurants. My favourite restaurant at the moment is the Nan King on Chiswick High Road, but I also like the Giraffe Café for its juices and the Natural Café too.’’ And on Chiswick in general she added: ‘‘I find Chiswick a comfortable place to live, the amenities are there and on hand and it’s perfectly situated, as I fly a lot. I can also walk everywhere. I no longer feel safe walking around central London and would feel safer in New York, but I do feel safe in Chiswick both day and night and I just love to go window shopping. I also like the fact that Kew Gardens is close by as well.’’ Unsurprisingly, to many Chiswick residents, the only thing that annoys her about the area is the council: ‘‘The only thing that frustrates me is the council amenities and I phone them quite often. One time, when I threw flowers away from a vase in the normal bin and they weren’t picked up I phoned them straight away and was told I had to have a special box - I was very verbal!’’ Her current show, Calamity Jane, is the thing she is most proud of doing to date. She explained: ‘‘It’s incredibly demanding and a successful piece of theatre. I don’t expect I will get to do anything like it again, it’s physical, dangerous and requires precision timing. It’s a family based musical but we’ve managed to keep it contemporary, even though it’s essentially a period piece.’’ Her reaction to the mixed reviews the London critics gave Calamity was blunt: ‘‘I don’t give damn about critics, they’re failed writers and actors! It hasn’t stopped audiences coming and the show’s going to the States, New Zealand and Australia on tour after we finish London. If I’m politically allowed to do it in those countries, then I will be.’’ But she already has some plans for after Calamity Jane finishes on September 20th: ‘‘I’m going to tour with Taboo, the musical about Boy George and guest in that, and I have a few TV projects which I can’t talk about just yet, but it’s looking like a busy 2004.’’ Toyah recently also took part in the prime time show ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here’, she said of it: ‘‘I’m glad I did it, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I love celebrity TV, as it’s fascinating. It shows sides of people’s psychology that we never get to see.’’ But, she added: ‘‘I was naïve, as I thought it would be more physical testing not mental. It was remarkable to be in the rain forest but we were freezing and wet to bone for the whole time, which was quite unbearable.

‘‘Luckily, I took my hot water bottle as my luxury, and I really needed it. We did have good times once we forgot that the cameras were there and we were left alone to create relationships. In my professional life, I never get to spend more than a few hours with people and I really appreciated having 12 days with them. I still see Daniella Westbrook and Sian Lloyd.’’ ‘‘I wouldn’t mind doing Big Brother but the one I wouldn’t do is Drop the Celebrity, as I have such fear and couldn’t put myself through it. Big Brother, at least you get fed and are warm and have activities. On I’m a Celebrity, they deliberately starve you of food and mental stimulation. I do love Celebrity Big Brother, the first one was some of the best telly I’ve ever seen.’’ Throughout her long career, 45 year old Toyah has managed to work in many different fields, mixing her projects, from 80s punk rock star, to theatre, TV and film, eluding the trap that so many stars fall into, of being pigeonholed into one role.

She explained: ‘‘All the projects have separate audiences. Pantomime is exclusive to families, Calamity is exclusively for musical fans and they don’t cross boundaries, neither do the producers and directors, so they all see me as only working in those fields. They are blinkered to the rest of the world and I’ve exploited that.’’ But she does admit her favourite thing is acting: ‘‘I just love acting and TV drama and film. Drama is fabulous but I won’t put up with periods with no work, so I’m very pro-active and I like to work. I’m not interested in down time, which is probably another reason why I diversify so much.’’ She goes to Hollywood once a year to audition and see what’s out there but wouldn’t want to live there: ‘‘It’s exciting to visit but it would be different to live in and as I’m doing well here, I don’t want to mess that up. Luckily, lots of Hollywood casting people have come over to see Calamity, so I at least I know they’ve seen me.’’ She also visits Nashville, where her musician husband of 17 years, Robert Fripp lives. Of this unusual arrangement, she says: ‘‘Because he lives in Nashville and I live in UK and we don’t have kids, there are no pressures, so when we are together it’s when we really want to see each other and it’s just us and we are allowed to be lovers which is great.’’ 

Toyah will also be playing at the Mean Fiddler, Charing Cross Road on October 10th to celebrate her 25 years in the business.

Call 08701 500 044 for tickets.

Thanks to Duke at the Angels & Demons group.

The entire cast were fantastic, giving great performances, and Toyah was her usual splendid self as the hyperactive Jane. 

'Adelaid',  'It's Harry I'm Planning to Marry', 'Windy City', 'The Black Hills Of Dakota', and 'Secret Love' were, I'd say, the highlights, and everyone onstage seemed to be having fun during the final show. The audience reaction at the end was rapturous. Toyah, in particular, received a huge cheer. A great way to bring the show to an end.

There were a number of "well-known" faces in attendance, including Scots actor, Alasdair Harvey, who played Toyah's leading man, Wild Bill Hickok, throughout the nationwide UK tour of the musical.

Sad to see Calamity Jane finish but it has been a great year for Toyah, though she must need a short rest surely before embarking on the next phase of her career? Even the theatre staff commented she has worked so hard she needs a well-earned holiday!

Hi to John, Carl, Sam, Garry, Dave, Gilbert, and especially Alec, who has made the past year of Calamity Jane adventures so brilliant and memorable - YEEHA! from Calamity Dave:)

Definitely not to be missed by anyone who has become a Toyah fan anytime during the past 25 years!!

BBCi, in their 'What's On (Live Music)' section, say: "Cheeky punk-rockette takes time out from her Calamity Jane roll to resurrect It's A Mystery, I Want To Be Free and other classics!"

www.toyahwillcox.com
www.meanfiddler.com
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Click the picture to enter the competition, which closes on 1st October.

Self-portrait show
TOYAH WILLCOX: 'My self-portrait represents the conflicts and fluidity of who I am, because I never seem to be anything fixed' 

This is Toyah Willcox and model Jodie Kidd as you've never seen them before. 

The self-portraits are among a collection of 100 that went on show at Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art today. 

Self-portraits of television newsreader Jon Snow, actresses Lisa Tarbuck and Jenny Agutter, and Republic of Ireland football star Shay Given, as well as 100 snaps of members of the public, are on display as part of Self Portrait UK - an art project organised by Channel 4. 

The project encouraged a range of organisations and individuals from across the UK to explore their identity and how it feels to live in Britain. 

From more than 5000 entries, around 100 of the most thought-provoking entries were chosen for the exhibition.

A few of the selections, including a portrait by Glasgow-based artist Lee Stewart, are the focus of 12 short films which will be screened by Channel 4 later this year. 

The exhibition runs until November 16. 

Most of the UK media reported on the story and the programme was shown on E4 a couple of weeks ago. The following was in 'The Mirror':

"Celebrities - including ex-EastEnder Dean Gaffney, Frank Bruno, Toyah Willcox, former politicians Edwina Currie and Neil Hamilton, and Big Brother's Alex Sibley - were lured to an office where they discussed ideas for new shows with comedian Marc Wootton - who was disguised as a TV executive.

They listened as a range of increasingly ludicrous proposals were run by them.

But after discovering they were being filmed for a comedy series, they all gave permission for clips to be used 

Bruno and Toyah are persuaded to host a Celebrity Advice Bureau - where they help people with their embarrassing problems."

• I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! won Best Reality TV Show at the 'TV Quick' Awards earlier this month.

From 'TV Quick' magazine: "And no wonder -while Big Brother 4 was roundly dismissed as boring, who'll ever forget Wayne Sleep crawling through tubes of rats with waffles on his head, John Fashanu's focus mantra or the sight of an unmade-up Toyah?"

• Toyah popped up on, the repeated, I Love 1979 last Saturday night on BBC2. She recalled being part of the legendary film, Quadrophenia that year.

• Apparently there were brief appearances by Toyah, earlier this month, on the Sky One shows What Tuffers Did Next and The Pop Years - 1981.

What a wonderful year it has been, with Toyah, and the cast, touring the lengths and breadths of the UK, before settling their wagon at the famous theatre for an excellent London run. Calamity Jane has been seen by hundreds of thousands of people and has to be one of the most challenging and successful ventures of Toyah's undeniably impressive career.

Check back in late September for a report on the final night of the show.

In the meantime, please leap, as fast as a polecat climbing a tree, to Dreamscape's dedicated Calamity Jane section for more "GOSH ALMIGHTY" info than is probably necessary!!

It is part of Transport for London's (TfL) campaign to make buses cashless, partly to improve punctuality and partly to make drivers' jobs safer. 

TfL said the majority of passengers already use travel passes and ticket books and only 16% pay cash in central London. 

A campaign to inform bus passengers of the change is being launched by TfL's Peter Hendy and Toyah Willcox, who is starring in the West End in Calamity Jane.

More than a million leaflets will be handed out and there will be posters at bus stops and on buses. 

TfL said the area covered by "pay before you board" includes 298 bus stops and is served by about 60 routes. 

Peter Hendy said the ticket machines will enable passengers to buy £1 single journey tickets or £2 one-day passes. 

"Buses have benefited from less traffic in central London, due to the success of the congestion charge", he said. 

"But there's still more we can do to make the service even more reliable. 

"This new initiative will reduce the time buses spend at stops and improve services still further. It will also help make drivers' jobs easier and safer." 

Each week day 6,500 London buses carry about 5.4m passengers on more than 700 different routes. 

Toyah began by guiding us around the Shaftesbury Theatre (where Calamity Jane is currently playing), showing off some of Calamity's costumes, and how good she has become at "whip-cracking"; "I love playing Calamity Jane. It's been hugely successful. Audiences have loved it, so, therefor, we've wound up in the West End!"

Toyah continued: " I am so looking forward to being on the show, because every night in the wings before I go on for my curtain call, I get a drum-roll, and from the wings I shout to the rest of cast, 'Tonight, Matthew, I'm going to be...', to make them laugh. So, actually, now I'm going to do it for real. The opportunity to do this, it just makes me giggle with delight!"

When Toyah stepped on to the Stars In Their Eyes stage Matthew Kelly recalled that the last time they were onstage together Toyah was his son, and he was her mother... in panto! 

A retro clip of the very first Toyah-a-like who appeared on the show, in 1996, was shown singing 'It's A Mystery'. "I thought she was good," said Toyah, "but is my lisp that bad?"

And there was just time for Toyah to repeat her Teletubbies intro line especially for Matthew, before she uttered those immortal words... "Tonight, Matthew, I'm going to be.... Patti Smith!" and disappeared into the smoke, re-emerging through the doors as... Patti Smith.

Toyah's performance was great, with pyrotechnics lighting up her set, and she looked good too. Matthew pointed out that her friend, John, was in the audience; "And someone told me he's a great Toyah impersonator," he said. Toyah replied; "He's got better legs than me, though."

"And you're a terrific Patti Smith impersonator," Matthew commented. "She's a big heroine of mine," said Toyah, "I've been trying to work with her for 20 years, and I haven't pulled it off yet!"

Please click the picture for a page of SITE's screen grabs at Dreamscape's CAPTURED section.

Camping it up!
You last saw them caked with mud, taking the Bush Tucker Challenge to earn theIr daily bread. But on Saturday night some of the stars of the first two series of I'm A Celebrity Get me Out Of Here! will be dressed up and singing for their supper instead as they compete in a brand new Stars In Their Eyes special.

Regular host matthew Kelly returns to introduce the five stars from the show who will compete for the audience's vote by squawking along to the tunes of their favourite singers. As always, there are a few surprises in store - but who will they be when they emerge from the smoke?

TOYAH IS...? a) A little teapot?, b) Rocker Alice Cooper?, c) Punk poet Patti Smith?

The TV Mag - Jungle Rhythm
Toyah Willcox is Patti Smith - "It's weird going on to a stage where people have sung as me," says Toyah, "and I'm singing as someone else!"

Saturday - Must See
I'm A Celebrity... Stars In Their Eyes - For four of these former jungle-based contestants, this is a chance to show off their vocal talents. The fifth is just doing her day job. So while Fash, Catalina, Sian and Uri sing their hearts out, bless 'em, you should be expecting Toyah to trounce the lot of them.

Weekend - Saturday TV
I'm A Celebrity Stars In Their Eyes Special - Unfair advantage? Former popster Toyah Willcox takes to the stage.

Middle age spreads out
With two magazines aimed at women in their forties reporting increases in last week's half-yearly ABC figures, Ciar Byrne discovers that they are attracting an increasingly disparate audience 

Forty is no longer frumpy. Forty is Madonna, it is Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall, it is domestic goddess Nigella Lawson. A forty-something woman might be on her third marriage or she might have just given birth to her first child, she might be a grandmother, or she might still be single. 

Gone are the days when the publishers of magazines for this age group could predict their readers' lifestyles. As a result, the two main titles targeting forty-something women - Good Housekeeping and Woman & Home - have adapted to speak to an ever more diverse group. Instead of defining them by age, they now define them by attitude. 

The latest magazine circulation figures for January to June show that Woman & Home, published by magazine giant IPC, has recorded its fourth consecutive circulation increase. Over the past year its sales have gone up by 7.6% to 283,025 - an extra 20,000 copies every month. 

When Good Housekeeping, published by the National Magazine Company, was launched 81 years ago it had a print run of 100,000 and sold out. Today it sells 400,253 copies a year, an increase of 3.7% year on year. 

Read the full article by clicking the 'Good Housekeeping' pic.

From the setlist listing: "Toyah Willcox-hand written set list for early 90"s Take The Leap Tour, A4 sized hand written in blue ink signed in black ink after concert set. The paper is in good quality no rips or marks but has been kept folded."

Click the picture to take a look at the 'Minx' CD. Do a TOYAH search at eBay to find the setlist.

Happy Bidding!

Can you tell the blonde bumshell?
Undie cover: The woman in our picture is either Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Ellison, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vanessa Feltz, Toyah Willcox or Jerry Hall. Can you match the face to the rear?

Hiya folks it's me... Toyah
So did you guess who the stunner on Page 3 was folks?

Eighties chart-topper Toyah Willcox dared to bare - and with her perfectly toned and lithe bottom, who can blame her. The 45-year-old feels fitter than she ever did and had no problem posing for the picture.

Toyah said: "I think people like me, who aren't six-foot Amazons, look better without clothes - our shape is better defined.

"No matter what you look like, you have to know which bits of you are unique and make the most of them. I do a lot of life drawing and, because it's such a tactile thing, it has made me appreciate my body more - I now have no qualms about stripping off."

With a body that could pass for Jennifer Ellison's or Cameron Diaz's, Toyah puts her stunning size eight figure down to a sensible diet and exercise.

She said: "I love my food and I love social eating but I have to watch myself because I'm a natural fattie. "I like being able to fit into clothes I've had for 20 years. I can live with being short and stocky as long as I'm fit."

This Toyah picture has "inspired" another 'Daily Record' article in today's edition:

FROM FRUMP TO PHWOAR! (Daily Record - 16th August 2003)
They're the celebrities who started out as plain Janes, but in the flick of a blusher brush, they've transformed themselves into some of the world's top style icons.

With perfectly-toned bodies and sexy tousled hair, they've all declared war on frump and emerged victorious.

Eighties chart-topper Toyah Willcox is the latest star to go from a plain Jane to drop- dead gorgeous almost overnight.

The 45 year old proved just how easy it is to dump the decades and get better with age when she posed in yesterday's Record in a revealing, black basque. Displaying a body that could pass for Jennifer Ellison's or Cameron Diaz's, she put her enviable figure down to a sensible diet and regular exercise.

(The article goes on to look at the transformation in Carol Vorderman, Linda Barker, Emma Bunton, Chelsea Clinton and Kylie Minogue).

NB. The 'Good Housekeeping' "effect" also made it into yesterday's 'Daily Express', on their gossip page NIGHT & DAY. (Thanks to Steff).

Toyah is also pictured in a number of today's TV Listings magazines, the ones that accompany all the Saturday newspapers here in the UK. Including; 'Weekend', 'We Love Telly', 'Saturday', and 'The TV Mag'. Hopefuly I'll find time to add some of these in the next day or so.

Who do they think they are! - Our jungle heroes become musical idols in Stars In Their Eyes I'm A Celebrity... Special

Tonight Matthew... Yes Matthew Kelly's back on TV to present a celebrity Stars In Their Eyes. And the line-up for this special soundalike show are all survivors of the Aussie jungle from I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

Pouting Catalina dons a blonde wig to be Debbie Harry, Uri Geller croons as Charles Aznavour, John Fashanu is soulful Otis Redding, Toyah Willcox rocks as Patti Smith and Sian Lloyd's role is as Deborah Strickland, lead singer in Seventies band The Flying Lizards.

What's the betting they say that doing this show was much tougher than anything the jungle could throw at them?

Best Squawking 2 - Stars In Their Eyes I'm A Celebrity... Special ITV1 9.15pm

Caption: Toyah can't quite get the hang of patting her head and rubbing her tummy at the same time

They faced snakes, lizards and bugs galore - but we doubt anything in the outback could have prepared tonight's 'celebs' for the horror of the karaoke challenge. Among those competing is Toyah Willcox, who's not exactly stretching herself to impersonate Seventies rock icon, Patti Because The Night Smith.

TOYAH WILLCOX
Who: Having lisped her way through a string of songs in the '80s, Toyah then became an actress, a TV presenter, and is now a West End star.
Best jungle moment: Wading through a festering swamp to in a challenge.
Tonight, Matthew, I'm going to be... Punk high priestess Patti Smith
Pop idol? Hmm, that fright wig wouldn't do anyone any favours. But at least Toyah's got a proper pair of lungs on her. Which seems a bit unfair on the others, really.

2.10pm: Toyah is in make-up, being transformed into rock singer Patti Smith. 'This is my natural hair colour,' says Toyah, as a dark brown wig is fitted into place. 'I haven't been this colour since I was 15. Never again! I feel like an Italian porn star!'

2.40pm: The other contestants have worked with vocal coach Jo Price to perfect their performances. 'But what could I teach someone like Toyah?' asks Jo. 'I just showed her the equipment and went for a cup of tea.'

5.30pm: The rehearsals are over. But in just half-an-hour, the process will start again - and this time it will be for real, meanwhile, Toyah's grabbing a late lunch.

Toyah is also pictured on page 46 of 'TV Times' (see below - August 12): "Out of the blue... steps Toyah Willcox, harking back to her radio days with an impersonation of rock legend Patti Smith."

Celebrity Stars In Their Eyes is also chosen as a TV highlight in this week's 'Heat' and 'new!' magazines, and features as a news story at the 'Ananova', 'ITV News' and 'Channel Four News' websites.

Matthew Kelly introduces some of the stars of the last series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Sian lloyd, Uri Geller, John Fashanu, Toyah Willcox and Catalina impersonate singers from past and present.

Soul Survivor - After getting through their Bushtucker Trials, John Fashanu and co have a new challenge - singing on Stars In Their Eyes...

Fash, 39, is just one of the I'm A Celebrity... contestants taking part. The former Wimbeldon footballer is up against Toyah Willcox as Patti Smith, Catalina Guirado as Debbie Harry, Sian Lloyd as Deborah Strickland of The Flying Lizards, and Uri Geller as French singer Charles Aznavour.

There's a rumble in the jungle in a celebrity edition of Stars In Their Eyes. The line-up for this special, which sees Matthew Kelly return as host after being cleared of sex abuse allegations, are the famous faces who braved the worst Australia could throw at them in I'm A Celebrity... get Me Out Of Here!

The last time we saw spoon-bender Uri Geller his hands were wandering all over Tara Palmer-Tompkinson, Catalina Guirado was pouting, and John 'Fash' Fashanu was wearing a helmet full of eels. Now the setting is very different, as they're joined by Sian Lloyd and Toyah Willcox to transform themselves into their musical idols.

Fans may not recognise Catalina in a blonde wig as Debbie Harry. And the 29-year-old former model wasn't convinced by the results. 'I actually looked more like Debbie Harry when I had a short bob last year than I did in Stars In Their Eyes. I looked more like Marilyn Monroe.'

Joining CatalIna in the make-up chair were Fash, who became soul legend Otis Redding, and Toyah, who was transformed into rocker Patti Smith.

Lloyd Grossman spooked around Toyah's newest house, which she bought from her 102-year-old Godmother a couple of years ago.

This was filmed around the time Toyah was appearing on The Shagaround in 2001.

The reason for all the attention is her appearance on this Saturday's celebrity edition of Stars In Their Eyes. These pictures are taken from 'TV Times' and 'TV Quick' magazines respectively.

Toyah is also pictured in 'Radio Times', 'Closer', 'TV Choice', and 'What's On TV', wearing a black wig and leathers, in costume as the singer she will be on Saturday's show. Most of the magazines reveal who Toyah, and the others, are going to be.

Personally I think she looks great with her "natural hair" colour but in an article in 'TV Times' she says: "I haven't been this colour since I was 15. Never again! I feel like an Italian porn star!"

Check back soon for more pictures and coverage from these magazines.

Toyah, of course, is the cover star, and looks absolutely amazing in the three pictures the mag includes of her; the cover image (see 8th August news update below, or the 'Good Housekeeping' website for a larger version), the picture reproduced here, and a full page image of Toyah wearing a basque/corset type and nothing else, with her back to the camera! - Let's say it is just a little bit "cheeky"!! The magazine also has a short, but interesting, interview with Toyah.

At the risk of sounding boring (me, boring?), or repeating myself, Toyah does look excellent, and very, very fit.

She says: "I have no qualms about stripping off. I look better without clothes".

Toyah fears heart attack

Toyah Willcox has had a hi-tech EBT scan - because she feared her stressful lifestyle would trigger a heart attack.

Docs at London's Vital Imaging clinic assured the I'm A Celebrity star, 45, she had no signs of heart disease.

Thanks to John Shepherd for this.

This included a tiny clip of Toyah backstage, in costume, chatting to show host Matthew Kelly, though obviously it still wasn't possible to guess who Toyah will be paying homage to next Saturday evening - or is it? :))

There was also a briefer than brief clip of Toyah onstage, chatting again to Matthew.

As well as Toyah, the show features Sian Lloyd, Catalina Guirado, John Fashanu (all from the second series of I'm A Celebrity!), and Uri Geller (from series one). The show is on ITV1, Saturday night at 9.15pm.

NB. Sorry about the poor quality of these captures.

As one of the celebrities cast into the wilderness in the TV hit show 'I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here,' Toyah never made the final stage, but proved she has the personality and determination to cope with whatever life can throw at her.

This has been reflected in a career which has seen her rocket from punk princess to major recording star and on to distinguished actress - she has starred alongside Sir Laurence Oilivier and Greta Scaachi among others.

Today she is also known to a younger generation through playing the title role in two series of the BBC's Barmy Aunt Boomerang and voicing the hugely successful series Teletubbies and Brum.

Now Toyah is taking to the London stage again in a role to which she is perfectly fitted, that of a rootin' tootin' star of the Old West, Calamity Jane.

Following earlier sell-out tours the classic comedy musical whip cracks its way into the West End at the Shaftesbury Theatre, where it will run until September 20.

It centres arond the efforts to save the Golden Garter entertainment venue in Deadwood from ruin by bringing in the singing star Adelaide Adams, a task allocated to Calamity.

These are the ingredients for what has been described as "an action packed rip-roaring roller coaster of a show with one of the most witty and memorable musical scores ever written."

It features many classic songs including "The Deadwood Stage," "Windy City," "The Black Hills Of Dakota" and "Secret Love," which won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

Central to the show is the love affair between Calamity and the man she secretly loved, "Wild Bill" Hickok. Both were real life characters in the West and their legend is part of American folklore.

In the starring role Toyah Willcox recreates a role made famous on the Hollywood screen by Doris Day.

Thanks to Steven Askey for this article. This appeared in the Summer 2003 Easy Going magazine, which is a complimentary on-board magazine on the Hull to London 'Hull Trains' rail service.

"Toyah comes on like Alison Goldfrapp's feisty big sister, and Patti Smith." - 'Q' magazine.

"Toyah Willcox has decided it's time to put away the light and fluffy pop and move on over to the dark side." - Daily Express.

"Toyah delves into unexpectedly dark, edgy territory on Little Tears Of Love." - Manchester Online.

"Curiously stylish." - 'Q' magazine.

Toyah mentioned in an interview recently that she hoped to become the first woman to appear naked on the cover of 'Good Housekeeping'!!

"Cover star Toyah reveals all about her looks, ageing and growing up in the limelight."

The magazine should be available nationwide sometime in the next few days.

Calamity Jane - Shaftesbury Theatre, London

Calamity Jane is an old favourite, which appeals to all audiences. This production of it was vibrant and entertaining. The cast were excellent, the sets were well thought out and it all went without a hitch.

Toyah Willcox, who took the lead part of Calamity Jane, showed another side to her undoubted range of talents bringing new life to the familar catchy songs that mark this musical. I found myself singing them again and again in the next couple of days, especially "The Deadwood Stage" and "The Windy City".

The supporting cast was well polished, with Kelli Ryan, taking the part of Katie Brown, giving a great performance in particular.

All in all it was an excellent "feel good" musicial, and a good light, evening's entertainment.

Review by Sylvia McLaughlin.

Calamity Jane Facts:

Calamity Jane's real name was Martha Jane Canary (1848-1903). She was born in Princton, Missouri.

Her nickname was received in 1872 when in the midst of an army fight with indians she rode into the centre of the trouble, dismounted, lifted the injured captain in front of her on her saddle, and dashed out. When he recovered Captain Egan spoke of her as 'Calamity Jane'.

Calamity scouted for the Jenny Gold Expedition in the Black Hills and for General Crook. She soon gained a local reputation for daring horsemanship and skill as a rifle shot.

Matthew Kelly presents a special edition of the show featuring some of the contestants from this year's hit programme I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Featuring John Fashanu, Toyah Willcox, Catalina Guirado, Sian Lloyd and one of the contestants from the very first series all impersonating their favourite pop stars.

DJ, Phil Marriot, says: " If anyone has any comments about the song to pass on to me, I would be happy to mention them."

Email Phil: phil.marriott@btinternet.com

Toyah: "I suppose it is. I don't ever use that title to be honest."

She spoke about what motivates her, and where she gets her energy from: "I'm willing to give up everything because I want to be available for my job. My work is my life. I know people who wouldn't live like that, but it works for me." Al asked where she gets her "boundless self confidence and self belief," with Toyah replying that she doesn't actually have a great deal of self confidence.

Calamity Jane was talked about in much detail. Toyah spoke about seeing the film when she was a child and why it appealed to her; the history of the real Calamity Jane; the feminist issues within the plot; having to embelish, and remove, aspects because of a lack of actual content, and racist undertones in the script; the hypocrisy of the characters; and Jane's gender confusion. Toyah said she believes Calamity Jane had "morphic gender displacement."

Al recalled working front-of-house at the National Theatre in 1977 and the excitement about "this strange creature Toyah Willcox". He said: "I remember you breezed about the place, absolutely unfazed by all the great theatrical Knights and Dames. Were you as confident on the inside as you seemed out?"

Toyah laughed: "No. I was just ignorant. I did not know the company I was keeping. I was blissfully unaware of the glitteratti I was walking among!" Tales From The Vienna Woods is just about to be revived, and Toyah said: "I hope the character, Emma, that I played, brings as much luck to the actress who plays it as it did me in 1977.

Toyah also remembered Jubilee, Derek Jarman, Katharine Hepburn ("She died a legend."), Laurence Olivier, and establishing herself as a recording artist ("It was the most wonderful, creative time, with no boundaries. It was a fabulous time. Probably the best time in my life."), and appearing on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

And finally, about the future, Toyah said: "I want to do more film and TV work. I'm a difficult actress to place, but I'm not going to sit on my laurels."

• Another News update soon, with further info on the 'Good Housekeeping' cover and 'Oneword' interview.

• Many thanks to Alec Kelly.

Toyah introduced herself thus: "I'm Toyah Willcox. For the past 20 years I've been the Princess Of Punk, but now I'm the Princess Of The Jungle!" Going on to explain, she said; "I'm taking about Celebrity - Get Me Out Of Here! - Had 11 million viewers. A few more than you, Anne!"

Toyah did really well on the show, although she was the 'weakest link' once, statistically she was also the 'strongest link' twice, and was indeed voted off in her second 'strongest link' round. But it was a fun show, with the winner receiving £50,000 for a charity of their choice, and nobody seemed to be taking things too seriously. Except Anne Robinson, who referred to Toyah as Calamity Toyah and Tuneful Toyah.

This because she performed a few bars of 'The Black Hills Of Dakota' from Calamity Jane and, just before she took the "walk of shame", 'It's A Mystery'.

After being voted off Toyah commented; "I'm definitely a masochist, having come straight out of the jungle into the Weakest Link, I think I should really just go and have my head examined. It was like going back to school, but 100 times worse!"

Please click the picture for a page of Weakest Link screen grabs at Dreamscape's 'Captured' section.

Toyah was also mentioned last night in BBC3's coverage of Fame Academy (aka Lame Academy - ho ho!). Claudia Winkleman namechecked her as a native of Birmingham, while talking about one of the would be academy finalists who also hails from the city.

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