Blackbox at Underbelly Cowgate

Blackbox is a theatrical event written and directed by Rickerby Hinds, a pioneer of American hip-hop theatre, adapted from the memoir of Henry "Box" Brown. The production tells the true story of Henry Brown, an enslaved man who in 1849 mailed himself to freedom in a wooden crate, theatrically reimagining his 27-hour journey from Richmond, Virginia to Philadelphia. Combining spoken word, gospel music, stage illusion, and raw historical testimony, the show is performed by Jada Evelyn Ramsey and Josiah Alpher as two characters who conjure Brown's life through magic and movement. This Edinburgh Fringe presentation marks the UK premiere of the production, which previously premiered at UC Riverside Theater in 2023 and was selected for Ford's Theatre's Lincoln Legacy Commissions 2024–2025 season.