This was another edition from sometime late in 2001, around the time that Toyah was starring in The Shagaround it seems.

Click the pic to view more screen captures from the show. Huge thanks to Andi for taking the time to do these.

Toyah popped up on UK TV again last night on ITV1, in another repeated show, It Shouldn't Happen To A...TV Presenter.

This was originally shown early last year and featured Toyah recalling the time at the London Palladium, live on TV performing 'Echo Beach', when a dancer tore her tights to shreds!

Toyah commented: "All music, all dance, all light entertainment is to do with sexual attraction. So the clothes have to be right. 

"It was a great routine. I was carried on, very dramatic. I was in my little 80's ra-ra skirt and the dancers had to gather round me and pull off a skirt which revealed my little ra-ra skirt. In rehearsals it never went wrong, but one of the dancers instead of grabbing the skirt grabbed my calf. It felt as though he tore my flesh, and as soon as it happened all I wanted to do was look down to see if there was any blood because it really, really hurt. I just wanted to say 'Stop!, can we start again?' 

"I ran up to the dressing room going 'no, no' no!' I looked awful. I looked like some tired old hooker."

1. Every Scar Has A Silver Lining - 3.25
2. Velvet Lined Shell - 4.14
3. Little Tears Of Love - 3.23
4. You're A Mircle - 3.00
5. Mother - 4.20
6. Troublesome Thing - 4.21

'Velvet Lined Shell' will be released on Monday 5th May on Vertical Species Records, via Zeit Distribution.

Tickets are priced at £15 each in advance. The website lists the Toyah gig as between 19.00 and 23.00 hours. Definitely an evening of top-notch entertainment - not to be missed!

Please click the Mean Fiddler logo to go to the site. To purchase tickets: click the MONTH pulldown menu under COMING SOON and choose May. Toyah is listed two-thirds down the page.

Details of Toyah's "warm-up" gig have also been made available on www.toyahwillcox.com.

This will take place at the Chicago Rock Cafe, Northampton, two nights before the '25th Anniversary' concert, on Monday 5th May. Not completely sure but I'm assuming that this will simply be pay on-the-door-on-the-night.

• www.toyahwillcox.com has revealed that Calamity Jane has now played to a staggering 140,000 people around the UK over the past eight months.

• Toyah is featured on the 'Virtual Brum' website. She is listed amongst many other famous Birmingham natives, including; JRR Tolkien, Meera Syal, Tony Hancock, Julie Walters, Ozzy Osbourne and, er, Cat Deeley. Toyah's listind reads: 

Toyah Willcox, singer and TV presenter. Born in Kings Heath and went to Queensbridge School before fame as a Punk singer.

Shurely shome mishtake!

Up for grabs is a smattering of mini Calamity Jane posters (four, in fact), two programmes and some CJ notepaper. To be in with a chance of having that bundle despatched through your letterbox simply answer this "teaser"!

Q. How many times does the original Toyah logo appear on Dreamscape's main page?

Please email your answer to calamitycomp@toyah.net

Closing date for entries is Friday 18th April. All correct answers will be put into a little box, shaken about a bit, and one chosen at random. The winner will be announced on this website and also contacted for postal details. Good Luck.

Thanks to the Regent Theatre, Stoke, and The Kings in Glasgow.

The reissued 'Prostitute' (VSR001CD) and 'Ophelia's Shadow' (VSR002CD) CDs are also listed and will be released on the 19th and 26th May respectively. Both are priced £11.99

All three are listed as "unknown label" but from the catalogue numbers it is obvious they will be on Vertical Species. At present there is no tracklists or artwork accompanying the Amazon listings.

Click the picture to go see. Thanks to Steve Taylor for the info.

Some very lucky Toyah fan now has a unique and special piece of Toyah memoribilia.

And the Dorset Wildlife Trust, which the auction was in aid of, is a little better off too. Great news.

This will be a strictly one-off gig with no others taking place, though there will be a "warm-up" date happening too, and coincides with the release of Toyah's new, six-track, mini-album 'Velvet Lined Shell'.

Further information and ticket details for both dates will be posted at www.toyahwillcox.com in the near future. It's sure to be a brilliant day! 

Thanks to John:)

The extra dates are as follows:

8-12 April : Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (Tel - 023 8071 18 11)
13-17 May : Wimbledon Theatre (Tel - 020 8540 03 62)
20-24 May : Sheffield Lyceum (Tel -  0114 249 60 00)
27-31 May : Bristol Hippodrome (Tel - 0870 607 75 00)
3-7 June : Opera House, Blackpool (Tel - 01253 29 20 29)
10-14 June : Grimsby Auditorium (Tel - 01472 311 311)

The final performances in Norwich for Calamity Jane are today, before the cast head to Nottingham for next week's run. BBCi - Norwich have reviewed the musical and given it a glowing report.

Toyah Willcox, last seen at the Theatre Royal in pantomime plays Calamity. A five foot bundle of energy who constantly leaps about the stage and up the scenery too, given half the chance! 

She may bear a passing resemblance to Doris Day but she gives this a gutsy performance in which she stamps her own mark. 

It's a great performance, particularly when she clambers on the top of the stage-coach and fights off hordes of Indians. This is well handled with guns blazing and - thanks to a brilliant sound system - arrows swooshing over your head. You want to duck! 

Read the full review by clicking the picture.

These promos for the 'Prostitute'/'Ophelia's Shadow' CD reissues & extra Calamity Jane dates, follow on from the Aladdin, Calamity Jane, and Toyah Christmas Card in December 02, and are really well designed. A welcome addition to anyone's Toyah collection, I'd say!

If anyone has missed out, though hopefully not, make sure you receive future E-Newsletters by registering for the Newsletter at Toyah's Official website.

The onscreen caption read: Even as we speak Toyah's on tour playing the title role in the musical Calamity Jane. She's in Norwich this week and Nottingham next.

It's not without its risks though. She dislocated her knee in Edinburgh, and that's without taking the whip into consideration.

TOTP2 presenter, Steve Wright, commented: "In the early 80s I thought it was Toyah who set the performance standard for female rock singers. She was unbeatable. Absolute, pure theatre."

Click on the picture for hundreds of Toyah screen captures

Toyah has started her own record label which is to be called Vertical Species. The first releases will be reissues of two Toyah back catalogue albums 'Prostitute' and 'Ophelia's Shadow' which will be followed by a six-track ep of new material 'Velvet Lined Shell'. Toyah will be touring to support her new material but the shows will be scheduled around her commitments to musical 'Calamity Jane' which is expected to hit London's West End in June.

Info Source - www.remembertheeighties.com

Not completely sure, but I think they were all taken at the same session and are part of the same portfolio, and are fairly recent. I doubt they are any older than a few months.

The first picture was used in the 'Woman's Own' magazine interview, with Toyah, from mid-January.

If anyone knows anything about these, or would simply like to comment on how great Toyah is looking, please hop on over to the Forum and let your fingers do the talking!!

• Just to reiterate - If you are finding it difficult to access the new forum it is most likely because the server it is hosted on (Lycos.co.uk) is down. They are relocating their servers just now and it is affecting most of their websites, sporadically. Hopefully the disruption won't last too long  - Sorry!

There are currently small features about the musical at the 'My Norwich' and 'BBC Norwich' websites.

BBC Nottingham are also running a small Calamity Janefeature. The musical heads to the city next week.

"Former pop star, Toyah Willcox, comes to Nottingham in the famous wild west musical, Calamity Jane. Toyah Willcox returns to the stage to play Calamity, a role immortalised by Doris Day in 1953. 

Toyah Willcox is one of Britain’s biggest household names. Throughout her long and varied career: she has starred in Quadrophenia in the late 70s and had a big hit with 'It's a Mystery'.

She's now playing Calamity Jane on the stage.

The Plot - Calamity Jane puts her reputation on the line when she promises to bring a famous singing star all the way from Chicago to Deadwood’s Golden Garter Saloon. After a small matter of mistaken identity, a dainty nightclub singer, Katie Brown, and Calamity become the best of friends. 

When Calamity realises she may have a rival for the affections of the town’s most eligible cowboys, Lieutenant Danny Gilmartin and Wild Bill Hickock, she runs her new friend out of town. However, Calamity realises that she has fallen in love with Bill, while Katie is smitten with Danny, and so the race is on to catch up with the stagecoach out of Deadwood. 

Will Calamity make it? Will the story have a happy ending?"

This chat, from 'EDP 24', is possibly one of the best from the many Toyah has done in the past eight months as it not only covers Calamity Jane but there is also a good overview of her past achievements.

As well as some reminiscing about a "bouncy" gig from 1981! Please click the picture to read the full interview.

The picture is circa 1985, 'Don't Fall'/'Minx' era, and appears on Tuesday's TV page as Toyah is appearing on Top Of The Pops 2 on said day. It is captioned: "Toyah performs in her prime".

The Top Of The Pops 2 website at BBCi is listing Toyah's retro performance on Tuesday as one of her 'It's A Mystery' appearances from the heady days of 1981 (again).

Thanks to Andi.

These albums are considered by many to be Toyah's best recordings and both were critically acclaimed when originally released. Both albums also achieved cult success in America and 'Ophelia's Shadow' is Toyah's own favourite of her 11 solo studio albums.

Toyah has formed her own record label, Vertical Species, to issue these and her new mini-album, 'Velvet Lined Shell'. 'Prostitute' and 'Ophelia's Shadow' are both to be repackaged and will feature a personal message and the history of each album by Toyah.

Further info will be available at Toyah's Official website in the coming days and weeks.

Info Source - Toyah's March webletter @ www.toyahwillcox.com

Very, very exciting news, confirmed by the woman herself yesterday - Toyah will release a six track mini-album on her own record label, Vertical Species, on 10th May 2003.

'Velvet Lined Shell' is Toyah's first new music since her fantastic 'Little Tears Of Love' EP last April, and first studio album since 'Dreamchild' nine years ago in 1994. 

Tracklist will be announced, when finalised, at the Official website.

Info Source - Toyah's March webletter @ www.toyahwillcox.com

Subscribers to the Toyah e-newsletter yesterday also received a new e-flyer advertising the 'Prostitute' and 'Ophelia's Shadow' CD reissues.

Lots of exciting news and gossip at the Official website so haste ye not over there...

The interview focuses, obviously, mainly on Calamity Jane as the musical will be playing in the city at the beginning of April, but Toyah also mentions her new mini-album and live dates for May.

Read the full interview by clicking the picture.

Many thanks to Claire Ormrod for this.

Toyah reveals in her latest webletter that her ballgown fell off onstage while Calamity Jane was in Eastbourne! She has also arranged for the company to be in the Trisha audience when Calamity reaches Norwich next week. So look out for them, if you're a fan of the daytime morning show.

In May 2000, to celebrate Toyah's 42nd birthday, the show played her May 1981 'I Want To Be Free' appearance. Exactly a year ago, 13th March 2002, they re-aired Toyah's second 'It's A Mystery' guest spot originally from February '81. So, what will it be this time?

It's a choice between the 'Thunder', 'Universe' or 'Be Proud' performances. Unless, that is, they decide to reshow one of the above or one of Toyah's other two 'Mystery' appearances.

We'll know soon enough, I suppose!

Top Of The Pops 2 : BBC 2 - Tuesday 18th March : 6.20pm

An original signed drawing by Toyah Willcox, Punk Musician, Actress and TV Presenter. Toyah trained at the Birmingham Old Rep Drama School and later worked as a mime artist at the Ballet Rambert. Toyah's biggest hit, ‘Thunder In The Mountains’ was issued in 1981 and she is much better known these days as a actress and TV Presenter. 

Toyah produced this drawing on approximately A4 (8 inches x 12 inches) size watercolour paper specially for the Dorset Wildlife Trust Auction, so it really is a unique item – you’ll only ever have this chance of owning the original drawing or giving it as a present – SO BID NOW ! 

There seemed to be a mish mash of info about all the tours. They also included pictures of Toyah, Paul Young, Belinda Carlisle and Ben from Curiosity Killed The Cat, none of whom (I think) actually appeared on the Christmas tour.

Pic Source - Guardian Online

The HERE AND NOW Tour 2003, due to take place next month, has been cancelled.

I said the tracklist is likely to be; 1. Little Tears Of Love, 2. Every Scar (Has A Silver Lining), 3. Troublesome Thing, 4. Something Good, 5. Back To Nature. 

Apparently that isn't the case, so sorry for any confusion. Sometimes it doesn't pay to speculate 

Anyway I, for one, am really looking forward to it. 

As I mentioned on the Forum, Lycos, where it is hosted, are currently relocating their servers so if the Forum disappears it should only be temporary and back online within an hour or so. The move should be complete by the end of March.

Uninteresting Fact: I originally planned to call this site ToyahLand! (stop laughing)

It's a surprise to me, and everyone I know, that I've continued to regularly update the site for so long as usually I have the attention span of a particluarly lazy goldfish. I guess it's a comment on how interesting Toyah is that I've been inspired to document her every (professional) move! Whenever  I think of Toyah, or listen to her music, whether it's watching a video of a concert from over 20 years ago, or thinking about how amazing she was a couple of months ago as Calamity Jane, I always feel positive vibes (man). 

To celebrate Dreamscape entering its fourth year the site is now accessible through the domain/url - www.toyah.net - but will continue to be available at www.toyahdreamscape.co.uk for the time being too. I've also given the site a "revamp", redesigned some sections of the site, endeavoured to make navigation slightly easier, and tidied up bits that were looking shabby.

So, thanks for all the great messages/comments/feedback since March 2000. I hope you continue to enjoy visiting the site and join the new Forum too, if you've got the time.

• Reborn In The USA is now underway. Toyah was asked to be part of this but declined due to Calamity Jane commitments. The press about the artists involved has been pretty scathing so it was probably a wise decision.

• Sonia, singer and TV daughter of Lily Savage, is part of the Reborn In The USA tour. Interviewed this week in 'TV & Satellite Week' magazine she said that she would love to go on tour with Toyah (Thanks to Paul Lomas).

It will be great if it's a success and if not, nothing ventured...

Click the picture to go take a look.

Calamity Jane was originally to play at the Grand Theatre in Blackpool in January but was cancelled.

So far the extra, albeit still not officially confirmed, dates are:

8th April 2003 - Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 
27th May 2003 - The Hippodrome, Bristol 
3rd June 2003 - Opera House, Winter Gardens, Blackpool
10th June 2003 - The Auditorium, Grimsby 

Thanks also to Glyn Whelan.

TOYAH WILLCOX, SINGER
Disease, winter, poverty, oil, ignorance, misogyny, hate would be a few of the things that no longer exist, as all of life would be about experiencing joy.

Whales and dolphins would run the UN because all life would be given the power of speech and religion would be a life philosophy; non-political and non-profit making.

On a lighter note, money would grow on ever-green trees, and cars would run on air. Art and creative ideas would be a far more powerful currency in a world where happiness is a natural disposition.

All short, middle-aged women with ample curves would be irresistibly attractive to males of all ages. In fact, life would really start to rock at 40 plus. And lastly, chocolate would have no calories, and David Bowie would be my love slave.

Many thanks to Andi for this.

"THE multi-talented Toyah Willcox is about to whip-crack her way to The Orchard, in Dartford, with a stage version of Calamity Jane, the film classic immortalised by Doris Day. And Willcox, who has worked with Hollywood legends Laurence Olivier and Katherine Hepburn, says this classic comedy musical is the most demanding role she has ever taken on."

Click the picture to read the full interview.

Calamity pain! Show is so tough on the cast
It would seem that whatever the versatile Toyah Willcox does is a success. I spoke to her a couple of weeks ago about her lead role in touring musical Calamity Jane, playing there this week. She said: "I thought I would be nursing my voice not the bruises."

She meant the action was fast and furious. After seeing the show on Friday, I can confirm that she was dead right.

For such a petite thing, Toyah's interpretation of the rootin-tootin-shootin legend of the Wild West, was very good. She had a hard act to follow after Doris Day made the role her own in the film of the 1960's – and to some extent the stage version suffered because people's memories are still fresh.

Read the full review by clicking the picture.

Thanks to Andi for the info.

Toyah urges Blairgowrie folk to ‘get recycling!’
Performer and presenter Toyah Willcox is backing the appeal by Can-able, a recycling project for people with learning disabilities from Blairgowrie Adult Resource Centre, for local residents to give their aluminium cans and foil for recycling.

Can-able hope to increase the aluminium cans collected to enable them help fund a new sensory garden at the resource centre.

Toyah is keen for people to get involved with recycling. “If, as a society, we can demand so much, and consume so much, we are also capable of recycling our rubbish,” she said.

“We may feel powerless as individuals, but a lot of people united in one belief can make noticeable changes.”

The Can-able project is one of 19 appeals launched under the Make things Happen campaign banner sponsored by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) and supported by Toyah. Not only will Can-able benefit from the increased value of the aluminium cans and foil you give, they will be given £500 worth of environment vouchers so that they can help fund a new sensory garden.

“Recycling aluminium saves 95% of the energy used to make it in the first place,” added Toyah, “And because it can be recycled time after time without losing its quality, the environment really wins.

“So I appeal to children and adults to start collecting now, and make this a way of life and a way of making new friends. Make things happen and be proud of yourselves!”

Full details of the programme are available on www.alupro.org.uk or lo-call 0845 7227722.

Toyah is Calamity Jane
Calamity Jane hits the stage as a rip-roaring adventure comedy set in the wild west. Toyah Wilcox plays the legendary Calamity Jane.
This new production of the classic comedy musical Calamity Jane whip cracks its way to Leeds Grand for eight performances only.

Featuring many classic songs including The Deadwood Stage and Windy City this is an action packed, rip-roaring show starring Toyah Wilcox. The role of Calamity was immortalised on the Hollywood screen by Doris Day.

What's it all about?
Deadwood, in Dakota territory, is a typical wild west town where men are cowboys and women are good, clean living, wholesome gals. 

That is apart from one indian scout, Calamity Jane, who is as hard riding, gun-toting and boastful as any man on the prairie. 

Tough talking Calamity puts her reputation on the line when she promises to bring a famous singing star all the way from Chicago to Deadwood's Golden Garter Saloon. The two become the best of friends until Calamity realises she has a rival for the town's two most eligble cowboys.

Calamity Jane is showing at the Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday 3 to Saturday 8 March 2003. For more information call: 0113 245 6014.