I have felt somewhat lukewarm about many of the theatrical productions I’ve seen so far this season. People keep asking me, “What did you like best?”—a question I’ve found genuinely difficult to answer, even though I’ve seen enough that this section will be packed with examples.
I am happy to report that Blood of My Blood, at the Royal Court, has finally broken the ice—standing out even amidst all the glitzy, star-studded productions (which I’ll touch upon shortly).
This new play, staged at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs—an intimate studio space with no more than 90 seats—is the work of playwright Joy Nesbitt. It is set in the cabin of Ginnie (played by the extraordinary Ronke Adékọluẹ́jọ), an enslaved woman on a South Carolina plantation in 1862—a pivotal moment in the American Civil War. Ginnie is involved in a romantic relationship with the plantation owner, Doc (Patrick Vail, also excellent), who is the father of her five children. The play follows Ginnie’s journey as the war looms, leading her to grapple with the meaning of freedom, the sacrifices required to attain it, and the nature of love under the long shadow of coercion.
Running parallel to this is the story of her descendant, a young British woman named Talulah (Jodie Campbell), who has reached an unexpected turning point in her life and is seeking answers from her ancestors.