This show is part of Sight Unseen, a season curated by Isabel Adomakoh Young for The Takeover.

Explore the full season & find out more here!

ABC Merriman-Labor is an African satirist, whose dreams of becoming the greatest writer of his generation lead him on a defiant journey to the 'horrifying heart of whiteness': Edwardian London. Here, he wrestles with romantic ruin, financial catastrophe & severe writers' block to compose the first ethnographic account of the White Man ever attempted. But when details of his intimate friendship with John Roberts spark rumours back in Freetown, he is faced with an impossible choice: exposure or oblivion.

Five Years with the White Man is a tragicomic celebration of a long-forgotten figure, who defied the bigotry of empire.

'Rich, engrossing & characteristically spirited – you will leave with a broken heart and an enriched mind' ★★★★ Binge Fringe

'Exhilarating… a truly fresh take on storytelling' ★★★★ Salterton Arts

'Intensely touching... A delightful gem' ★★★★ The Reviews Hub

'Eloki Obi & Saul Boyer’s writing is crisp and full of wry humour... This ambitious production will stay with you long after you leave' The Prickle

'An engaging way of addressing the themes of legacy and memorial... intimate & moving' Once A Week Theatre