Theatre News

David Bowie dies aged 69

The legendary musician was also an actor and had performed several stage roles over his life

| London |

11 January 2016

The legendary singer of "Space Oddity" and "Starman" David Bowie has died surrounded by his family on Sunday after an 18-month battle with cancer.

Duncan Jones, the musician's son, confirmed today on Twitter that his father had passed away.

Very sorry and sad to say it’s true. I’ll be offline for a while. Love to all. pic.twitter.com/Kh2fq3tf9m

— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 11, 2016

As well as his pop albums and art rock collaborations, Bowie was known as an actor. In the 1980s he played on Broadway for three months in The Elephant Man.

He studied mime, dance and theatre under Lindsay Kemp, who also taught Kate Bush.

In 1976 Bowie starred in Nicholas Roeg's The Man Who Fell to Earth, playing an alien from a dying planet. He also famously starred in Jim Henson's Labyrinth in 1986 where he played the king of the goblins.

He also starred in Marlene Dietrich's final film in 1978 Just a Gigolo and in many more films.

In April it was announced that Bowie's musical Lazarus – an adaptation of the novel The Man Who Fell to Earth – would play off Broadway. Directed by Ivo van Hove and co-created by Enda Walsh, Lazarus was part of New York Theater Workshop's 2015-2016 season and opened in November 2015 to positive reviews.

The Standard reported this week that Robert Fox, producer of Bowie's musical Lazarus, is planning to bring the show to London.

Bowie released his most recent album "Blackstar" last week.