This summer’s Edinburgh Fringe will see the UK premiere of Blackbox, a groundbreaking theatrical event by pioneering hip-hop theatre artist Rickerby Hinds.
“A play disguised as a magic show where history and illusion intertwine. Enslaved in America, Henry ‘Box’ Brown conjures his life and reenacts his daring 1849 escape when he shipped himself to freedom inside a wooden crate. Each illusion mirrors a chapter of his journey: love, loss, confinement, faith and defiance.
Gospel-infused soundscapes and stagecraft transform the theatre into a site of both sanctuary and reckoning. As boxes appear, vanish and break apart, Henry’s story becomes more than spectacle – it becomes testimony, inviting audiences to witness liberation not as legend but as lived and embodied resistance.”
Where: Belly Button at Underbelly, Cowgate
When: 5-30 Aug
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/blackbox
What can you tell us about your show? What is it about and where did the idea come from? How would you sell it to audiences in one paragraph?
What can you tell us about your show? What is it about and where did the idea come from? How would you sell it to audiences in one paragraph?
BLACKBOX – An Epic Poem with Magic tells the extraordinary true story of Henry “Box” Brown, an enslaved man in America who, in 1849, escaped slavery by shipping himself to freedom inside a wooden box. The play combines spoken word poetry, gospel music, hip hop aesthetics, and theatrical illusion to transform one of history’s most remarkable acts of self-emancipation into a magical theatrical experience. At its heart, BLACKBOX is about imagination as survival, hope in the face of impossible circumstances, and the extraordinary lengths one human being will go to claim his freedom. It’s history, poetry, and live magic woven together into a theatrical experience unlike anything audiences are likely to have seen.
Do you enjoy participating in the Fringe?
Absolutely. This will be my second year at the Fringe. Last year we brought my play Dreamscape, and the festival lived up to everything I had heard—and then exceeded it. For years, Edinburgh had been one of my artistic goals, but nothing prepared me for the experience of actually being there. The city becomes one enormous stage where every street, venue, and conversation is filled with creativity. To be surrounded by artists from around the world, each bringing their own unique voice, wasn’t just enjoyable—it was deeply inspiring. I left Edinburgh a better artist than when I arrived.
Do you have any moments you particularly remember?
There were many, but one performance has stayed with me ever since. It was a dance piece that used nothing more than a simple white bedsheet as one of its central visual elements. Through movement, timing, and imagination, that single object became countless different things. It reminded me that great theatre doesn’t depend on elaborate technology or expensive scenery—it depends on the audience’s willingness to imagine. Its simplicity was breathtaking, and it continues to influence the way I think about creating theatre.
What are you looking forward to the most in Edinburgh?
More than anything, I’m excited to discover how audiences from around the world respond to BLACKBOX. Although the play tells the story of an enslaved man in America in 1849, the questions it asks about freedom, resilience, and the power of hope are universal. There’s something especially meaningful about bringing Henry Box Brown’s story back to Edinburgh—a city he himself visited during his career as a performer after escaping slavery. I’m looking forward to seeing how contemporary audiences connect with his remarkable journey and to sharing that experience together.
What’s next for the show?
Following the Fringe, BLACKBOX will begin touring throughout California, with plans to expand nationally and internationally as opportunities arise. We hope our run at Underbelly will introduce Henry Box Brown’s story to new audiences and open doors for future performances. Like Henry himself, whose journey continued long after he emerged from the box, we hope this production continues to travel, reaching audiences wherever there are people ready to experience this extraordinary story.