‘I would never date a white person again’ – what Slave Play teaches us about interracial relationships

Stephanie was just 18 years old when she met Henry on a night out during her first year at Coventry University in 2012. Neither had really been in a long-term relationship before, but just a few weeks later they were head over heels. In the years that followed, the pair moved to London, developed a shared friendship group, bought a flat together and had plans to get married. 

But in May 2023, eight years after that first meeting in Coventry, Stephanie ended things with Henry at their kitchen table in Peckham. There was no big shouting match, no accusations of infidelity or crocker thrown. In fact, on paper, they were the perfect match. Stephanie, however, is black, and Henry is white.