"The notes were shared with the BBC and show Bowie's fascination with the evolution of art and satire in the 18th century. In the late 1700s, fashionable society became a popular target for satirical prints and comic illustrations, which mocked or critiqued the rich and famous. The heart of this thriving trade was in the West End, where such prints were produced and sold year-round."
"Bowie's notes make mention of the Gordon Riots of 1780 a week of widespread violent anti-Catholic disorder which was ignited by a Protestant Association led by Lord George Gordon. Protests were sparked by the Catholic Relief Act of 1778, which granted limited civil rights to Catholics, including acquiring and inheriting landed property. David Bowie performing at Live Aid in 1985 He also mentions criminal gangs and notorious thieves, including Jack Sheppard, whose escapes from Newgate prison made him a popular, albeit controversial, figure."
""Right at the very beginning, I really wanted to write for theatre," he told BBC Radio 4 in 2002. Drawing for Space Oddity album artwork, by Bowie, 1969, which has been donated to the V&A V&A/The David Bowie Archive "And I guess I could have just written for theatre in my living room but I think the intent was [always] to have a pretty big audience.""
David Bowie's final project was an 18th-century musical set in east London called The Spectator. Sticky notes for the project were found locked in his study in 2016 and later shared with the BBC. The notes focus on the evolution of art and satire in the 18th century, the West End print trade, and targets of satirical prints. The notes reference the Gordon Riots of 1780, the Catholic Relief Act of 1778, criminal gangs, and figures such as Jack Sheppard. Bowie considered theatre a lifelong ambition and mentioned wanting a large audience. The notes were pinned in his locked New York office, accessible only to him and his assistant.
Read at www.standard.co.uk
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