A gripping and darkly comic new solo play, In The Black explores the hidden cost of ambition in a world driven by power and success. Written and performed by Quaz Degraft, the production follows Kofi, an ambitious young Black accountant navigating the high-stakes environment of Wall Street.
Raised as a first-generation Ghanaian American with a clear path towards stability, Kofi has done everything right. Yet as he enters the ruthless world of corporate finance, he discovers that success demands far more than talent. With pressure mounting from family expectations and a complicated romantic relationship, he finds himself making choices that blur the line between integrity and survival.
Blending sharp humour with emotional depth, the play draws on Degraft’s own journey from finance to acting. It examines the seductive pull of power and the quiet compromises that shape identity, asking how far someone is willing to go to succeed and what they may lose along the way.
Degraft reflects, “As a first generation immigrant, I have often found myself caught between my own ambition and the expectations placed on me by family. There is a constant pressure to succeed… what happens if I stop resisting the pressure and let myself be fully consumed by it?”
With a compelling moral dilemma at its core, In The Black offers a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of belonging, accountability and the true cost of ambition.
In The Black runs at Underbelly (Daisy) from 5 – 31 August at 14:45. Tickets are on sale here
