"Laroche" 
The Only Black Passenger Aboard the RMS Titanic

The incredibly true story about Haitian-born aristocrat, Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche who perished with over 1500 other passengers.

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Laroche is a powerful historical drama written and directed by Dr Carlette Norwood. The play tells the remarkable true story of Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche, the only known Black passenger aboard the RMS Titanic.

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Making its debut in 2024 at the Birmingham Black Box, Laroche captivated audiences with four sold-out performances and powerful audience response. The production returns for an encore run in 2025, continuing its mission to bring Laroche’s extraordinary life and legacy to the stage.

Blending history, identity, and human drama, Laroche explores the life of a Haitian-born engineer navigating race, class, love, and belonging in early twentieth-century Europe.

 

Through intimate storytelling and historical insight, the play sheds light on a largely forgotten figure whose presence on the Titanic challenges the narratives we think we know about history.

Laroche is both a tribute and a reclamation that restores Joseph Laroche to his rightful place in the story of the Titanic.