On the play’s front cover (Nick Hern Books, 2019), Princess is wearing a makeshift ‘Miss Weston-super-Mare’ sash and holding a crown over her head. This depicts Princess’ fantasy cupboard world which is a motif in the play where she imagines herself winning the ‘Beauties of the West’ contest. In the opening scene, her cupboard comes to life and Princess accepts her award, saying:

My name is Phyllis Princess James. I will wear this crown every day. I will never take it off even when I am asleep. (Act 1, Scene 1)

Here, we are introduced to a confident and spirited young girl who believes in her dream that she can win the beauty competition. However, the crown on the front cover appears to be fractured. While this could be seen as evidence that the crown has been stitched together at home, it may also foreshadow the damaging effects of anti-Black racismⁱⁱ that Princess experiences at school. After being rejected by her school peers, we see how Princess has changed in her next cupboard world appearance:

My name is Phyllis Princess James. I want to wear this crown… I want to be the prettiest girl in the whole of Weston-super-Mare and Bristol… but everyone in school says I can’t be… (Act 2, Scene 2)

The use of modal verbs across both scenes is important: Princess goes from saying ‘I will wear this crown’ to ‘I want to wear this crown’, which illustrates the doubt that has infiltrated her mind. Likewise, the idea that she ‘can’t’ win a beauty competition is voiced by her school peers but is an idea endorsed by society, too. Princess is growing up in a world where White or light skin and silky hair is portrayed and seen by many to be the most desirable. This is symbolised by the White dolls wearing beauty pageant sashes on the floor, as well as the images of past pageant winners who are all White women.

The front cover also depicts the play’s setting with rich detail. Princess appears to be in the family living room and the photographs are more than decorative touches. Those on the wall are most likely of the Caribbean, with one photograph displaying palm trees on a sandy beach, and the other a hibiscus flower which grows in tropical regions and is often used, in the Caribbean and the diaspora, to make sorrel drink. In his book Black Everyday Lives, Material Culture and Narrative: Tings in de House (2023), Shawn-Naphtali Sobers writes about the significance of photo walls in Caribbean households; they tell unique stories and connect members of the diaspora^vi to their cultural heritage.

In the middle of the mantlepiece, in pride of place, is a photo which we can infer is of the family. Mavis embraces Junior and Princess, mirroring how her life revolves around affirming and creating hopeful futures for her children in the UK. Her mothering practices reflect those of many Black Caribbean mothers who play central roles in nurturing their children while giving them the tools to navigate a society in which they will:^vii

And every day, mawning and night mi fall on my knees and pray that dis country Hingland truly see de possibilities of our children… (Mavis, Act 3, Scene 4)

Mavis’ presence and influence can be seen through the appearance of the adult-sized red shoes and the dress that Princess wears, both of which may be hers. Alternatively, these items could belong to their neighbour, Margot, who comforts Princess and helps her dress up when she has run away after cutting her hair. Although there are some tensions around Margot’s character, she is accepted as part of the family, having played an important role in Mavis’ and her children’s lives:

Thank you for bringing Princess back home safe to me. And you’re always welcome here. Any time. Girls say bye to your Auntie Margot. (Mavis, Act 3, Scene 4)

Another object we see on the front cover is a camera, which reinforces the importance of photographs. We find out early in the play that Wendell Junior’s dream is to become a professional photographer:

Leon and some other guys wanted to take photographs by the docks. And you know I’m trying to learn everything I can… I’ll be an apprentice one day in one of them photography studios (Leon, Act 1, Scene 1)

This ambition is linked to Wendell Junior’s relationship with his best friend Leon and Leon’s father; respectively, they have played brother and father roles in his life. Wendell Junior takes inspiration from Leon’s photography skills, and Leon’s father has supported Wendell Junior’s dream by lending him a camera and offering him a paper round job. 

Community resistance

The Bristol Bus Boycott of 1963 is alluded to on the front cover through the toy bus and the protest sign written in vivid red paint. The colour could symbolise the passion and anger of communities subjected to daily racisms, at a time where there were no laws in place to combat racial discrimination. It could also represent the blood shed from Black communities across generations who made Bristol the city it is today, leading us to reflect on the legacies of the transatlantic trade in enslaved people.

Princess’ position atop the toy bus could signify the legacy of resistance she is born into, while also being a reminder of her innocence. As the events of the Bus Boycott unfold and members of her family are affected, this is an important backdrop for Princess’ story where she is exploring her own identity as a young Black girl. 

Odimba’s play brilliantly captures the experiences of Black communities in the 1960s, but its relevance is ongoing. This sentiment is illustrated in the stage directions when the family celebrate the success of the Bristol Bus Boycott:

PRINCESS laughs and exits – towards the sunshine outside, head held high, knowing that just for this one day, they won –

Writing in the 21st century, Odimba knows that this triumph is momentary and will go down in history as a big stride in the journey towards racial justice. More recently, Black Lives Matter Movements, the fight for climate justice, and the far-right violence and racist and Islamophobic race riots in the UK (summer 2024), are just a few examples that show we have a long way to go.

Despite this, the play’s ending is infused with a real sense of joy and unity, which reflects how the spirit of resistance in Black communities, along with their allies, lives on. 

Lit.Legacies Princess & the Hustler scheme of work

Teaching Princess & the Hustler for GCSE English Literature or interested to find out more? Explore Lit.Legacies’ free scheme of work including a teacher pack and accompanying resource banks.

Hair discrimination in schools (and the workplace) is an enduring issue. Michelle De Leon and Denese Chikwendu, creators and directors of World Afro Day, found that 1 in 6 children in the UK have had negative experiences with their afro-textured hair and identity, and that the school environment was a major reason why these children would prefer to have straight hairⁱⁱⁱ. 

Odimba’s decision to centre a dark-skinned Black girl with an afro is an act of resistance against Western beauty ideals which are rooted in anti-Blackness and misogynoir^iv. The play’s ending where 'the most beautiful Black women of all sizes and nations appear' and 'assemble around Princess' is powerful in the way it pays homage to Black beauty, while marking the end of a chapter in Princess’ journey. This display also alludes to the work of Trinidadian journalist and activist Claudia Jones (1915–1964), who created the Carnival Queen competition as part of London’s first Caribbean Carnival^v.