Black Atlas

Norwich Playhouse

Black Atlas is a tale of racial inequality based on the book by George McDonald Fraser and marking the bicentenary of the abolition of slavery in 1807.

It's the story of Tom Molineaux, an American slave who became a high-profile prizefighter in Britain in the time of George III. He was prey to all kinds of exploitation and at his death, Parliament came under enormous pressure to stop the slave trade for good.

The show has been created by London Shakespeare Workout, a company whose aim is to take Shakespeare's ideas and see what happens when you use them as a basis for new theatre.

The link between the Bard and what we saw seemed a little tenuous, but it's hard not to give such a committed ensemble the benefit of the doubt.

The performances glittered. With nothing but a few chairs and neutral costume, these storytellers conjured every character without effort and took us on a rollercoaster ride which left us full of compassion and anger at man's inhumanity to man.