I felt with David, from day one, a huge urgency to do. Once we knew that he was really ill, and you hear a line like, вЂњIвЂ™m a dying man who canвЂ™t die,вЂќ a line that was already there вЂ¦ David didnвЂ™t even know that he was sick at that moment, so Enda for sure didnвЂ™t know, you know? That line was already there. That was quite amazing to me, how deep that was. I think that on the whole, it was a great job making a story that has nothing to do with David, and everything to do with him at the same time.

How conscious do you think he was of playing with these ideas? ThereвЂ™s a playfulness in certain things - the reclusiveness of the Thomas Newton character plays off, one could say, the perceived reclusiveness of Bowie during the 10-year period where he wasnвЂ™t performing or recording. I think they did a beautiful job at doing that. Enda, together with David, of course, made the song choices, then decided which song would fit in with what character best. ItвЂ™s great that you say that, because itвЂ™s a beautiful and daring combination of new songs and existing, iconic songs: вЂњLife On Mars?,вЂќ вЂњAll the Young Dudes,вЂќ you know. One of the things that was so stunning to me was how dramatically recontextualized the old songs were, and how well they worked in the context of this story - as if he had had it all in mind, 40 years ago. There really has to be a story there.вЂќ And a story it is. The first meeting we had, he said, вЂњThe one thing I donвЂ™t want is a вЂjukebox musical,вЂ™ with one pretty song after the other one.вЂќ He says, вЂњI really want to tell a story. I think heвЂ™s turning around in his grave, now, if he hears that. In some weird way, you could on some level call this a вЂњjukebox musical,вЂќ because it has some of his most famous songs, but itвЂ™s obviously a universe away from, say, Mamma Mia!.

David bowie lazarus