Streaming on Dice FM
The weekend of the 8th to the 10th January is a tough one for many David Bowie fans. It is not only Bowie’s birthday weekend, but also the anniversary of his death. Five years on, there is a huge Bowie celebration and one of Bowie’s last works, the musical ’Lazarus’ is being streamed on Dice FM. The first stream takes place tomorrow, 8th January, David Bowie’s birthday, with a second stream on Saturday and a final one on Sunday 10th, the fifth anniversary of Bowie’s death.
Lazarus is the sequel to ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’, a book by Walter Tevis and later a film in which Bowie played the lead character of Thomas Newton, a human like alien who travels down to earth to try and save his planet. Lazarus picks up with Thomas Newton many years later. Newton is expertly portrayed by Michael C Hall. He is stuck on planet earth unable to die, drowning his sorrows in gin as he dreams of breaking free and going home.
I wonder how much of David Bowie is in the character? His longingness to move on, his desperation to get himself home away from everything that poisoned him. Perhaps this is a realisation of Bowie’s willingness to end his suffering that he was enduring with his cancer?
Thomas Newton lives in solitude, with only his assistant Elly, played by Amy Lenox, for company. Elly becomes enamoured and infatuated with Newton, but this only leads to Newton becoming more detached. He feels completely alone until he meets an ethereal young girl, his muse played by Sophia Anne Caruso, who promises to help him on his quest to get home. Elly feels neglected and eventually introduces Newton to Valentine, who is in fact a demon who persistently haunts Newton and tries to disrupt his plans.
The show is a masterpiece, I really enjoyed Bowie’s re-imagining of his classic songs, particularly ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ which was completely unrecognisable until the lyrics come in. Knowing that Bowie was working on this show after his cancer diagnosis, knowing what was ahead of him, the lyrics take on a whole new dimension. The electronic ambience of the music lifting the song to a new height and really highlighting the sheer brilliance of Bowie to discover something new, even at the end.
Sophia Anne Caruso’s performance blew me away. Her voice is absolutely exceptional and to have so much vocal control at such a young age is magnificent. She was 15 at the time of recording. Another stand out performer was Michael Esper who played the snake like character Valentine. The demon that haunts Newton. I loved the onstage dynamics between the performers, the change in Elly’s character throughout was very pertinent. The lengths that people go to gain access to their idols. The show is a spotlight on the darker side of fame and fortune and the loneliness that goes with that level of fame.
Along with Blackstar, this was the last project Bowie was involved in before he died, which makes it even sadder, the ending of the show, is it a metaphor for death? Fans of Bowie have to see this. I guarantee you will be deeply moved. I know I certainly was. Hearing Bowie’s songs, but in a completely fresh and original way was something special. I can’t quite comprehend the genius of that man, to re work his greatest songs just months before he died. This is a lasting tribute to the brilliance of the late, great David Bowie.
STREAM LAZARUS:
Friday 8 January, 7pm – DAVID BOWIE’S BIRTHDAY
Saturday 9 January, 7pm
Sunday 10 January, 3pm – THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF DAVID BOWIE’S DEATH
Tickets from £16 on sale now at https://link.dice.fm/lazarus
