The bassist and author talks about artistic ambition, sibling dynamics – and how being on tour inspired his riotous new novel, The Ghost Theatre
Theatre groups are like rock bands, says the musician Mat Osman, fixing tea in his dressing room before the sound check. Their natural life spans are short; they tend to spark, combust and collapse. It’s a tale as old as time. They might as well be reading from a script.
“Every band,” he says. “Every acting troupe. They all set out feeling that they’re doing something fresh and new. But it’s like a Greek tragedy. It’s always hubris, and you always overshoot and think you’re better than you are. It’s always the same story. And it’s always fucking Icarus.”
