About this episode

The episode discusses the 1987 BBC Radio drama 'The Prince of Africa' by Caryl Phillips, focusing on themes of slavery and the African diaspora.

The Prince of Africa is an acclaimed 1987 BBC Radio drama written by the renowned Kittitian-British author Caryl Phillips. First broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in March 1987, the play follows an English sea captain who, while new to the slave trade, finds himself in command of an overcrowded slave ship bound for the Americas. It employs an experimental and fluid narrative style that moves seamlessly across time and space, exploring the overarching themes of the African diaspora, dislocation, and the history of slavery. The original broadcast starred actors Trevor Laird as the African and Geoffrey Collins as Captain John Winston, and was directed by Ian Cotterell.

Topics covered

• slavery
• African diaspora
• dislocation
• historical drama
• narrative style

Keywords

• Caryl Phillips
• BBC Radio drama
• slave trade
• overcrowded slave ship
• African diaspora
• history of slavery

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC Radio, BBC Radio 3

Books & works: The Prince of Africa

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