A bold exploration of how our ancestry shapes our stories
The Jerwood Theatre Upstairs is completely transformed in Joy Nesbitt’s now completely sold-out Blood of my Blood. Set in dual timelines of 1862 and the present day, this is a domestic drama with a supernatural twist.
The initial storyline follows Talulah (Jodie Campbell), a confused but determined woman from Shepherd’s Bush who has made the trip from London to South Carolina looking for answers. In Bullock Creek she stays on a former plantation turned AirBnB, where her ancestors from the 1800’s once also lived. The play also tells the story of an enslaved woman Ginnie (Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ), as she handles the advances and bears the children, of the owner of the plantation where she lives – Dr Good.
The play’s premise is absolutely fascinating, mixing elements of an Outlander-like historic time travel with classic kitchen sink drama. The script is not always strong, with much of Talulah’s dialogue falling a little clunkily, but the concept carries the production completely. Nesbitt has clearly done a huge amount of research, inputting just the right amount of extra detail without overstuffing the story with historic elements. One of the few plays that leaves the audience wanting more, it’s easy to see how the story could be expanded on and become a popular series.
The cast are supremely strong, with Hannah Morrish adding delightful comic lightness to the serious subject matter in her role as Nora Good. Patrick Vail makes masterful work of playing the modern day John Good and his slave-owning ancestor, sometimes even in the same scene. Karene Peter immediately lights up the stage with every entrance, playing both a slave and a modern-day PhD student with equal levels of energy and presence.
Set by Natalie Pryce is a beautiful presentation of realism, transforming the black box space into a foreboding slave cabin and grassy front yard. It is a completely immersive production, with the historic details of the script drawing the audience completely into a world where contact with the spirits seems totally plausible.
Despite sometimes awkward dialogue, this play strikes the delicate balance between supernatural and realism, creating an incredibly watchable piece of theatre that could easily be an hour longer.
Blood of my Blood plays at The Royal Court Theatre November 7, 2026 and is currently sold-out.