BOOK OF THE WEEK
THE VANISHING HALF
THIS many-layered and emotionally absorbing novel is dazzling. Aged 16, identical twins Stella and Desiree Vignes skip town, leaving their southern Black 1950s community for New Orleans, where their lives diverge – Stella begins passing as white, while Desiree finds herself back home in small, rural
THE HOUSE ON FRIPP ISLAND
Mallard. And it’s in these new worlds they’ve built for themselves, that their daughters must grow up and navigate their mothers’ silences.
Brit Bennett explores in detail the American history of passing, the impact of secrets, domestic abuse, white privilege, racism, class, homophobia and transphobia. She unpicks the inescapable threads that bond sisters across time, place and lies, with breath-taking prose. A beautiful and timely book.
SIMON BIRD admits it’s a shame that his feature debut as a director isn’t getting a “proper cinema release”. However, the Guildfordborn actor, 35 – star of The Inbetweeners and Friday Night Dinner – was able to take the coming-of-age story to a few film festivals before the coronavirus pandemic began.
So, luckily, the cast and crew did get the experience of watching it on a big screen, and witnessing the audience reaction.
And now, with cinemas still currently closed during lockdown, Days of the Bagnold Summer – which stars Monica Dolan, Earl Cave, Rob Brydon and Tamsin Greig – is being launched digitally.
“Ultimately, it’s such a low-budget film, it’s main home was always going to be online,” reasons a chatty, amiable Simon.
“And then, on top of that, it’s so bizarrely prescient as well; it’s about somebody whose summer holiday plans are cancelled and suddenly finds themselves stuck at home with their mum. So, for that reason it’s probably relatable to a lot of people.
“As it goes, it’s alright for our film; I feel sorry for a lot of other films that are less lucky.” The funny and tender story – which is adapted from the graphic novel by Joff Winterhart – follows heavy metal fan and teenager Daniel (Cave), who was due to spend six weeks of summer with his dad and his new wife in Florida. When he has to spend it with his mum (Dolan) in suburbia instead, it leads to an epic war of wills as they each deal with private tragedies, and pursue their personal passions.