We are delighted to be part of the Good Grief Festival online this October 29. Events are free during the festival. Find out more and register for this event here. The interview will be available to stream between 9am and 6pm on Saturday 29th Oct.

In this 50 minute panel discussion, childhood friends Maisie Whitehead and Anna Millais discuss growing up together and then experiencing their mums dying of cancer within six months of each other. Both artists (Maisie is an aerialist and physical performer, Anna an illustrator), they share their memories of their mums, their experiences of loss, and the ways they turned to creativity when they were grieving. Maisie also tells us about making The Guy in the Luggage Rack, an aerial comedy about bereavement where grief takes the form of a six-foot invisible bald man with a lot of luggage. She explains that the show draws on theatre clowning, circus and puppetry to tackle the themes of grief and bereavement with an emotional punch and a playful touch, and Anna talks about the illustrations she created for a zine that accompanied the performances. The two friends discuss how the show’s protagonist eventually finds a way to make room for grief in her life and reconnect to her memories of her mum, and they also share their experiences of this process.