'Lady Lazarus': Women's Voices and the Queer Archaeology of David Bowie's Late Work

The Department of English presents a talk by Denis Flannery, associate professor, School of English, Leeds University, UK.

Flannery investigates the feminist and queer archaeology of David Bowie's "Lazarus" — a key strand of his final year of artistic achievement. Co-authored with Enda Walsh and directed by Ivo van Hove, "Lazarus" is a theatrical and musical "sequel" to the 1976 film, "The Man Who Fell to Earth," in which Bowie made his acting debut, playing the "alien" Thomas Jerome Newton. Despite Bowie's powerful gender-transgressive and queer credentials, then, the "lineage" of "Lazarus" is stolidly male, appropriately tinged with an intense homoeroticism. Yet it is striking that many of Bowie's best-known songs in the show are sung by women characters; the talk will read these moments through Kate Millet's "Sexual Politics" and Jean Genet's "The Maids."

Please note that the event will begin with an informal screening of scenes from "The Man Who Fell To Earth," from 3 to 4 p.m., followed by Flannery's talk.

Hosted in partnership with the Institute for Humanities Research.

Photo at right of David Bowie album cover is by Jonathan Hope.