SHOW BIZ

NOTTINGHAM FOREST’S Taiwo Awoniyi needed emergency surgery on an abdominal injury after smashing into a post against Leicester.

The striker had several minutes of treatment and even tried to carry on.

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And it was only later that medical staff discovered the full extend of his problem.

The Nigerian, 27, was then taken to hospital for surgery.

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When Morgan Wallen abruptly sauntered offstage during the curtain call that closed his most recent “Saturday Night Live” appearance in March, he quickly sparked online backlash and was accused of disrespecting the comedy institution. Now months since the viral moment, the country music star says he has no bad blood with “SNL.”

The Grammy-nominated “Last Night” singer publicly addressed his controversial exit for the first time in the latest episode of Caleb Pressley’s “Sundae Conversation,” published Sunday. During the nearly six-minute chat, Pressley joked with Wallen about home maintenance habits — like taking out the trash and cutting grass — to segue into the “SNL” matter. “Could you fix a TV if it was on ‘SNL’?” Pressley asked.

Wallen, chuckling, responded: “I could change it for sure.”

Earlier this year, “Saturday Night Live” tapped Oscar-winning “Anora” star Mikey Madison to host its March 29 episode and recruited Wallen to return as a musical guest. He made his “SNL” debut in December 2020, delayed by some pandemic-era controversy. During the March episode, Wallen performed a pair of tunes from his album “I’m the Problem,” due out this week.

In typical “SNL” fashion, the episode concluded with Madison and Wallen joining the show’s cast for the “goodnights” curtain call. Usually, both the host and musical guest hang around with the “SNL” stars as the credits roll, but Wallen seemingly had other places to be. After Wallen said goodbye to Madison, he walked in front of the camera toward the audience and left the stage. Shortly after, Wallen shared a photo from his private plane in his Instagram story. “Get me to God’s country,” he wrote over the image.

It’s worth noting that when Wallen debuted on “SNL” nearly five years ago, he appeared alongside host Jason Bateman in a sketch mocking his COVID-19 partying and stayed through the credits to mingle with the “SNL” cast.

The singer’s unexpected departure and social media post quickly generated headlines in March and became fodder for social media critics, some of whom saw Wallen’s “God’s country” line as a dig at New York. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, longtime “SNL” star Kenan Thompson acknowledged Wallen’s walk-off was a “spike in the norm” and a “pretty visible thing.” He also said he found the musician’s “God’s country” post odd.

“What are you trying to say? You trying to say that we are not in God’s country? We’re not all in God’s country?” Thompson told EW. “We’re not all under God’s umbrella? That’s not necessarily my favorite.”

The incident inspired reports about Wallen’s behavior before the live show, including that he did the same exit during rehearsals. The Hollywood Reporter said that Wallen passed on appearing in one of the episode’s sketches and Joe Jonas took the spot instead. “God’s country” and Wallen’s premature exit, of course, found their way back to “SNL,” which referenced the moment during the cold open and “Weekend Update” segments of its April 6 episode.

When Pressley asked “Did [‘SNL’ ] make you mad?” Wallen replied, “No, no.”

“I was just ready to go home,” he added. “Been there all week.”

“Sundae Conversation” touched on more that just one of Wallen’s recent controversies — the singer’s chair-throwing arrest last year also loomed over the chat, albeit more subtly. The “One Thing at a Time” and “Whiskey Glasses” singer, who was arrested in 2020 for public intoxication and faced scrutiny in 2021 for using a racial slur, was arrested in April 2024 on suspicion of hurling a chair from the top of a six-story Nashville bar. In December, the 31-year-old country singer entered a conditional plea in Davidson County Circuit Court to two misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment. He was sentenced to seven days’ incarceration at a DUI Education Center, two years’ probation, a $350 fine and payment of court fees.

“I want you to name a thing that you can sit in that also flies through the air,” Pressley prompted his guest.

Wallen responded: “I mean there’s one obvious answer. Why do you want me to say that though? I mean, yeah, a jet.”

Pressley suggested there was another answer to his riddle and Wallen, finally catching his drift, answered: “A chair.”

Toward the end of the segment, Pressley also chatted with Wallen about motorcycles, new music and his Morgan Wallen Foundation. In one gag, Pressley suggested Wallen puts the “chair” in “charity.”

“I put the ‘-ity’ in ‘idiot,’ maybe,” Wallen responded.

Times assistant editor Christie D’Zurilla and former staff writer Nardine Saad contributed to this report.

Coronation Street’s Craig Tinker, played by actor Colson Smith, is soon leaving the ITV soap and now first-look images and a trailer may have confirmed reports he gets killed off

There could be a heartbreaking Coronation Street death on the way next week, as Craig Tinker bows out of the ITV soap after a “vicious attack”.

Actor Colson Smith was confirmed to be leaving the role after more than a decade earlier this year, having learned last autumn he was being written out. Recent reports claimed Craig would be killed off in a tragic storyline, and now new spoilers, images and a trailer have teased this could be the case.

Viewers will no doubt be hoping Craig survives and leaves Weatherfield alive, but it’s now been confirmed the fan favourite will be left seriously injured and fighting for his life. As Kit Green’s storyline with villain Mick Michaelis heats up it seems poor Craig may get caught in the crossfire, and others too.

Spoilers have teased more than one person linked to Craig could be in danger, as Mick sets out to take revenge on Kit over their past. New images show a bloodied Craig left lifeless on the Cobbles, as residents including Maria Connor and Sarah Platt rush to his aid.

READ MORE: EastEnders boss teases major return as BBC soap wins big at BAFTA Awards

Paramedic Asha Alahan is treating him at the scene, before she joins him in the hospital. In all of the images a beaten Craig is unconscious, and those around him look very concerned.

With it revealed that this is Craig’s final storyline and his “final fight”, will tragedy see the police officer lose his life? In a trailer released by the soap, his colleague DS Lisa Swain is heard emotionally saying: “If we knew today was our last day on earth, what would we do differently?” She chillingly adds: “There isn’t always more time.”

Details about what happens and whether Craig makes it are being kept under wraps, with episodes airing from Monday May 19, through to the Wednesday and Friday of that week. It’s believed it will be Colson’s final week on the show, with him teasing his excitement over his final storyline.

What can be revealed is that a “horrific” attack leaves Craig’s life hanging in the balance, and he’s rushed to hospital after being found by his neighbours. The entire week of episodes will specially focus on Craig’s story, as well as his colleague Kit’s own story following on from the flashback episode that details his and Mick’s past.

Kit finds this past coming back to haunt him, with it said his friends and family are “in grave danger”. So is Craig one of those at risk at the hands of Mick?

Craig is soon to start his placement shadowing Kit in CID, but soon a series of “climactic events” unfold on the famous cobbles leading to a horrifying and shocking incident. Whatever it is leads to Craig fighting to survive, and fighting “for every breath”.

Speaking about the scenes ahead, actor Colson said he was “proud” of the big week and said it was all “great fun”. But Will Craig pull through?

Colson said: “I can’t wait for people to see Craig’s final scenes. It is exactly the exit I wanted for him and we are all really proud of what we filmed in those final weeks. It was actually great fun. I was walking around covered in fake blood for days and I was chuffed that I got to work with so many brilliant people in this final storyline.”

The actor had revealed earlier this year he was leaving the show after being axed. He posted online: “Autumn last year I was told that Craig Tinker’s time on the Cobbles is to come to an end in 2025. I’ve LOVED every single second of my 14 year stay as a resident on the greatest street in the world.”

Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

TRYING to get onto the housing ladder is no mean feat, and many people have to make some sacrifices when it comes to it. 

From tightening up the budget, and reducing the spending on some of life’s luxuries, managing to find the money can take quite some time. 

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But one woman managed to bag her dream home by making some sacrifices. 

Leonie, who is known as ‘building_ribbons’ on TikTok, shared a video on her social media account explaining how she lived in a caravan for eight years to be able to afford her dream home. 

She went on to explain that people now assume that she is rich because of it, but instead she just managed to save thousands on rent. 

Speaking to her 122.7k TikTok followers, Leonie did a tour of her home which was in the countryside. 

The kitchen was large and open plan with an island in the middle, and wooden beams in the ceiling giving a luxurious touch to it. 

She also had large glass doors which looked out onto her garden, and allowed for plenty of sunlight to shine through.

Her video also showed her bathroom, which had a standalone large bath in it as well as her living space which had a fireplace lit to give a warm cosy touch to it. 

Having so much garden space also allows her to keep animals on it including a goat, and two dogs which her son plays with. 

Leonie explained that it was self-built in the English countryside and she was able to style it whilst also doing some bargain hunting. 

Speaking to her followers, she adds that “you guys probably think I’m rich but in reality we spent eight years living in a caravan to achieve the dream of building our own home and it was so worth it.” 

Revealing that she is a “country girl at heart,” Leonie loves that she can spend time with her family, horses, animals, and “gorgeous son”.

Her video, which was shared in October, has gained 105.6k views and gained 67 comments. 

One person who was in a similar situation, wrote: “I spent 10 years in our Mobil while we built our home. It was worth it, no mortgage.” 

Whilst a second complimented her “beautiful home” saying that her situation was “a dream.” 

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A third asked: “Your home is beautiful, can you please talk us through how you found the land and the process of building?

“Also, did you live in the caravan on the land?” 

Leonie replied: “We already owned the land….. planning took us nearly 10 years…the build took around 18 months. Yea we lived on site.”

How much does it cost to live in a caravan?

LIVING in a caravan can be an economical and flexible lifestyle choice in the UK. Here’s a breakdown of potential costs:

Initial Costs

• Caravan Purchase: £8,000 – £40,000 (depending on size, age, and condition)
• Caravan Insurance: £200 – £800 per year

Ongoing Monthly Costs

• Pitch Fees: £150 – £600 (varies by location and facilities)
• Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Water): £40 – £120
• Maintenance and Repairs: £20 – £80
• Internet and TV: £20 – £50
• Gas for Heating/Cooking: £15 – £40

Other Potential Costs

• Waste Disposal Fees: £8 – £25
• Transport Costs (if moving locations): Variable, depending on distance
• Optional Add-ons (Awning, Solar Panels, etc.): £400 – £1,600 (one-time)

Sample Monthly Budget

• Pitch Fees: £400
• Utilities: £80
• Maintenance and Repairs: £40
• Internet and TV: £40
• Gas for Heating/Cooking: £25
• Total: £585

Annual Estimated Cost

• Total Monthly Costs: £585 x 12 = £7,020
• Insurance: £500
• Maintenance and Repairs: £480
• Total Annual Cost: £8,000

Tips to Save

• Off-Peak Pitch Fees: Look for lower rates during off-peak seasons.
• DIY Maintenance: Handle minor repairs yourself.
• Energy Efficiency: Invest in solar panels to reduce utility costs.

While initial setup costs can be significant, ongoing expenses for living in a caravan can be relatively low, making it a viable option for those seeking an affordable and mobile lifestyle in the UK.

The dining room ceiling, adorned with an unexpected burst of orange floral wallpaper, breathes new life into the 100-year-old house. Similarly, the living room’s coral, pink and green wallpaper, the den’s bold blue and yellow stripes, and the red pattern-filled speakeasy lounge are delightful surprises that keep you guessing what’s next.

Standing beneath a glittering tiered chandelier in her pink “cloffice,” designer Dani Dazey shares the essence of her colorful style: “From the wallpaper to the artwork, my home is a reflection of me right now,” she explains. “It’s a personal and hip twist on traditional design.”

Rather than embrace rustic farmhouse style or minimalist Midcentury Modern design as is often the case in Los Angeles, Dazey has taken the Highland Park home she shares with husband Phillip Butler and given it an over-the-top maximalist spin.

Dani Dazey and her husband Phillip Butler stand in the living room of their home, which connects to the adjacent dining room and alcove. Dazey designed the colorful furnishings, wallpaper, textiles and many of the artworks. “I am very pro printed furniture,” she said. “I’m a very big fan of matching my colors and having a tight color palette.”

Their home is proof, as Dazey outlines in her new book, “The Maximalist: Colorful Interiors for Bold Living,” out May 20, that our homes should make us happy by reflecting who we are. In Dazey’s case, that translates to bold color, lush textures and retro vibes.

“Throughout my career, my core message has been to empower people to be who they are and not be afraid to embrace the things they love,” said Dazey, 34.

From the outside, the couple’s home exudes a subtle charm. However, stepping through the front door unveils a captivating burst of vibrant color and Dazey’s signature flower prints, all surprisingly harmonious.

“I worked as an apparel graphic designer and I applied all that to interior design,” she said. “I know how to put all these things together and make them look nice.”

Dazey designed the kitchen to look like an old Italian villa.

“Curtains help the rooms not feel too cluttered and crazy,” said Dazey. “I can make everything very cohesive. The fifth wall — the ceiling — it makes a big difference.”

The “fifth walls,” as Dazey calls the ceilings, are painted bright orange, red and turquoise blue. Floors are lined with vibrant green checkerboard patterns and wall-to-wall carpet. Likewise, the lawn in the back is decked out in checkerboard artificial turf. The speakeasy lounge, accessible through a hidden door sliding bookcase, is a ‘70s-inspired sanctuary with a modular sofa, curtains and wallpaper in the same floral pattern. Underneath the living room ceiling, Dazey has created a plant-filled ledge that cascades over the dining room, adding a touch of nature to the vibrant spaces.

Dazey outfitted the chairs, modular sofa from Joybird, wallpaper and curtains in the same ‘70s-inspired pattern.

Everyone — including the couple’s two dogs, Franklin and Yuki, who luxuriate on a pink velvet daybed in the sun — is happy here.

“Living in a maximalist space brings me joy,” said Butler, who handles operations for Dazey’s interior design business and their Airbnb and Peerspace rentals. “Even just looking at the ceiling makes me happy.”

Like the Madonna Inn, where the couple recently hosted their wedding, their home is “fun and quirky and anything but traditional,” Dazey said. “As a creative person, you get burned out by doing the same thing over and over again.”

The couple discovered the 2,300-square-foot, two-story home on a 3-acre lot two years ago. Dazey said there wasn’t a lot of interest in the house, as it featured an unusual floor plan with a separate apartment on the first floor with its own entrance. “The house blew us away,” she said, “but the strange floor plan confused us.”

The house they purchased for $1.75 million was “turnkey,” and Dazey had fun adding skylights to the beamed ceilings in the living room and redoing the kitchen to feel like an old Italian villa. The couple worked quickly over six months so that Dazey could share her projects on social media. “Much of our work comes from social media so having a project to share was helpful. That’s a big part of our job — creating these spaces.”

Dazey transformed the gravel driveway into an outdoor living space with turf, a cowboy pool and chaise lounges.

Her efforts paid off. The entrepreneurial couple now rents their home, along with a pink California bungalow and a bungalow in Palm Springs, for celebrity photo shoots and music videos. (Janelle Monáe, Camille Cabello and James Marsden have all been featured in their rental homes.)

It’s a unique side hustle, and the couple’s success is impressive. “They are such fun, wacky rentals,” Dazey said. “Between our Palm Springs Airbnb and L.A. photo shoots, we made $30,000 last month — our biggest month ever.”

Added Butler: “People tell us their kids love our houses.”

The home’s unconventional layout allows the couple to reside in the adaptable space downstairs while renting out the top floor for photo shoots. Following the recent fires in Los Angeles, they were able to provide housing for families in need on a monthly basis. “It’s been rewarding to be able to help in this way,” Dazey shared.

Dazey brightened the home’s first floor suite, which felt like a basement, with colorful textiles, wallpaper, stripes and FLOR tiles.

Dazey grew up in Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains. Her parents were creative, encouraging Dazey and her sister to be “colorful and engage in art and pursue” their passion. Not surprisingly, the family had a raspberry-colored kitchen. “My mom just painted the cabinets in her condo bright yellow,” Dazey said. “It’s wacky. I appreciate it.”

After studying fashion design, she made a name for herself in Los Angeles as a fashion designer for Dazey LA and, most recently, as an interior designer. She started her clothing line with $4,000. Over eight years it took off on social media and she eventually sold to stores including Anthropologie. “There were a few years where it nearly grossed a million dollars in revenue,” she said. “It helped me purchase the Palm Springs house.” Still, she is best known for her collaboration with drag performer and singer Trixie Mattel on the design of the Trixie Motel in Palm Springs.“Trixie’s aesthetic is similar to mine,” Dazey said with a laugh. “We both love bright colors and florals and retro design.”

Dazey prefers to work on the pink velvet daybed that fits the alcove off of the living room like a glove.

The collaboration opened doors for Dazey, including an opportunity to design her first collection of home textiles and wallcoverings for Spoonflower and a furniture line for Joybird, which are featured in her home. It also attracted clients who appreciate her fun-loving aesthetic. She has since worked for Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy and TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney. “I’ve been lucky to work for cool, interesting people,” Dazey said. “I think that people with a quirky sense of style and taste are interesting and dynamic.”

Despite her colorful interiors, Dazey knows what it’s like to struggle in a sterile work environment. “I used to work as an apparel graphic designer in a corporate office and didn’t feel inspired as a creative person,” she said. “When I went out on my own, I worked in coffee shops and I loved it.”

Today, she works out of a wall-to-wall pink velvet alcove covered in floral pink wallpaper and dog hair.

Dazey, pictured with Butler and their dogs Franklin and Yuki, believes in designing spaces that make people happy.

“I’ve designed some office spaces since then and try to make offices feel like a living room,” she said. “It can affect you creatively and inhibit your productivity. Now that I work from home, I love it.”

When asked what it’s like living with a maximalist, Butler said he trusts his wife’s instincts. “She went running with color when we got our first place together in Beachwood Canyon. It took a little arm twisting, but it all made sense when I saw it all come together. I learned to trust her process. There hasn’t been a single project where it hasn’t worked for me.”

Dazey, having shifted her focus from fashion design to creating happy interiors, sees the two processes as deeply transformative. “In my creative journey, whether it’s fashion or interiors, I’ve discovered the power of self-expression. It’s about defining who you are and sharing that with the world. The right outfit can change your entire day, just as the act of decorating your home can significantly impact your comfort, productivity and happiness. I love relaying that message — self-expression is more meaningful than aesthetics.”

“The Maximalist” features 16 of Dazey’s design projects, including several that have never been seen before, such as a colorful mansion in Alabama.

The Dazey Dream House tips & tricks

(Excerpted from “The Maximalist: Colorful Interiors for Bold Living,” Abrams).

The old one-two punch

When mixing prints, I always like to think of a primary and secondary print. The primary is the main character print, which is more complex and illustrative. The secondary is the companion print — something less bold and usually a different scale.

Get some plants already!

A houseplant adds color and makes a space feel more homey without making any drastic changes to any of the walls. Plants breathe literal life into a space and help it feel complete. If your rooms don’t have any greenery in them, get yourself to your local plant shop — stat!

Make your home a gallery

This house is bursting with my personal design — and it feels so good. People are often hesitant to display their own artwork, but I say use the walls of your home to broadcast your creativity.

Stripes cut sweetness

I designed some almost-old-fashioned floral wallpapers for this house, but they’re often purposefully paired with a stripe. A strong, graphic pattern, like a stripe or a check, has the power to temper the sweetness of a floral-y-print.

Double the fun

Half walls abound in this home because I wanted to max out my opportunities for pattern and color play. Adding a half wall to a room in your home is a great way to start experimenting with design on a more complex level.

Appreciate the bedroom set

Matching bedroom sets have a very 1980s reputation (and not in a good way!), but if the furniture is cool, a coordinate set can be a smart strategy to help a maximalist bedroom feel more uniform.

Reconsider wall-to-wall

I am predicting a carpet comeback. People love rugs, so why not consider a completely carpeted room? Everything in design circles back around, and I think wall-to-wall is due to be done in a new way.

A GIANT dragon which fans will recognise from a classic Harry Potter film stunned Londoners today as it roared its way through the capital’s streets.

The 25-foot-long animatronic creature appeared ‘captured’ in chains, snarling past iconic landmarks like Westminster Bridge and King’s Cross Station.

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The theatrical stunt was staged to mark the launch of ‘Triwizard Tournament – Making of Champions’, a new feature at Warner Bros.

Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, which celebrates the 20th anniversary of the cinematic release of Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire.

The Hungarian Horntail, which weighs in at a hefty 1.3 tonnes, recreates the jaw-dropping moment in the fan-favourite film, where Harry battles the beast in the first task of the ‘Triwizard Tournament’.

Replicating the drama of the film, the dragon’s chained journey mimicked its on-screen escape before heading back to Warner Bros. Studio Tour via the Houses of Parliament and a quick pitstop at St. Pancras.

Designed by Harry Potter filmmaker and animatronic designer Joe Scott, the lifelike creature features a moving head, mouth and eyes, and sound effects.

Crafted over 750 hours, the dragon includes a 3D printed head, 25kg of fibreglass, and 119 hand-applied spikes.

Its menacing mouth is lined with 38 resin-printed teeth, recreating the film’s fearsome look in painstaking detail.

Scott drew on original sketches, CGI mock-ups and scans of the original movie model to guide the design process.

He said: “Revisiting the creation of the Hungarian Horntail 20 years on from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has been magical.

“Creating the dragons for the Triwizard Tournament was no mean feat, with engineers, animatronics, designers and the special effects teams all working together to bring them to life.

“It’s fantastic to see the craftsmanship that went into this on display at the new feature – inspiring visitors with the magic of our filmmaking secrets.”

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The Triwizard Tournament – Making of Champions exhibit will run from 15 May to 8 September 2025 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.

Fans will be transported behind the scenes of the iconic Triwizard Tournament, discovering how the thrilling magical challenges were brought to life.

The Studio Tour’s new summer feature invites visitors into the all-new Backlot Stage to explore the Secrets of Special Effects.

The dedicated indoor space includes a digital screen, tiered seating and live demonstrations revealing how filmmakers created the magic.

Among the highlights is a reimagining of the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students’ arrivals, complete with costumes and choreography.

Visitors will also discover the techniques used to show Harry holding his breath underwater during the second task.

Geoff Spooner, senior vice president at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, said: “We’re excited to launch our brand-new summer feature, Triwizard Tournament – Making of Champions, where visitors can learn behind-the-scenes secrets of the fourth Harry Potter film.

“To celebrate and bring the magic of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London to the streets of the capital, we recreated the iconic moment of the escaped Hungarian Horntail dragon 20 years on from ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.”

I was unreasonably elated to discover that the Pasadena Playhouse is test-driving a program that offers Saturday childcare during the May 24 matinee of “A Dolls House, Part 2,” starring Jason Butler Harner and Elizabeth Reaser.

The program is open to kids 5 to 12 and offers theater-based activities inspired by the play and led by Playhouse teaching artists. The cost is $20 per child — far less than what a parent would pay for a sitter for the afternoon — and the group fun takes place on site while parents watch the show.

Here’s hoping more theaters develop similar programs. For so many parents, childcare is the No. 1 barrier to attending live shows and cultural events. A good sitter will set you back $15 to $25 per hour, plus tip. Add the cost of tickets, parking and even a modest dinner out, and a night on the town easily soars past $300.

Pasadena Playhouse is suited to hold such a program since it already runs youth theater classes and has a wonderful group of artists who regularly teach children. (Full disclosure: My daughter attends these classes.) But I can imagine a world in which other theaters, classical music groups and dance troupes begin offering similar programs. They would pay dividends in ticket sales and patron loyalty. There is no more grateful a human than a parent given a much-needed break.

I’m arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt. I came for the childcare and stayed for the show. Here’s this week’s roundup of arts news.

‘Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me’

(Matthew Cavanaugh/For The Times)

With opening-weekend crowds behind us, now is an excellent time to experience Jeffrey Gibson’s show at the Broad museum, which Times contributor David Pagel noted in his recent profile has the Gibson artworks that wowed visitors at the 2024 Venice Biennale: “a giant, stylized bird, festooned with thousands of glistening beads; a laser-sharp painting, composed of up to 290 supersaturated colors; an array of lavishly patterned flags, from places no one has ever visited; or an evocative phrase, lifted from a novel, a pop song, a poem or a document, such as the U.S. Constitution.” Note that the museum, usually free, is staging this as a special exhibition with admission of $15.

Through Sept. 28, closed Mondays. The Broad, 221 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. thebroad.org

‘Cooley High’

Writer Susan King started a 2019 L.A. Times article with this great lede:

Robert Townsend, the acclaimed director of such films as 1987’s “Hollywood Shuffle” and 1991’s “The Five Heartbeats,” got his start in the biz as a teenager with a one-line role in the 1975 African American teen dramedy “Cooley High.”

“The movie changed my life,” recalled Townsend in a recent interview. “I remember after I made the movie and it finally premiered in the theater in downtown Chicago, I started to cry. It was like this is my life. … [Director] Michael Schultz really changed the landscape of cinema for people of color. He was the first one to paint with that brush of truly being human. We had never seen a movie where there was a young Black man talking about that he wanted to be a writer.”

On Monday, you’ll have the chance to see “Cooley High” on the big screen. The event at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood includes a Q&A with Schultz and actors Glynn Turman and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, moderated by Townsend.

7:30 p.m. Monday, Egyptian, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., L.A. www.egyptiantheatre.com

L.A. Art Book Fair

The nonprofit Printed Matter returns with the eighth installment of its fair, which has drawn tens of thousands of fans with booths selling limited-edition prints, handcrafted artist books and obscure titles by small presses. (For a visual sampler, check out Carolina A. Miranda’s amusing photo tour from years ago.) The celebration, formerly held at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Geffen Contemporary, this year moves to ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. Although the location is different, much of the programming will be the same, including live music performances and the discussion series “The Classroom.”

6-9 p.m. Thursday, 1-7 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday (first two hours Sunday is a mask-required period). ArtCenter South Campus, 870 and 950 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. laabf2025.printedmatterartbookfairs.org

Culture news and the SoCal scene

Remnants of the old Japanese American fishing village on Terminal Island that may be demolished to make way for Port of Los Angeles expansion projects.

(Al Seib / For The Times)

America’s most endangered historic places

The only two surviving buildings from Terminal Island’s days as a thriving Japanese American fishing village in the early 1900s have been placed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2025 list of America’s 11 most endangered historic places. The buildings are in danger of being razed by the Port of Los Angeles, and the hope is that the visibility afforded by the list will help preservation efforts. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Terminal Island was the first place from which Japanese Americans were uprooted and sent to government camps such as Manzanar in the Owens Valley.

NEA grants canceled

The Trump administration is attempting to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts in its latest budget proposal, and the NEA recently sent a wave of letters to arts organizations across the country canceling grants. Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA, South Coast Repertory, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Industry and L.A. Theatre Works are just some of SoCal nonprofits that got the bad news last week. The loss of this longstanding funding has left many organizations scrambling.

Participatory theater

Features columnist Todd Martens participated in the fourth Immersive Invitational, an interactive theater experience that gives participating companies 48 hours to create a 10-minute production and perform it multiple times on the event’s final day. “With the limited time frame, participating theater crews have to quickly establish a place and a sense of purpose, lending the audience, which must immediately contort to their role as actors, a call to action,” writes Martens of the fast-paced and joyful proceedings.

Jackie Castillo

Terracotta tiles in Jackie Castillo’s installation evoke the used building materials tossed from a roof, their value and history destined for a dumpster.

(Jeff McLane / ICA LA)

The latest show at Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, is from an artist who has long been compelled by the visible and invisible labor of immigrant communities. Times contributor Tara Anne Dalbow notes how Castillo’s work draws attention to the workers responsible for building construction, maintenance and repair. “Beneath the facade of every home, school, business and community center lie layers of material meaning and memory that bear forth records of the minds and hands that envisioned and assembled them,” Dalbow writes.

Wednesdays-Sundays through Aug. 31. ICA LA, 1717 E. 7th St., L.A. theicala.org

South Coast Rep’s upcoming season

South Coast Repertory announced a 2025-26 season lineup that includes Edward Albee‘s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” and Yasmina’s Reza‘s “God of Carnage,” running from late January to March in rotating repertory.

The season opens this September with the jukebox musical “Million Dollar Quartet,” featuring the music of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. That’s followed by the Lloyd Suh play “The Heart Sellers,” about the chance connection between two immigrant women, one Filipino and one Korean, preparing a Thanksgiving meal. Also on the schedule: SCR’s “A Christmas Carol” tradition, carried on for the 45th year; the Karen Zacarias musical “Cinderella: A Salsa Fairy Tale,” part of the Theatre for Young Audiences and Families programming; two world premieres opening in April, “Fremont Ave.” by Reggie D. White and a second title to be announced later; and “Hershey Felder, Beethoven,” in June 2026, and the one-night-only “Hershey Felder’s Great American Songbook Sing-Along,” on June 14, 2026. More details and production dates are at scr.org.

A few more news bits

Los Angeles Youth Orchestra is holding auditions for new members on Saturday and Sunday at First Presbyterian Church, 4963 Balboa Blvd., Encino. Applicants must have had at least two years of private instruction on their instrument. LAYO has more than 100 student musicians from more 50 schools in the region.

The National Children’s Chorus under Artistic Director Luke McEndarfer has partnered with Compton Unified School District in establishing scholarship-funded vocal training classes at Compton High School. The classes, which began this semester, take place three times per week and include ensemble singing, vocal technique, music theory, sight-singing and performance practice.

Leave it to Baltimore to stage the absurdly fun Kinetic Sculpture Race, hosted by the American Visionary Art Museum. This year’s 25th anniversary event featured a massive pink dog sculpture, “Fifi,” that was part of a group of wild creations to be pushed, biked and otherwise maneuvered on a 15-mile long race track.

— Jessica Gelt

And last but not least

The president and director of the Art Institute of Chicago is taking time off while the museum investigates a news report that he began stripping off his clothes on a flight from Chicago to Munich after drinking alcohol and taking prescription meds.

Danny Dyer was overcome with emotion as he accepted the award for Best Male Performance at the 2025 Bafta TV Awards

Danny Dyer left everyone speechless when he nabbed a prestigious Bafta Award on Sunday, May 11, with his typically colourful language adding some spice to the proceedings. Overcome with emotion, yet true to his EastEnders hardman persona, he didn’t hold back on the expletives during his acceptance speech.

The host for the evening, Alan Cumming, wasn’t caught off guard though, he quickly jumped in to apologise to viewers at home for the actor’s fruity on-air antics.

Celebrating his win for Best Male Performance in Sky Comedy’s ‘Mr Bigstuff’, Danny admitted with a cheeky grin: “The acting was so bad it was funny.”

He then set tongues wagging by dropping the F-bomb repeatedly, flouting the Bafta’s language guidelines, despite having faced a warning earlier on.

Despite the few choice words, the former soap star’s message resonated with the audience as he admitted to being “choked up” and sweetly referenced his two daughters during his heartfelt thanks at London’s Royal Festival Hall, reports Belfast Live.

Here, is an insight into Danny Dyer’s notorious speech, his nod to EastEnders, and where he’s heading in his career next.

The full speech

A good chunk of the 47-year-old’s candid speech was edited out due to the risqué content, but his gratefulness couldn’t be clearer from the snippets that survived.

He kicked things off by expressing gratitude to Sky for taking a chance on their show, saying: “I want to thank Sky for giving our show a shot. F***ing hell, I’m choked up.” In particular, he highlighted Ryan Sampson, the writer he holds in high esteem.

Continuing with his thank yous, Danny quipped: “He’s one of the greatest people ever to come out of Rotherham – not saying much. You won this for me mate.”

Danny further heaped praise on Ryan who is also an actor, proclaiming: “One of the best actors this country’s ever produced, I’m telling you. Never done the same thing twice. Which is not something I can say.

“He wrote this part for me, so you know… I’m getting choked up again, f*** me. So you won this for me, mate, I really appreciate it. Thank you so much.”

In an emotional moment, the star of The Rivals expressed his gratitude towards his daughters, Dani, 28, and Sunnie, 18, who were in the audience, beaming with pride as they witnessed their father’s triumph: “Girls, Sunnie and Dani… I’ve done it, girls, I’ve f***ing done it.”

Upon Danny’s departure from the stage, host Alan Cumming stepped in to express apologies for any offence caused by the “naughty language”.

What Danny Dyer said away from the cameras

While backstage and still riding high from his award victory, Danny didn’t hold back during a chat with the Metro newspaper, he giggled: “Oh, there’ll be some people fuming!”, and assertively declared: “I don’t know, man. I’ve earned it. I only want one, I don’t need more than this. I’m happy.”

Reflecting on his previous recognitions and subtly jabbing at his time on EastEnders, he said: “I’ve lifted a couple of NTAs over the years, and I always like to win awards and lose them, do the moody clap [pretending] that you’re happy for someone else… I’ve done all that b******s, and I thought I’d be doing that tonight.”

Reflecting on his recent triumphs with both Mr Bigstuff and Rivals, he shared: “I’ve had a really good run this year. Rivals has been so well received. A bit odd, really. I’ve got Rivals sitting there, and I’ve got Mr Bigstuff there.”

On to big things

Fans are in for a treat as the critically acclaimed Mr Bigstuff makes its comeback with Danny at the helm in Sky Comedy’s spotlight, gearing up for its much-anticipated second season.

While we’re all on tenterhooks for the release date of series two on Sky and Now, the network has teased that the premiere is slated for “later in 2025”, with Danny set to dazzle audiences once again as the brash brother Lee.

Disney + Rivals fans will be ecstatic to hear that Danny is set to return to the role of businessman Freddie Jones once more, a role that snagged him the British Press Guild Award for Best Actor and the RTS Television Award for Supporting Actor.

The exact timing for the return of series two remains shrouded in mystery, with some media outlets speculating “later in 2025” or “early 2026”. Yet, an insider on ITV’s Lorraine hinted at a much sooner date, suggesting “July 2025”.

Chatting with Andi Peters, who was filling in on ITV’s Lorraine on Monday, May 12, Ria Hebden let slip: “Rivals, we now know it’ll back on screens this July.”

Rivals will return to Disney + at some time in the near future and Mr Bigstuff will return to Sky and Now, also at a near point in 2025.

EMMA Raducanu takes on Coco Gauff in the round of 16 at the Italian Open.

Former BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner Raducanu is vying for a quarter-final place in Rome, and chases a second title in her career.

Raducanu came from behind to beat Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday, winning 6-0 and 6-1 in the second and third sets after a 5-7 defeat to open.

Gauff has only dropped one set in her opening two clashes, and has won four sets consecutively to see of Victoria Mboko and Magda Linette.

• Start time: 2pm BST
• TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event

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There are very few recorded interviews with Dame Agatha Christie, the world’s bestselling novelist and generally acknowledged doyenne of crime, for one simple reason: She hated speaking in public.

She often described herself as cripplingly shy — she agonized for days when a celebration for the 10th anniversary of her play “The Mousetrap” required her to give a speech — and she remained morbidly press-adverse after the media swarm that followed her famous 11-day disappearance. (Though in defense of the press, what could one expect when a notable crime writer goes missing for almost two weeks in the midst of a shattering divorce and then, when found, refuses to explain what had happened?)

In her autobiography, and through her literary avatar Ariadne Oliver, Christie often described taking great pains to avoid speaking in front of people and she (and Mrs. Oliver) particularly hated being asked questions about her writing. “I never know what to say,” Mrs. Oliver would wail, echoing sentiments expressed by Christie herself.

So when BBC Maestro announced, at the end of April, that it was launching a digital class in which an AI-resurrected Christie would offer lessons in writing, it was difficult not to be outraged. Never mind the whole “I see dead people”-ness of it all; here was a woman who was on record, multiple times and often at great length, about how much she loathed having to talk about how she did what she did in front of a bunch of people.

The creators of the series clearly anticipated such outrage. The prologue to the course features BBC Maestro Chief Executive Michael Levine and Christie’s great-grandson James Prichard, chairman and CEO of Agatha Christie Ltd., explaining the care put into the series. The script, we are assured, is rigorously based on Christie’s own words; the actor (Vivien Keene) was chosen after a year-and-a-half search; and the set (a library that houses a model of Christie’s own typewriter), the costume (a tweed suit accented by pearls, a brooch and duplicates of Christie’s engagement and wedding rings) and the hair are models of authenticity.

More important, the course has the family’s full support. “At the heart of this project was my father who knew Agatha Christie better than any person living,” Prichard says. “At times he was astounded by how similar to his grandmother this version was. And my view,” he adds with a mildly challenging air, “is that if he can enjoy this project, we can all enjoy it.”

Agatha Christie autographing French editions of her books, circa 1950.

(Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

Challenge accepted.

Keeping in mind Christie’s fascination with disguise and advanced technology, as well as a passage in her autobiography in which she wishes a friend with more confidence could step in as a substitute during author interviews, I put my fears aside and ponied up $89 for the two-and-a-half-hour class.

Which is so respectful I found myself, at more than a few points in the 12 sections, wanting to scream.

We meet Keene’s Christie behind a desk, and there she stays, smiling and nodding as she walks us through her thoughts on her craft (including, in the introduction, her aversion to offering them).

Christie’s autobiography is a doorstop. Thoughts about writing, her characters and her career run through it, but they rarely take up more than two consecutive pages. Christie historian Mark Aldridge has done a remarkable job of mining it, as well as other writings, to create a genuine tutorial with an admirable script.

Yes, Christie offers the typical anodyne advice — write what you know and the type of book you enjoy reading — but she also gets very granular. A murder mystery is best at 50,000 words, the murderer and important clues must be introduced very early on, settings should be described thoroughly but economically (“sometimes a map works best”) and one must never give into an editor who spells cocoa as “coco.”

In portions that include “characters,” “plots,” “settings” and “clues,” Christie assesses some of her work. She came to think that her first book, “The Mysterious Affair at Styles,” was over-stuffed with plot, but remained irritated by those who claimed that the twist in “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” was a cheat. She wished she had introduced Hercule Poirot as a younger man, and was very happy to ditch Hastings for a while.

She discusses the importance of observation in everyday life, describing, among other things, how an encounter in front of a shop window led to one of her Parker Pyne stories, as well as the usefulness of isolated settings (“snow can also weigh down telephone wires”) and second (or third) murders.

In the opening minutes, it’s kind of neat to see what looks very much like a midlife Christie, smiling and talking in her very British way (the voice is not precise but close enough).

Still, there is no getting away from the fact that this is a two-and-a-half-hour lecture, delivered by a woman sitting behind a desk who, with the exception of a very few hand gestures, never moves. The camera moves, shooting her from this angle and that, and occasionally roving over various covers of Christie’s books. But Christie’s body remains as still as the late Queen Elizabeth II delivering her Christmas address.

I began to feel quite concerned for Keene — just how long were these takes? She delivers a vocally expressive performance and gives the digitally recreated face the necessary intelligence, wit and kindliness. The face itself looked fine — a bit glowy at times and immobile around the eyes — but its novelty quickly wore off. I would have happily traded what is essentially a parlor trick for a Christie who would get up and walk around a bit. Have a cup of tea, flip through a notebook.

Actor Vivien Keene’s voice and face were altered to create Agatha Christie’s likeness.

(BBC Maestro)

I realize that it is a course, and one I did not have to go through in one sitting. But as the first hour slid into the second, I found myself longing for someone, Aldridge perhaps, to mine Christie’s exquisite autobiography more broadly and create an entire one-woman play. An evening with Agatha, free of AI, in which Christie could reminisce about her extraordinary life, from her glorious Victorian childhood to her later years as an archaeologist.

Though known as the creator of the manor-house murder story, Christie was, as her books indicate, a voracious world traveler, learning how to surf before surfing was a thing, and dealing with adventures and misadventures (including a 14-hour honeymoon trek by camel and a hideous case of bed bugs on the Orient Express) that would give even the most intrepid travel influencer pause.

She lived through two world wars, experienced wildly unexpected success and deep personal loss. She endured a heartbreaking divorce and a nervous breakdown, while raising a daughter and writing books, only to rally again and find love again in the most unexpected place.

She wasn’t a saint — her work occasionally includes the racist, antisemitic and classist tropes of its time — but she avowed fascism as often as her more political contemporaries and believed, as she says in the course, that she lived in contract with her readers for whom she had the utmost respect.

She was a celebrity who never behaved as a celebrity, an artist who never admitted to art (and wrote her books on any steady surface, including orange crates and washstands), a novelist like no other who also wrote the longest-running play in history and whose work continues to sell while being adapted in film and television. Her contribution to the culture is literally incalculable.

So surely she deserves more than a course that makes news mainly because of its use of dreaded AI. She’s Agatha-freaking-Christie. Give her a movie, a miniseries, a play. Give her an actor who worries less about the face and more about the words, and the life that inspired them.

Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh revealed in a social media post that she had been rushed to hospital for an emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix

TV presenter Ranvir Singh was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix – these are the warning signs people should look out for if they suspect they might have appendicitis, according to health officials.

Ms Singh, 47, known for presenting on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, shared an update on Instagram that included her pre and post surgery. The Instagram story continued with a shocking revelation: “I’m off air – all good – at 1030am I feel this sudden stomach ache. I stay in bed all day. Turns out I had a ruptured appendix and had urgent surgery at midnight on Thursday!

“Woke up 5am on Friday morning, high on anaesthetic and certain I could get into work to host the show as normal [laughing emoji]…

“Pretty nasty few days, the bacteria had spread and infected my blood etc and told to take this week off by @jadeens I’m sore and shuffling around, can’t drive for a week, and no exercise for 4 weeks (! ) so really it’s the boredom that will kill me! Ps. Anyone else have this horrendous shoulder pain afterwards? It’s mad isn’t it!”

Many colleagues and viewers wished Ms Singh a swift recovery following her ordeal. Symptoms of appendicitis typically causes pain in the lower right side of your tummy and need urgent hospital treatment, according to the NHS.

What are appendicitis symptoms?

The NHS said the pain can start in the middle of your tummy, around your belly button, and following a few hours it typically moves to the lower right side of your abdomen and gets worse.

The pain can feel worse when you move, cough or press down on the area. It could also feel slightly better when you pull your knees up to your chest. Other symptoms can include:

• feeling or being sick, or loss of appetite
• a high temperature
• constipation or diarrhoea
• peeing more than usual
• sudden confusion (in older people)

In some circumstances, people might not have the usually pain symptoms and might feel it develops more slowly, or in a different place. This is more likely if you are pregnant, a young child or an older person.

What are appendicitis risks?

If appendicitis is not treated it can result in a burst appendix, which is considered to be a medical emergency. “It spreads bacteria from inside your bowels throughout your abdominal cavity,” said the US-based Cleveland Clinic.

“This infection (peritonitis) can then spread to your bloodstream, which can lead to life-threatening complications (sepsis). Because of this risk, the standard treatment for appendicitis is to remove your appendix (appendectomy). Your appendix isn’t an essential organ, and you won’t miss it.”

What causes appendicitis?

The Cleveland Clinic said the size and location of the appendix can make it easy for it to become clogged and infected. The large intestine is home to many bacteria and it can become trapped in your appendix.

Sometimes appendicitis starts with an infection and a swelling can reduce or close the opening and trap more bacteria inside. Common causes of inflammation, swelling, obstruction and infection of the appendix can include:

• Hardened poop
• Lymphoid hyperplasia
• Colitis

What treatments are available for appendicitis?

The NHS said appendicitis is typically treated with surgery to remove it. If you need surgery, it should be done as soon as possible, although you may need to wait a few hours. The operation takes about an hour.

The steps of an appendix surgery, known as an appendectomy, are:

• You’ll be given a general anaesthetic, so you’ll be asleep and will not feel any pain.
• The surgeon makes some small cuts in your abdomen (tummy), and uses a thin tube with a camera to see your appendix (keyhole surgery). Sometimes they’ll need to make a larger cut in the lower right side of your abdomen (open surgery).
• The surgeon removes your appendix by cutting where it’s joined to your bowel. If your appendix has burst, the area will be cleaned.
• Your abdomen is closed with stitches, clips or glue.

There are some circumstances where it is possible to treat appendicitis with antibiotics rather than surgery, according to the NHS. This could be recommended if the infection has not spread and the surgery is considered high risk.

Four children in every British classroom are living in hygiene poverty, according to research.

A major report has found 21 per cent of affected kids don’t play with others because they’re worried about what they might think.

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The issue affects 14 per cent of children across Great Britain in total, with 20 per cent of these going without essentials like toothpaste or deodorant, on a monthly basis.

According to A Clean Start in Life, a report delivered in partnership with Children North East, almost 350,000 children can’t always get to school due to not having a clean school uniform.

The study surveyed 1073 children aged 6-15 and was commissioned by charity in Kind Direct.

Their CEO Michael Gidney said: “Children are sharing toothbrushes, worrying about standing out at school for the wrong reasons and families are having to choose between eating and keeping clean – impossible choices no one should have to face.

“As well as surveying young people online, we spoke directly to children across England who told us hygiene poverty is damaging childhoods, and no one should feel embarrassed to ask for help.

“Our immersive ‘Not a Choice’ campaign at Bluewater shopping centre aims to bring this hidden crisis into a public space, where we all engage with hygiene products daily.

“By amplifying the voices of children and real experiences in the shopping centre restrooms, we hope to create a moment of reflection for visitors before asking them to help us end hygiene poverty.”

Until May 11, visitors to the Bluewater shopping centre’s restrooms, a space where hygiene essentials are often taken for granted, will hear voices and experiences of children having to face uncomfortable choices every day, such as skipping PE out of fear of being called smelly.

It is hoped the voices will encourage shoppers to stop, listen and take action to help end hygiene poverty for the 1.1m children living in it.

The report went on to find 26 per cent of children living in hygiene poverty suffer from low self-confidence, and 17 per cent have felt embarrassed and ashamed.

Nearly a fifth (15 per cent) of children battling it have had to share individual-use products like a toothbrush with their family, with 16 per cent having to wear the same clothes for multiple days in a row.

Just under one in 10 (nine per cent) have also faced issues with bullying related to their lack of hygiene products.

Further in-person sessions were conducted with 103 children and young people aged 5-18 (or up to 25 for some with special needs), to gather their experience of hygiene poverty.

Meetings were designed by Children North East, and were held in the North East, East and West Midlands, London and the South West, in schools, colleges, youth and sports clubs.

Leigh Elliott, CEO at Children North East, said: “The shame and stigma attached to wearing a dirty school uniform or having greasy hair can be an unbearable burden for our children and young people.

“This research, along with our Poverty Proofing consultations with thousands of UK pupils, reveal that an increasing number of children are facing this reality.

“Every baby, child and young person should be able to live a happy, healthy childhood, yet children have told us hygiene poverty is impacting their mental health and school attendance.

“By lifting families out of poverty, we can help protect young lives from the lasting impacts of not being able to access everyday necessities.

“Children North East is proud to have worked in partnership with In Kind Direct to conduct this research with children and young people, and we hope their voices will drive meaningful change.”

Bertolt Brecht wrote that, in the dark times, there will also be singing. In Susanna Kwan’s debut novel, she asks whether those songs may be sung if there are no choirs to sing them. Choirs require community, and the role of community during environmental disaster is one of the themes that runs through this thoughtful novel about art, creation and the ways we care for one another.

Bo is a 40ish woman living in a San Francisco high-rise in the mid-21st century. The city is underwater after being swamped by the rising Pacific Ocean and incessant rain. But the city continues to exist. Those who have not fled inhabit the upper floors of skyscraper apartment blocks. Bo’s cousins have lined up work opportunities for her in Canada, but when the novel begins, she is insistent on staying. What keeps her there is grief; two years before, her mother disappeared during a storm. Bo clings to the hope that one day she will be reunited with her.

Like Bo before the rains, Kwan is an artist and she conveys what goes missing in her character’s life after environmental disaster: In the perpetual rain there are no longer seasons. And without seasons, there are no holidays or festivals to mark the changes in the year. Bo marks time with her twice-weekly visit to the rooftop markets, where merchants sell food they’ve grown or had brought in by boat. But it’s also where she scans the bulletin boards filled with photos of the missing and lost in search of her mother.

Kwan’s novel hones in on the ways that isolation and boredom sap vital parts of ourselves. The book captures America’s recent history: 2020 and isolating in our apartments and houses while outside, the dead piled up in freezer vans and mass graves. The ways that anxiety and loneliness caused many to turn inward, to make what was happening personal, as if no one else was affected. The loss of community and empathy for others drowned in the waves of fear, uncertainty, and for many, anger. Bo herself struggles with her individual feelings of frustration and grief, but then reminds herself that she hasn’t been singled out for bad fortune.

“What made her special in the long human history of crisis and displacement?” Bo wonders. “She had followed reports of heat waves that never subsided, outbreaks of anthrax and smallpox and malaria, continents dried to deserts, genocidal regimes, military blockades at borders that prevented passage to hundreds of thousands of people with nowhere to go, children drowning at sea. And yet the matter of her own privileged leaving felt extraordinary and without precedent, even as she registered this delusion.”

Before her mother disappeared, Bo worked constantly as an illustrator and painter, a source of joy that sustained her. But after her mom dies — and it is clear that her mother has most likely been washed out to sea — she is paralyzed. “Art, she’d come to feel, served no purpose in a time like this. It belonged to another world, one she’d left behind.” Grief has grayed-out her love for colorful creation.

One day, a neighbor slips a note under her door. It is a request that Bo come help out Mia with household chores. Mia lives alone, and at age 129, is struggling.

Bo has supported herself in the constricted economy as a caregiver. Many of those in the high-rises are the elderly, in some cases abandoned by their fleeing children, but sometimes just too fragile to be moved. By 2050, people are living past 100 and living to 130 isn’t rare. But 130-year-old elders have elderly children and even elderly grandchildren. Weaker bonds with third- and fourth-generation descendants has left many to look after themselves.

Bo is the daughter of Chinese immigrants; Mia came from China with her parents. Mia’s daughter and further descendants live thousands of miles away. Caring for Mia reminds Bo of the time she spent with her mother when they made frequent treks to check in on family elders, a way of paying respect, her mom told her when Bo was a child.

In Mia’s apartment, the two women begin to bond in the kitchen. Bo prepares food while Mia tells stories of her life in San Francisco. She had been born in the 1920s, not that long after the earthquake and devastating fire that leveled the city in 1906. Mia’s life parallels the growth of San Francisco and her memories of how the city changed through the decades in the 20th century intrigues Bo. So much was lost, first in the wave of explosive population growth and wealth, but when the rains came, entire parts of the city disappeared, their histories swallowed by the relentless rise of the Pacific.

Bo’s memories have already been dulled by perpetual grayness. But hanging out with Mia loosens something inside of Bo, and she notices that her senses can serve as “time machines,” and give her access to her own past. There are obvious reminders — a photograph — but songs are especially evocative even before she recognizes the tune. “A song provided passage from the present station back to a place and time, distinct and palpable. The trip was quick, a sled tearing down a luge track, the body sensing its arrival before the mind could register the journey.”

Bo’s occasional lover is a man who visits San Francisco as part of his job working in natural resources. He spends much of the time counting and cataloging what species remain, or what is about to be lost. When he arrives back in town after she has started working for Mia, Bo finds that her growing sense of purpose, her desire to return to art-making, is motivated by a similar impulse.

She wants to catalog Mia’s experiences, her memories of the city that no longer exists. In their long conversations, Mia summons images and histories of places that Bo never knew existed. Inspired by Mia, Bo goes to the city’s archive and searches for the photographs, newspaper articles, blueprints, maps and other ways that the now-missing city documented its existence.

For Mia’s approaching 130th birthday, which Bo senses will be her employer’s last, she decides that she will use her skills as an artist to bring the old city back to life one more time — a gift for her employer, but also a means by which Bo can recapture the wild energy that is creation.

Survivalists preparing for an imagined catastrophic future hoard food and supplies and stock up on guns to “protect” themselves from those in need. But as Kwan shows, such visions of the future are the refractions of nihilism and the American belief that individual survival and success is due solely to individual effort. But that’s never been the case. What preserves human life — even a life in horrific circumstances — are relationships of caring and cooperation. Community built on taking care of each other is the only way that we will thrive. The networks we build to support others eventually becomes the social safety net we will ourselves need.

In dark times, the songs that will comfort us will not be the cacophony of individual voices wailing their grief. The darkness will be lifted by the harmonies of those who recognize each other’s humanity.

Berry is a writer and critic living in Oregon.

The BAFTA TV Awards took place last night as the biggest stars and shows on screen were honoured – however, a few stars couldn’t help but let slip a few swear words

The BAFTA TV Awards was sent into chaos behind-the-scenes after its stars and winners kept swearing on stage. The award ceremony is televised an hour after it actually happens, giving producers time to cut a number of expletive moments from the broadcast.

While host Alan Cummings delivered warning throughout the show to attendees over their language, Danny Dyer couldn’t get but let slip during his sweary acceptance speech for Best Male Comedy Performance.

The Mr Bigstuff star thanked Sky for “giving the show a shot” before adding: “F***ing hell, I’m choked up.”

He later said: “I’m getting choked up again, f**k me!” before paying tribute to his daughters Dani and Sunnie Jo. “Girls, Sunnie and Dani. I’ve done it girls, I’ve f***ing done it!” he said.

During the broadcast, Alan was forced to issue an apology over Danny’s language, saying he was “asked to apologise” for the language from Danny.

Danny wasn’t the only star to drop the odd expletive, with even host Alan stumbling on his words wen speaking about the BAFTA Fellowship. He accidentally referred to it as the “b****d” Fellowship before exclaiming, “Oh f**k me!”

Meanwhile, Sophie Willan – who took home the gong for her comedy series Alma’s Not Normal – made a number of efforts not to swear, but couldn’t help letting one slip. “I’m not allowed to swear and all I want to do is Beep Beep, Bloody Beep!!” she said.

“I just want to say, these lot are flupping brilliant. Blimming fabulous!” Despite attempting to replace expletives with more TV-friendly words, she later let a few slip out. “It’s been s*** hot,” she said before realising her error and covering her mouth.

All three speeches were edited out of the programme before it made to broadcast, The Sun has reported.

Last night’s BAFTAs were a big night for the BBC, with Mr Loverman, Industry, Blue Lights, Gavin and Stacey and Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour taking home gongs alongside other shows.

It was Mr Bates Vs The Post Office that won big however, with the ITV series taking home the award for Limited Drama at the ceremony.

While taking to the stage to accept the award, producer Patrick Spence said: “We’ve shown we cannot abide liars and bullies. And we’d like to put on record that being trusted by the sub post-masters to tell their story has been the greatest privilege of our lives.”

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