Arnold Wesker, described as ‘the unique outsider in the English Theatre’, brings to vivid life the tale of John Harrison, the outsider to the 18th century scientific establishment, the man who fought all his adult life to harness the power of time and make the seas a safer place, once and for all.

Without the ability to accurately chart their position at sea, eighteenth century sailors were often left at the mercy of inaccurate plotting, vague astronomical navigation and blind intuition. Despite Parliament’s offer of a £20,000 reward for a successful resolution to the ‘Longitude Problem’, the loss at sea of whole ships, crews and valuable cargoes continued unabated. Into the tempestuous quest for an accurate navigation system came Yorkshire born carpenter turned clockmaker John Harrison.