Latest news with #Grief
The Guardian
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
From ‘unpublishable' to acclaim and starry adaptations: Max Porter's Grief is the Thing With Feathers at 10
The final words of Max Porter's Grief is the Thing With Feathers are 'Unfinished. Beautiful. Everything'. So it has been for the slender novella, about a father and his sons grieving the loss of their wife and mother. Somewhat improbably for an experimental hybrid of poem and prose featuring a giant talking crow, Porter's debut has not only been a massive success, but has continued to evolve. Since it was published a decade ago, it's been translated into 36 languages and adapted for stage and screen, including a theatre show starring Oscar winner Cillian Murphy and a film starring Benedict Cumberbatch, due for release later this year. The book's latest evolution is an Australian stage adaptation, premiering at Sydney's Belvoir St Theatre this month. There have already been five stage productions, and a dance adaptation and Slovenian puppet version are on the way; an opera is in development. All this seems remarkable to Porter. 'You know, Grief was not even a publishable proposition to most people that looked at it first,' he says. Porter was more aware than most debut writers of the odds stacked against his novel: he was working in publishing when he wrote it, and keenly aware how his book's fragmentary narrative and experimental prose – which the Guardian described at the time as 'a freewheeling hybrid of novella, poem, essay and play-for-voices' – was risky. Then there's its dense threading of literary references and allusions – and the anthropomorphic crow, inspired by Ted Hughes' 1970 poem cycle Crow. Porter wrote Grief in the gaps of a busy life working in publishing and fathering two young boys, inspired by his experience of losing his father as a child and by his relationship with his brother. In the story, a writer and his two young sons grappling with fresh grief are visited by a human-sized talking crow, who takes up residence in their flat and assumes the role of therapist and babysitter – or as Porter has described him, 'Lady in Black and Mary Poppins, analyst and vandal'. The story chimed with readers, finding an audience as much through personal recommendations as through rave reviews and awards (including the £30,000 International Dylan Thomas prize). Dua Lipa, introducing the novel to her book club audience in April, described it as a 'lyrical, surreal meditation on loss' that simultaneously broke her heart and made her laugh. Reflecting on the enduring appeal and many adaptations, Porter says: 'I guess the imaginary crow and, you know, the everlasting conundrum of human grief, is enough for people to want to play around with still.' Most authors are happy to leave adaptations to others, approving the parameters of the project and then stepping away. Not Porter: he likes to muck in. 'I'm 98% collaboration,' he says – perhaps surprisingly, given he's published four books in the last decade, and just finished his fifth. 'Like, occasionally I will find myself on my own, needing to get some work done, but generally I want to be working with others.' Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning He sat in on early workshops of the Irish stage version with Cillian Murphy and director Enda Walsh, attended a work-in-progress showing of the dance version premiering in Birmingham next year, and has had several chats with the Belvoir team over the show's long gestation. That's not to say he's proscriptive about adaptations: 'I always say this: the book is yours. It's supposed to be fluid and pull-apart-able,' he says. 'It's a book with lots of white space so that the reader can do that work, anyway. You know, it's your flat, it's your sibling relationship. It's your crow.' Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion But for Porter – a 43-year-old who converses with the enthusiasm of a preteen boy – discussing his work with other artists and storytellers is energising. 'I had a Zoom chat with [Australian director Simon Phillips] the other day, and it was like, right into the belly of the thing – right into the syntax of it, and the meaning behind some of Crow's language and some of the dad's material. And I was like, this is right back to being interesting again for me,' he says. The Belvoir production, co-adapted by Phillips with lighting and set designer Nick Schlieper and actor Toby Schmitz, will feature video, illustrations and a live cellist on stage. Schmitz, playing both Dad and Crow, says the production is infused with the make-believe spirit of theatre and child's play. 'Sleight of hand, misdirection, all the old theatre magic tricks come into play. Can a blanket be not just a blanket? What can a feather be? … There's something incredible about the suspension of disbelief in theatre.' Schmitz, who also works part-time in his family's bookstore in Newtown, heard about Porter's novel from customers long before he read it: 'People are always asking for it,' he says. 'The book is so magnificent, the text is so unique and delicious … I think it lends itself wonderfully – quite effortlessly – to performance.' He relates to the character of Dad, a 'literary boffin type figure', as both an author (his novel The Empress Murders was published in May) and a father – at time of speaking, juggling rehearsals with the whirlwind of school holidays. Crow is something more mysterious, however – 'full of infinite possibility,' he says. 'I've been swinging from Mary Poppins to Tom Hardy thuggery.' Porter, who will visit Sydney for the play's opening, says he's excited to see what the Australian team have made of his novel. 'I think I find something different every time,' he says of the story's various iterations. 'It's still interesting – it's not like a piece of dead, old, early work. For me, it feels like a living, breathing proposition still, that keeps moving.' Grief is the Thing with Feathers is on at Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, 26 July to 24 August
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liverpool and Preston Showed Football's Power to Heal
The Grief That United Us All This is an abridged version; the full article is available on free our 'It Was Always… Liverpool' Substack page: When it was scheduled last month, Liverpool's pre-season match at Preston North End was expected to be a typical warm-up, focused on match fitness and emerging talents. Instead, it became a moment of collective remembrance following the tragic deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva just ten days prior. Advertisement From the early chants of 'Oh, his name is Diogo' to the solemn silence that followed the final whistle, this was a day when football became the language of grief. Liverpool supporters at Deepdale were not just fans, they were participants in a shared act of mourning. For seven minutes after full-time, Liverpool players stood facing the travelling supporters, applauding in rhythm with a crowd that was clearly feeling far more than football. It was spontaneous, respectful and deeply human. Photo: IMAGO Dignity in Every Gesture Preston North End and their fans played a full part in the tone of the day. Club captain Ben Whiteman laid a wreath before kick-off and 'You'll Never Walk Alone' carried extra weight as it echoed around the ground. Flags, shirts and photographs created a visual tribute that needed no words. Advertisement Darwin Núñez honoured Jota by recreating his celebrations, while Cody Gakpo joined in with his own tribute. These moments felt natural, heartfelt and unfiltered. Personal Ways to Remember Supporters responded in different ways. Some sang, some stood silently, some raised Portuguese flags. Many marked the 20th minute with applause or reflection. There was no single way to grieve, and that may have been the most sincere tribute of all. What unfolded at Deepdale was not about tactics or results. Liverpool did win 3-1, but what mattered most was how people came together. It reminded us that football remains one of the last great shared spaces, capable of expressing emotion in ways no other arena can. Because sometimes football is the only place we know how to cry.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liverpool and Loss: Football's Role When the Unthinkable Happens
Football Carries the Grief as Liverpool Mourn Jota and Andre This is an abridged version; the full article is available free on our 'It Was Always… Liverpool' Substack page: Remembering in Motion Football rarely stands still. Even in the shadow of grief, the game carries forward. For Liverpool, the pre-season friendly at Preston North End comes with heavy hearts following the tragic deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre. The loss hangs over the squad, yet football has a way of restoring, of pulling people back together. Those who lived through past traumas know this deeply. Advertisement Shadows of 1985 In 1985, Liverpool fans and players were reeling from the disaster at Heysel. The scale of the tragedy, and the moral reckoning that followed, changed everything. Supporters were stared at like criminals. A simple train change at Preston felt hostile. The shame and judgement were undeniable. Yet the following season, Liverpool went on to win the league and FA Cup double. It did not erase what happened, but it reminded everyone that the game can help rebuild broken spirits. Healing After Hillsborough Hillsborough, in 1989, brought the pain home. The deaths of 97 fans at the FA Cup semi-final cut deeper than anything before. In the aftermath, playing football felt almost disrespectful. But the first match back, away at Celtic, was transformative. Fans were not segregated, they stood together. When You'll Never Walk Alone echoed around the ground, it became a moment of unity and shared humanity. In that space, the healing began. Advertisement New Faces, Same Pain Jota's death casts a long shadow over the new arrivals at Anfield. Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are joining a club filled with sorrow. They will feel it too, even if they did not know him. Arne Slot must guide his players through both football and mourning. Playing again helps. It does not mean moving on, it means carrying on. Jota will be remembered with love. As for justice, Liverpool has not forgotten the failures that followed Hillsborough. The Hillsborough Law remains a live issue. Promises have been made, but real action is overdue. The families and city are watching closely. Liverpool remembers. Always.
Tatler Asia
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
‘Ballerina' is a feisty and rough-edged extension of the beautifully brutal John Wick universe
Ana de Armas brings raw intensity to a fledgling assassin's revenge tale in 'Ballerina', a welcome detour within the world of John Wick Grief is a powerful, maddening and messy thing. A little over a decade since the first movie of the franchise came out, the world of John Wick has unravelled a layered mythology, expanding its sleek, hyper-stylised underworld governed by honour codes, stealth killers and merciless mayhem. At the centre of this: Keanu Reeves, as the title character, plays a man of few words and relentless action, who is pulled back into this world for revenge, pain and love—those which endure and push us beyond reason. The legendary Baba Yaga finds a kindred spirit in Ballerina , the new spinoff from director Len Wiseman and screenwriter Shay Hatten. Chad Stahelski, who directed the four chapters of Wick's saga, is a producer for the film. Slotting between the events of the third and fourth movies of the series, it follows the Ruska Roma ballerina-assassin, Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), as she sets out to avenge her father's death. Spoilers ahead. Read more: Female action heroes: 8 women who redefined courage long before 'Ballerina' pirouetted in
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Business Standard
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Call of Duty to release Warzone, Black Ops 6 Season 4 on May 29: What's new
Activision has announced the Season 4 update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone, set to release at 9:30 PM (IST) on May 29, 2025. The updates will go live across PlayStation 5 and 4, Xbox Series X, S and One, and PC via and Steam. This season will bring new multiplayer maps, game modes, weapon tuning, and expanded Zombies content, enhancing gameplay and narrative across both titles. Black Ops 6: Tactical maps and story progression Season 4 continues the evolving narrative of Adler and former antagonist Vikhor 'Stitch' Kuzmin, who will now join forces to expose moles within the shadowy group Pantheon. Players will explore three new multiplayer maps centred around a CIA black site in Iceland: Shutdown: A hydroelectric facility surrounded by volcanic terrain and flooded zones, supporting vertical and aquatic combat. Fugitive: A dark, frozen prison complex featuring stealth zones, ziplines and climbing areas. Blitz: A cliffside location with fast-paced 6v6 or 2v2 combat, ambushes near waterfalls, and dynamic reinforcements. A new 'Team Elimination" mode modifies 'Kill Confirmed' rules by limiting lives and introducing strategic dog-tag pickups to deny kills, encouraging tactical team play. New weapons include the LC10 SMG and FFAR 1 assault rifle, along with burst-fire mods, vertical grips, and the Grim Reaper scorestreak—a quad-tube rocket launcher available in both multiplayer and Zombies modes. Zombies mode brings back Grief, the 4v4 survival challenge where teams compete to outlast one another. New ammo mods and GobbleGums provide tactical advantages. The update also introduces weapon balancing, UI improvements such as a death recap widget, and enhancements to Ranked Play, including demotion protection and new seasonal rewards. Warzone: Landmark map changes and new competitive modes Season 4 will overhaul Verdansk with the introduction of the overlook skyscraper, replacing the Burger Town and SKN Comm Tower landmarks. Features include: Interactive cranes equipped with vertical ascenders to move players and gear Horizontal ziplines for faster traversal between Overlook and adjacent rooftops High-value loot zones now include The Overlook, Superstore, and Quarry. Two new limited-time modes launch this season: Clash: A 52 vs. 52 team deathmatch without circle collapse or self-revives. It features Domination Points, special crates, and power-ups, with support for both first-person and third-person views. World Series of Warzone: A three-week competitive event using official esports rules, aligned with pro-level gameplay. The Zombies experience also expands with a competitive version of Grief, where players must outlast enemy teams while fending off the undead. Season 4 Battle Pass and Premium Tier The Season 4 Battle Pass includes over 100 new unlockables, such as: Operators: Stitch and Adler Weapons: LC10 and FFAR 1 Weapon blueprints, equipment skins, reticles The premium BlackCell Tier offers exclusive cosmetics, including the Omen Operator (Crimson One) and themed bundles like the Ballerina Pack. Availability
