Dancing in the dark

Caryl Phillips, author of the award-winning The Far Shore , recreates the fascinating story of Bert Williams, the great Black Broadway artist of the early 20th century.

At a time when prejudice was deeply rooted in American soil, Bert decided to paint a black mask on his face, making fun of the stereotypes of dark-skinned Americans.

However, the barriers he had broken down to establish his career weighed heavily on his personal life, and the contradictions between the man under the makeup and the character he played became increasingly irreconcilable for the artist. In the words of comedian W.C. Fields, Williams was the funniest and saddest man he knew. And it is this split in the great artist's soul that Caryl Phillips brilliantly narrates in Dancer in the Dark , with a delicate and elegant account.