Overview

• The project, set in early‑18th‑century London, was unknown even to close collaborators until archivists catalogued his estate.
• Dozens of post‑its and a full notebook, left pinned on the study walls and written in black pen, outline characters, themes and scene ideas.
• The materials show research into The Spectator periodical, folk‑hero thief Jack Sheppard, thief‑taker Jonathan Wild and the Mohocks street gang.
• The V&A holds roughly 90,000 Bowie items funded with support from the David Bowie Estate, the Blavatnik Family Foundation and Warner Music Group, with public display and researcher access by appointment.
• Initial displays include Bowie's desk and selections curated by Nile Rodgers and The Last Dinner Party, highlighting his long‑standing ambition to write for the stage.