As councillors go, Robert Kybird, mayor of Thetford, is quite the chameleon.
Mayor, former district council chairman, builder, and, according to his Twitter profile, a fan of physics, finance, historic buildings and cognitive neuroscience.
But when the lights dim at the Carnegie Room on April 9, Mr Kybird will take on the persona of another renowned shapeshifter – David Bowie. Channeling Bowie circa his 'Aladdin Sane' era, the 63-year-old will be donning the iconic lightning bolt make-up for his charity ball.
Themed 'From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads' – lyrics from the song Life on Mars – Mr Kybird said the name's inspiration came after Bowie's death in January revealed a striking anniversary.
'I was after a theme and we'd already chosen the date. When he died, we were looking into when he had played in Thetford, and it was the exact 50th anniversary, to the day, which made it a no-brainer,' he said.
While Mr Kybird did not make the show at the Guildhall in 1966, he said he shared a few similarities with Bowie. 'We both have good musical taste and the occasional flash of extroversion,' he said.
Mr Kybird was at Thetford Academy on Thursday for a trial run, with Caroline King from Stepping Stones Training Academy carrying out the transformation. Mrs King – whose work has included doing nails on the X Factor, with One Direction among her patrons – carried out the work for free, and said Bowie was a touchstone for many make-up artists.
'He was so iconic, because he broke the boundaries for men wearing make-up. Today was a lot of fun – it's not every day you get to recreate such a famous look,' she said.
The mayor's ball will take place on April 9 at the Carnegie Room in support of Age UK and mental health charity, Rethink. Tickets are priced £35 each, with booking forms and menus available from Thetford Town Council in King's House, or by calling 01842 754247.
You can also email kerryleeder@thetfordtowncouncil.gov.uk
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