Meanwhile, Actors Pages have this to say:

"A new revival of the classic musical comedy Calamity Jane is opening this autumn and will star actress and singer Toyah Willcox. The production opens at Northampton’s Derngate Theatre on 9 September and then tours to nine further venues, Oxford, Sunderland, Stoke on Trent, Manchester, Glasgow, York, Hull, Torquay, and Birmingham, until 16 November. Toyah Willcox has frequently appeared on TV, and onstage in such productions as Cabaret, The Taming of the Shrew, Peter Pan and The Shagaround. But she is, perhaps, more widely known for her 80's pop hits, including "I Wanna Be Free" and "It's A Mystery". Toyah singing "The Deadwood Stage" should make this production of Calamity Jane well worth a visit!"

Toyah is also featured at the "Shoestring" Episode Guide website. There is an entire page dedicated to the 1979 episode 'Find The Lady' in which Toyah famously played Toola, alongside the orignal Toyah band, Trevor Eve, Christopher Biggins and Gary Holton.

Visit both sites by clicking on their respective pics.

TOYAH WILLCOX TO SHOWCASE NEW MUSIC IN JUNE 2002 

Birmingham born Toyah Willcox has been in the studio recording brand new music for the first time in over 10 years and unveiled her new sound & song writing direction to a select audience at legendary London venue Ronnie Scott’s on June 16th 2002. 

The material Toyah has written and recorded with her band has been made available to her fan base as a limited edition EP and the subsequent reviews and reaction have been overwhelmingly fantastic. 

The tracks are: 

· Little Tears Of Love 
· Mother 
· You’re A Miracle 
· Experience 

The music is a far cry from the Eighties pop that made her an international household name and reveals a much edgier side. Musically, it is more akin to PJ Harvey and Tori Amos – stripped down, simple, honest music with a pure song writing heart. 

Toyah says: “ I have been really focusing on my song writing over the last 12 months and I cannot ignore the fact that my influences have included Mogwai, Elbow, Nick Cave and Marylin Manson. Of course, this does not mean I am on the next Ozzfest tour, but I know that people will appreciate the darker direction I am taking and hopefully it will appeal to both the young and older generation who appreciate their music with bite, verve, heart and attitude ! “ 

The showcase gig took place at Ronnie Scott’s, London on June 16th. 

The 4 songs are available on the EP “ Little Tears Of Love “. This has attracted substantial interest from the major labels and publishers and is a foretaste of her new album, that will be released later this year . 

Toyah has successfully balanced a career that spans theatre, film, TV and recording & performing. 

Toyah’s musical career highlights include 13 Top 40 singles and a No.1 platinum-selling album Anthem as well as a Brit Award in 1982. 

She has graced the boards in many major theatrical productions, including performances at The National Theatre in Tales From Vienna Woods and Whale and Sugar & Spice at The Royal Court. 

Toyah’s film career spans 2 decades and includes memorable performances in Derek Jarman’s Jubilee and The Tempest, Franc Roddam’s seminal “ mods & rockers “ movie Quadrophenia and most recently she appeared in the critically acclaimed Irish movie, The Most Fertile Man In Ireland. 

Her TV career includes notable highlights such as The Ebony Tower, Cluedo, Kavanagh QC, French and Saunders, Tales Of The Unexpected, Shoestring and Minder. 

A huge crowd of fans waited in anticipation for the midnight PA, taking place to celebrate Ruby's birthday, and the atmosphere was electric as the DJ played 'Little Tears Of Love'. Toyah soon arrived onstage in her, now legendary, "Here & Now" armour outfit to an ecstatic reception. She looked impossibly healthy, happy and pleased to be performing at 'The Club' for the sixth time.

'Good Morning Universe' opened the set, followed by 'Thunder In The Mountains', 'It's A Mystery', 'Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard)' and 'I Want To Be Free'. Ruby joined Toyah onstage for 'Free' with the famous lyric cue cards, before the set was rounded off with an indescribably excellent 'Ieya'. Toyah bid everyone good night and disappeared to cheers that could almost have ripped the venue's roof off.

As the chanting subsided the DJ treated everyone to 'You're A Miracle', reminding us all that in 2002 Toyah is still creating great music. A true night of TW "now and then"!

On a personal note I'd like to say what a brilliant time I had at my first Toyah PA at 'The Club', I knew it would be cool but it surpassed all my expectations easily. Alv, Robbie and Glyn it was very cool to finally meet you all. Thanks muchly to John (Ruby), Rob, Dominic, Alec, Gary, Brian, Lawrence, Peter, Steve and Patsy for making the weekend a memorable one, and humble apologies too to anyone I may have mumbled gibberish about Alex, Jonny, Kate and Jade from Big Brother to. Sorry, alcohol does straaaaaaaange things to me:)

Thanks to Dominic Fallows for these great pics. (www.dominicfallows.co.uk). Thanks also to Michael O'Brien for the Toyah pics - really appreciate it - sorry I didn't see you.

Expect to see Toyah reporting on BBC1's Holiday soon. Toyah and a BBC film crew recently spent a day cycling with Wheely Wonderful Cycling (Cycling & Walking Holidays) around the Black and White Villages of Herefordshire - finishing off with tea at Dunkerton's Cider Mill.

Toyah was recently interviewed in the Newcastle newspaper 'The Journal'. I will try to add this, Calamity Jane related article, soon.

Click on the pic to leap over to 'The Club' website to enter.

Straight from the News page at toyahwillcox.com. Official news will be updated shortly.

Toyah's Diary entry for July will also be online there soon.

NB Toyah is also scheduled to appear on Remotely Funny. There is only one of these remaining - This Saturday (20th July) on BBC1 at 6.10pm - so it must be that one.

Toyah spoke about her thoughts on the paranormal and, among a few recollections, mentioned a spooky incident that happened to her in a restaurant some years ago:

One evening Toyah and a female friend were having dinner in a restaurant in Manchester, as the evening progressed Toyah grew merrier. Suddenly a voice from nowhere said "Tell the lady not to paint her room brown"! Astonished, and more than a little drunk, Toyah told her friend what had just happened and while she relayed the tale a lady at the next table overheard the conversation. This lady told Toyah that she had indeed painted a room in her home brown, they got talking and decided to swap telephone numbers and keep in touch.

The next time Toyah and the mystery woman spoke, the woman confided in TW that after their conversation she had redecorated the brown room a far nicer shade of white. The mystery woman's boyfriend subsequently dumped her very soon after this and she later discovered that he had actually been a pimp and had been planning on trying to put her "on the game"!

Spooky or coincidence? Who knows, but Toyah was definitely more than a little surprised with the the turn of events.

Thanks to Brian Green for the info.

The four track CD EP, featuring Toyah's first new recordings for eight years; 'Little Tears Of Love', 'Mother', 'You're A Miracle' and 'Experience', is priced at £10.75. This includes post and packaging 

Title track, 'Little Tears Of Love' is undoubtedly one of the best songs of Toyah's 23 year recording career, with a huge chorus built around the word "flesh". Toyah's vocals have never sounded fresher or more powerful, everyone should hear this song.

There are only a limited number of CDs remaining so click the cover art (an original painting by Toyah herself called 'Bubblegum Heart') to go and buy this wonderful CD. 

It is also hoped that a limited edition of the artwork for "Little Tears Of Love" will be available to buy (via toyahwillcox.com) later this year too.

The Property Strip - Under Offer : ITV1 Daytime
Each weekday morning @ 11.00am from Tuesday 16th July

I Want To Be Free (1981 promo video)
Thunder In The Mountains (1981 promo video)
Brave New World (1982 promo video)
Rebel Run (1983 promo video)
Don't Fall In Love (I Said) (1985 promo video)
Soul Passing Through Soul (1985 promo video)
Echo Beach (1987 promo video)
Out Of The Blue (1994 promo video)
Now And Then (1994 promo video)
Live At The Rainbow (1981 concert)
Good Morning Universe (1981 Drury Lane concert)
Toyah (1980 ATV Documentary)

Extras: As well as cool menu screens:

All of Toyah's Top Of The Pops appearances
Tales Of The Unexpected - "Blue Marigold" (1981)

Now I realise this makes me sound like a complete Toyah anorak (more of a kagoul man myself :)) but wouldn't all that in top notch quality brighten up anyone's DVD collection?

Anyone with too much time on their hands, please feel free to send me your "Fantasy Toyah DVD" wishlist - dreamscapewebsite@hotmail.com

Toyah is the special guest star of Ruby's "Wild West" birthday celebrations and the night of fun is definitely not to be missed. Toyah will perform a selection of her classic hits and it is rumoured there may be a couple of her newbies in the set too. "Little Tears Of Love", the title track of Toyah's new EP and possibly one of the best songs of her career, is sure to get an airing.

'The Club' have a shiny new website and url. You can find further details about Toyah's appearance, and lots more besides, by clicking the picture.

I must admit that I didn't realise how much time putting it together would take up. I'd rather not create something unless it was going to be really good quality and value for money, which would take far more time than I've got to offer just now unfortunately. I take my hat off (baseball, cream cord, Next - £14.99, a snip!) to anyone who has had the patience to compile fanzines in the past - it's hard work:)

The good news is that some of the content I had planned to include in the fanzine I can now slowly (probably very slowly) add to this website, so all isn't lost. Some of the ideas that I had planned for the fanzine included;

"Words" - a complete lyrics archive (inspired by the 'Riot Of Colour' website),
"Oddities" - unusual or rare releases of Toyah's singles & albums, 
"Compiled" - Toyah's music on compilation albums/CDs, 
"Treasures" - Fan's Toyah collections / Rare Toyah memoribilia,
"Adevrtise" - A feature on Press Ads for Toyah's music over the years.

As well as all that I've also still to add hundreds more screen grabs to the "Captured" section, and rejig the magazines section, which will be renamed "Covers", and lots more.

Ah, no rest for the wicked!  Once again, sorry about the disappearing (before it even appeared) fanzine.
 

Brighton Walks have details of their "Quadrophenia Walk" on their website. The walk takes place on the first Saturday of each month of the year, led by Glenda Clarke (that's her with Toyah). Glenda takes participants to each location that was used in the legendary 1979 film (in which Toyah played Monkey).

"Riotous fun following Jimmy's footsteps to all the Brighton locations in the Who's famous film, with expert guide film fan. Full commentary at each stop, illustrated, music. Mods and Rockers mayhem, it's Brighton 1964!"

Full details of this can be found by clicking the pic.

Go see by clicking their logo.

Click the pic to go straight there. You'll need RealPlayer to view Toyah and Graham.

British Theatre Guide : Willcox Plays Jane on Tour
Former pop-star Toyah Willcox is to play the lead in a new touring version of the popular musical Calamity Jane. Beginning on 9th September at the Dernagte, Northampton, the show will tour to nine more cities: Oxford, Sunderland, Stoke on Trent, Manchester, Glasgow, York, Hull, Torquay, and Birmingham. 

WhatsOnStage.com : Willcox Stars as Calamity Jane in New UK Tour
Actress and singer Toyah Willcox will play the title role in a new revival of the classic musical comedy Calamity Jane this autumn. The production opens at Northampton’s Derngate Theatre on 9 September 2002 and then tours to nine further venues until 16 November. Though best known as a 1980s recording artist with pop hits such as "It's a Mystery" and "I Wanna Be Free", Willcox has frequently appeared onstage in productions including Cabaret, The Taming of the Shrew, Peter Pan and The Shagaround. Set in the Wild West of pioneer America, Calamity Jane is the story of a woman who dresses like a man, totes a gun and drives the Deadwood City stagecoach. Well-meaning but disaster-prone, she tries to help the local saloon proprietor out of a jam by promising to fetch a music-hall star from Chicago. In 1953, the musical was immortalised on the Hollywood screen in a version starring Doris Day as Jane and Howard Keel as her friendly enemy Wild Bill Hickok. Calamity Jane has a book by Charles K Freeman with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. Its score includes famous numbers such as "Black Hills of Dakota", "Deadwood Stage", "Windy City" and "Secret Love", which won the Oscar for Best Original Song. 

Manchester Onstage
Calamity Jane hits the stage in an action-packed, rip-roaring comedy adventure round the Wild West with one of the most witty and memorable musical scores ever written. Starring Toyah Willcox in the title rôle, this brand-new revival, presented by Tristan Baker Productions in association with Northampton Theatres, will recapture the spirit of the Hollywood musical in live performance.

RememberTheEighties
TOYAH is set to pull on her spurs as she prepares to front a new musical production of 'Calamity Jane' after touring the country as part of the HERE & NOW TOUR. Talking on her official website www.toyahwillcox.com Toyah has this to say; "This is the biggest project I've taken on in my life. It's the full orchestra, full mammoth production!"

NB: Some of the theatres including Calamity Jane in their programmes are stating that not only is this the first national tour of Calamity Jane for 20 years, but also that this tour will hit London's West End after the nationwide UK tour.

Thanks to Rob Cope and Alec Kelly for their help.
 

Exclusive: Toyah's Pop Comeback
EIGHTIES pop star Toyah Wilcox has chosen to "test the water" in Worcester with a comeback gig. She will sing mostly new songs when she plays Worcester's Marrs Bar as the first date in a mini-tour. The actress, singer, author and presenter hit the headlines when she joined around 1,000 people in Sunday's asylum camp protest at Throckmorton. 

"She wants to do some small shows to warn the media she's coming back," said Bob Paterson, who has booked the shows. "She wants to test the water." He confirmed that the tour will start at Marrs Bar on Saturday, June 15, then move to Ronnie Scott's, in London, the next day. "She'll be playing mainly new material and maybe one or two hits," said Mr Paterson. "It's the first live show she's done of her own original material for some time." 

Toyah - a presenter on BBC 1's Holiday, Holiday on a Shoestring and The Heaven and Earth Show - will soon also play the lead in a touring production of the musical Calamity Jane. Marrs Bar owner Brian Marr was pleased the venue would showcase Toyah's new material. "I'm pleased that, within two years, we're on the same circuit as some of the more established venues that have been going for 12 to 15 years," he said.

Click the site logo for the full list.

Toyah was also featured in an ad for Living TV's forthcoming "Paranormal Weekend" (13/14th July), so should pop up somewhere on that too.

Thanks to Dennis Simcott for the Living TV info.

"Whether as Monkey in Quadrophenia, or singer of ‘I want to be free’, Toyah Willcox needs no introduction. Her electric appearance and gutsy personality have made her an unforgettable celebrity, always associated with creativity and frankness. We find out what keeps her going. 

Mention the name Toyah and you might be transported back in time to a spotty, greasy, awkward version of the glory that you are now. Reminisce about the attitude, the brash style, the punk music that Toyah embodied. A true individual, she inspired a streak of adolescent rebellion and a wave of hair dying disasters. A contender for the original ‘girl power’ crown, she was the antithesis to the delicate beauty that most girls were groomed to become. Today, over 20 years later, she’s maintained her position in the public eye. At a time when fame is so short-lived, she is one of few recognised by only her first name or her distinctive voice…"

For more I'm afraid you'll have to subscribe (I haven't) via the 'Green Guide Online' website. Click the mag cover to go there.

"The two-part documentary presenter TOYAH WILLCOX can share her personal experience of the early eighties when Rock was feeling the seismic effect of the Punk revolution and she had several big hits like `I want to be Free' and `Thunder in the Mountains'. Also, she is ideally placed to reflect on the years preceding that cultural crossroads and to appraise the developments of the last two decades during which she has been a performer herself."

The page includes useful links for any aspiring riot grrrrls:)

Ananova : Toyah Willcox to star in Calamity Jane revival : Toyah Willcox is to play Calamity Jane in a new national tour. She will play the lead role in the production which opens at Northampton's Derngate Theatre on September 9. The tour will also visit Oxford, Sunderland, Stoke on Trent, Manchester, Glasgow, York, Hull, Torquay and Birmingham.

BBC Birmingham : Another actress will be appearing on home ground for a week in November - Birmingham’s own Toyah Willcox who’ll be filling the role made famous by Doris Day back in the golden age of the Hollywood Musical when she stars in Calamity Jane (November 12th-16th). So get get ready to catch The Deadwood Stage en route to The Black Hills of Dakota and find a Secret Love ……. 

Among other information the factsheet, for "Songs Of Praise & The Mystery Of Faith", reveals that Toyah's acoustic performance of 'It's A Mystery' was recorded in the Bar Convent in York, and that Toyah was accompanied by Chris Norton on piano.