I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou
List: $15.75 | Sale: $11.03
Club: $7.87

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation

Author: Maya Angelou

Narrator: Adjoa Andoh, Cecilia Noble, Full Cast, Indie Gjesdal, Pippa Bennett-Warner

Unabridged: 1 hr 8 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/26/2018


Synopsis

A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of Maya Angelou's poignant, powerful autobiography, starring Adjoa Andoh, Indie Gjesdal and Pippa Bennett-Warner.

Abandoned by their parents, Maya and her older brother Bailey are sent to live with their grandmother and uncle in the small Southern town of Stamps in Arkansas. Struggling with rejection, they endure the prejudice of their white neighbours and suffer several racist incidents.

One day, their father unexpectedly returns and takes the children to live with their mother in St Louis, Missouri. Aged only eight, Maya is abused by her mother's boyfriend, an experience that haunts her for a lifetime. Filled with guilt and shame, she refuses to speak to anyone except Bailey – until she meets Mrs Bertha Flowers, who encourages her love of books, helping her to find her voice and regain her own strong spirit.

Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic, beloved worldwide, which recounts a youth filled with curiosity, wonder, disappointment, frustration, tragedy, and hard-won independence. This radio dramatisation, starring Adjoa Andoh, Indie Gjesdal and Pippa Bennett-Warner, plays out her extraordinary story with dramatic verve and poetic brilliance.

Cast:
Narrator (Older Maya)...Adjoa Andoh
Maya...Indie Gjedsal/Pippa Bennett-Warner
Bailey...Roshawn Hewitt
Momma...Cecilia Noble
Uncle Willie/Freeman/Daddy...Richard Pepple
Steward/Lawyer...John Lightbody
Girl...Francesca Elise
Mother...Ellen Thomas
Bertha Flowers...Nikki Amuka-Bird
Spanish voices... Maider Jáuregui, Rocío Mesonero, Celia Romo, Julio Villa-García, Hugo Sánchez and Francisco Oda-Ángel @ Instituto Cervantes,Manchester
Receptionist...Lauren Cornelius

Dramatised by Patricia Cumper
Produced by Pauline Harris

Reviews

Goodreads review by Bianca on August 19, 2020

A fantastic BBC dramatisation, albeit a bit short as it was only one hour long. Great writing, but I wanted more from the story. I'm not sure if it's because the dramatisation was shortened a great deal or if that's all there was to the story.......more

Goodreads review by Ala'a on February 26, 2025

I didn’t realise this was a shortened version… simultaneously horrifying and weirdly hopeful......more

Goodreads review by Besmet on April 19, 2023

It might have been a bad idea to listen to this version without knowing anything about the book or the author *facepalm* It was interesting and got my curiosity peeked but I just didn’t get it. I might red the full autobiography, there must be more to it!......more

Goodreads review by Sara on January 08, 2021

I really enjoyed this BBC Radio 4 radio dramatisation of the book. The acting was wonderful and the added elements of music and background noises made it easily digestible and immersive to read as I listened to it whilst working. However, I do wish it was a bit longer! The dramatisation is only over......more

Goodreads review by Erich on December 14, 2023

Very good but too short!......more