Career Bio
Snow White Prog
2000
 

Toyah enjoys an unbelievably prolific and diverse career, ranging from hit records, to prestigous stage appearances and acclaimed screen roles, making her one of Britain's best known performers. 

Her introduction to the stage began at the Old Rep Drama School in her home town of Birmingham. Her first professional job was at The National Theatre in London, and her first notable film role came in 1977 in Derek Jarman's seminal punk epic Jubilee. Later that same year she put together her first band. 

Whilst her acting roles grew ever stronger, appearing alongside Katherine Hepburn in the film The Corn Is Green and playing Monkey 
in Quadrophenia, Toyah's band was gaining critical applause with the release of a debut single 'Victims of the Riddle' and the album 'Sheep Farming in Barnet'. Meanwhile Derek Jarman cast her as Miranda in his film of The Tempest, (for which she was nominated as Best Newcomer - Evening Standard Awards), she appeared at the ICA in Stephen Poliakoff's American Days, and was seen in the BBC series Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde with David Hemmings. Then in 1981 the live album 'Toyah Toyah Toyah' affirmed her status as one of the most exciting new pop talents, and that same year she achieved 
chart success with the rock classics 'It's A Mystery' and 'I Wanna Be Free'. She released the album 'Anthem' and her New Year's Eve concert from London's Theatre Royal was broadcast as The Old Grey Whistle Test's Christmas Special. In 1982 she was voted Best Female Singer in the Rock and Pop Awards. With her husband, legendary guitarist Robert Fripp, she formed the band Sunday All Over The World, whose debut album 'Kneeling At The Shrine' received worldwide rave reviews. 
 

 But remarkably all during her rock career, Toyah continued to have 
stage and film successes, playong the lead role in Trafford Tanzi, starring alongside Sir Laurence Olivier in the TV film The Ebony Tower,  playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Strand Theatre, and appearing in The National Theatre production of Three Men On A Horse at the Vaudeville Theatre. She recorded the radio play Head Crash for the BBC which was subsequently banned and has only recently been broadcast. She played Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Birmingham Rep, and then rejoined The National Theatre to appear in the eco tale Whale. She toured in The Taming of the Shrew for the Cambridge Theatre Company, and played Puck in  A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Regent's Park Theatre. In the middle of all this, Toyah played the lead in the film version of Emile Zola's Therese Raquin -  the role she considers her most challenging to date. 

Never one to stay still, Toyah has recently developed a new career as a television presenter, fronting many popular programmes including the Discovering Eve series for BBC 1, The Good Sex Guide Late for Carlton, Meridian's Anything Goes and Under Offer. The Heaven and Earth Show, The Holiday Programme and Fasten Your Seatbelts for the BBC. 

Toyah has worked with Kevin Wood on five previous occasions, in Peter Pan at Guildford, Chichester, Canterbury and on a national UK tour, and also as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz at Belfast Opera House. This year sees the release of her autobiography  'Living Out Loud'. In March 2001 Toyah is being awarded an honorary doctorate in media at the Birmingham University, which will no doubt  surprise her old English teacher. 

Additional information regarding Toyah can be found on 
                                      www.toyahwillcox.com

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