Blood of my Blood

Blood of my Blood is a new play by Joy Nesbitt, presented at the Royal Court Theatre in London, where the playwright makes their debut. It is directed by Tatenda Shamiso.

The drama moves between two periods. In Bullock Creek, South Carolina, in 1862, Ginnie Good raises five children in a cabin while the American Civil War rages nearby. In the present day, a woman rents that same cabin through an online accommodation platform in order to summon her ancestors. The production turns on the inherited weight of that history, on questions of belonging, and on what can be learnt from listening to voices from the past.

Nesbitt has said the play was written to honour her own ancestors and the many Black women whose stories have not yet been told. The work is a new piece of writing, so it offers an unfamiliar story rather than a revival of an established text. Its concerns are historical and personal, and the staging relies on the contrast between the two timelines.

The Royal Court Theatre hosts concerts and shows in London. Captioned and relaxed performances are scheduled within the run for audiences who need them.