“Prayers they hide the saddest view…” Ziggy’s Band poster
with Adam Sanders who plays young fan, Shakey Threwer.
Became the special man…
BowieNetter Mark Wheeller (eedsud) has sent in details about his latest production, Ziggy’s Band, which hits the Southampton stage in the UK next Thursday, February 3rd.Here’s the synopsis from his site:
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It wasn’t only the Spiders from Mars who were Ziggy’s band… thousands of teenagers around Britain in the early 1970?s were too?
Shakey Threwer is one such fan, and, as an adult, becomes David Bowie, in a TV ?70s Special? tribute show. Awaiting the announcement of the tele-vote, he reflects on his teenage years when he dreamed of being the next Ziggy Stardust.
He forms The Luminous Earwigs with friends, Billy, Buddy and Lorraine, and composes a new Rock Opera (about a monk!) as a tribute to Ziggy. His jealous rival, John, destroys the dream. Shakey and Lorraine vow to reek their revenge and find themselves assisted by the unexpected appearance of a mysterious, undersized Genie!
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Sounds like a lot of fun. Mark expanded on the synopsis with his recollection of the moment he became smitten by Ziggy, in the following piece he wrote for BowieNet…
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It wasn’t only the Spiders from Mars who were Ziggy’s band… thousands of teenagers around Britain in the early 1970?s were too? I was one of them. I?m not sure whom I worshipped more? David Bowie or Ziggy Stardust. David said he suffered an identity crisis at the time? well? I had an acute case of “role model crisis”!
I had been locked away in the vacuum of a British sixties boarding school until 1972. To illustrate the insular attitudes of our housemasters I should tell you that the TV was always turned off when adverts for bras came on. They were deemed far too saucy for us thirteen year olds!
Pop music was another no-no so I?d had literally no exposure to it? until I was “released” into the normal world and witnessed David Bowie (or was it Ziggy) appear on Top of the Pops. He was singing Starman with his arm draped around Mick Ronson for much of the chorus.
This image entered my life completely out of the blue and blew my mind! It was as if my world was somehow transformed into glorious Technicolor in one three-minute spell, even though I?d only witnessed the event itself in not-so-glorious black and white.
I was awestruck, though my parents feared this “alien” might abduct my soul. Such was the effect this “creature fair” had on me. I wanted to be the next Ziggy. I wrote rock operas. They were embarrassing and were never likely to allow me to occupy the lofty position I dreamed of.
Now some 33 years later I am a teacher and playwright with some successes behind me. I have finally decided to tackle the subject of being a Ziggy fan and subject my Youth Theatre group to playing it out for me. For most of them David Bowie was an historical figure? now he has become a part of their teenage years.
The play is a mix of fiction and fantasy and after a year in preparation we are showing what I consider to be a draft, to see what an audience thinks of it!
Further details of the play can be found on the
“This was teamwork one always hopes for in Youth Theatre but witness all too rarely, alas! Individual performances were first class? the direction showed the same flair, imagination and rigorous discipline as the writing.”
Paul Fowler: (Adjudicator of Missing Dan Nolan at the Woking One Act Play Festival (2003) where OYT won the Best Youth Production.)
Ziggy?s Band is a must see show for all Bowie fans!
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Thanx a lot, Mark. I’m hoping to pop down for Saturday’s performance, so please save a ticket for me. I’ll leave you all with the details you need should you wish to attend…and, of course, you should! Click on Shakey to get to Mark’s site.
Oaklands Youth Theatre Proudly Presents Ziggy?s Band
Written and Directed by Mark Wheeller – Choreography by Danny Sturrock
Thursday 3rd February – Saturday 5th February. 7.30pm.
Oaklands Theatre (Lordshill) Southampton
Tickets for Ziggy?s Band are available from:
Oaklands Community School Reception 02380 739797
£4.00 (Advance sales)
£5:50 on the day of the production