An evocative drama charting the deep involvement of the Anglican church in the transatlantic slave trade comes to Ripon Cathedral as part of this year’s Ripon Theatre Festival.

Incidents in the Life of An Anglican Slave is a dramatic play-poem written and performed by Desirée Baptiste. It is inspired by a rare letter written in the year 1723, discovered in the Church of England Archives within Lambeth Palace Library.

The letter was addressed from an anonymous Virginian slave to the then Archbishop of Canterbury and to King George I pleading for freedom, while reporting the horrors, abuses and realities of chattel slavery that was approved by the Anglican church at the time. 

Baptiste’s powerful dramatic interpretation will be performed on Tuesday 7 July in the transept of Ripon Cathedral. It will be followed by a Question-and-Answer session, intended to give the audience a chance to have a conversation about the development of the piece and the issues raised.

As a ghost, still with us centuries later, the anonymous slave writer displays resilience, ingenuity, humour and strength during her trials and tribulations.

Written and performed by London-based writer and researcher, Desirée Baptiste, the piece has been performed at Chester Cathedral, Lambeth Palace Library, the Edinburgh Fringe and other venues in the UK and overseas, including in Barbados.

The Dean of Ripon, The Very Rev John Dobson, DL said: “Once again we at Ripon Cathedral are delighted to be supporting Ripon Theatre Festival and to be hosting this play-poem which explores an important subject for our time. The slave trade and its abolition were things with which this nation was actively engaged. It is appropriate then, that this event should be taking place in the cathedral, remembering that the Christian Church believes profoundly that the Spirit of God leads us into all truth. The pursuit of truth can be uncomfortable but is ultimately liberating.”

Ripon Theatre Festival Director, Katie Scott says, “We are grateful to Ripon Cathedral for for enabling time and space to examine this important and unsettling time in history.”

Tickets via our website or that of Ripon Theatre Festival.

*This is one of more than 100+ performances at the Ripon Theatre Festival 2026 – an annual summer festival with events and activities in a variety of indoor and open-air settings, bringing colour and culture to the city of Ripon.

Ripon Theatre Festival 2026 is supported by Arts Council England using public funding from the National Lottery