Edinburgh Fringe 2026
In The Black
Quaz Degraft
Genre: Dark Comedy, Theatre
Venue: Underbelly Bristo Sq
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
“You gotta an hour ‘til lights out”, booms the guard as Kofi sits in the sartorial prison garb of an orange jumpsuit. Drawing directly on his experiences in the finance sector, Quaz Degraft relates the tale behind Kofi’s appearance, one that is worryingly redolent of what actually goes inside the glass walled skyscrapers that dominate major financial centres.
Review
“You’ve got an hour ’til lights out,” calls the guard as Kofi sits in the sartorial prison garb of an orange jumpsuit. We are in a penitentiary somewhere as Kofi recounts how he’s ended up behind bars, his capacity for resolving conundrums a shield from the darker side of prison life but indirectly the cause of his incarceration.
Raised by a strict father who values security of employment, Kofi gets an early taste of the high life via a bit of casual joyriding in a bid to impress the girls. This convinces him that money can insulate you from the rest of the world, giving you an entirely different view, provided that you’re sitting in the right seat.
Cue years of diligent study and a college degree which leads, somewhat to his surprise, to an interview with a senior director in a private equity firm managing an eye watering volume of assets on behalf of its ultra-high net worth clients. Then, guess what, a black man lands a high rolling job in this white man’s homeland, the money tree that is the world of fund management.
Once you’re on this bandwagon, though, it’s hard to get off. And, as Kofi’s career progresses under the mentorship of his C suite sponsor, so his bonuses become a multiple of his growing salary, not a mere fraction. But there’s a price to pay for living in this closeted world. The 24/7 work focus in an industry dominated by the white alpha male can produce a form of groupthink that tolerates overt racism, misogyny, bullying, exploitation and ritual humiliation that would be called out everywhere else.
But speaking out can wreck a blossoming career. So, when Kofi witnesses an egregious act on the part of his mentor against a work colleague for whom he has respect and love, what should he do? What would you do? In The Black, written and performed by Quaz Degraft, pulls no punches as it poses a moral dilemma to which there should be a “no brainer” for an answer. But has Kofi the courage to take that route?
Drawing directly on his experiences of the finance sector, Degraft weaves a tale that is worryingly redolent of what actually goes on behind the glass walled skyscrapers that dominate major financial centres, behaviour to which I can attest, having spent decades working as an accountant.
He weaves his tale with pace and authenticity, the words pouring out in a continual torrent, patois sprinkled liberally throughout which conveys an image of the many characters he portrays, changing voice, accent and mannerisms swiftly as the story unfolds. Humour is used to deflect and distract as the story darkens but it can’t mask the reality of behaviour that, sadly, is still tolerated across this and other parts of the world of work.
This is a compelling piece of theatre, especially given its reliance on the spoken word of which there are plenty, all perfectly sequenced with hardly a syllable out of place, outlining the challenges Kofi must overcome as he negotiates a culture whose authority, norms, and rewards are shaped by white male power. There’s a ceiling, and you’ll need a sponsor to break it. But only if you play by their rules. Highly recommended.
