Blackbox is an hour-long biographical theatrical performance portrayed as a magic show. It is being performed on the Belly Button stage at Underbelly: Cowgate. It was written and directed by Rickerby Hinds.
It tells the true story of Henry “Box” Brown (played by Josiah Alpher), a plantation worker from Virginia, who made a daring bid for freedom in 1849 by mailing himself in a wooden box measuring 3 feet by 2.5 feet. Henry is joined on stage by his assistant, Spirit (played by Jada Evelyn Ramsey), and together they take the audience through Henry’s life, his different masters and meeting his wife and having children before his escape.
Alpher has a magnetic energy on stage which makes it impossible to look away from them. They deliver their monologue with relentless energy and enthusiasm and successfully weave in various little magic tricks that fit in with their story. A standout image from the show is during one of these tricks, where Alpher takes centre stage and wraps themself in chains, an exceptionally poignant moment that will stick with any audience long after they leave. Another particularly effective technique utilised by Alpher is how their intonation changes each time they refer to their “kind master”.
Ramsey, too, is an impressive performer in Blackbox, and the two actors have good chemistry with each other. Where Alpher is more accessible to the audience, however, Ramsey is more distant, creating an air of mystery around them which is fitting with the multiple parts that they play. Additionally, Ramsey is a wonderful singer, a talent which Hinds definitely made the most of during the performance.
Despite its many positive aspects, however, there were some parts of the show that were hard to understand on account of issues with audio. For instance, in a scene where Alpher is giving a passionate sermon, there is loud music playing through the speakers in addition to Ramsey’s singing. The combination of these elements makes it difficult to hear and understand what Alpher is saying and follow the plot.
Blackbox is a thoroughly enjoyable and original piece of theatre, and well worth watching at the Fringe this year. In some areas it feels a little rough around the edges, but both Alpher and Ramsey are fantastic performers, bringing a very promising script to life.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
