Blood of My Blood review
Royal Court theatre, London A Black British woman traces her family’s enslaved past in Joy Nesbitt’s supernaturally charged play
TL;DR
- The play is a ghost story and a reckoning with the undocumented history of enslaved people.
- A Black British woman, Talulah, traces her family line to a South Carolina plantation and attempts to contact her ancestor, Ginnie, through 'conjuring'.
- The production blends comedy, race drama, and gothic horror, with the past influencing the present.
- The play satirizes white liberal guilt through characters who own and run the plantation in the present day.
- Set design and lighting effectively delineate the past and present, suggesting the past remains alive.
- The acting, particularly from Patrick Vaill and Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ, is highlighted as excellent.
- Despite minor plot contrivances, the play is commended for its innovation and emotional impact.