Review – Blood at the Root

It’s October, the students at Louisiana’s Jena High School moan, so why is it still so hot? The heat of July should be long gone, surely. Likewise, the characters can’t seem to believe racism is still a thing – the fiery heat of the civil rights movement has been consigned to the history books, right? Based on the true story of what happened when a black schoolgirl – Raylynn, played superbly by Stori Ayers – dared to sit under the tree where the white kids hung out, Blood At The Root is a take-no-prisoners exploration of racial politics in 21st century America.

The whole production oozes with intensity, the dancing, the music the poetry and the acting itself, with brilliant performances across the board. From the outset there is the sense that at any moment a well-intentioned but simplistic moral parable will rear its head, however extra layers of nuance reveal themselves periodically to keep the audience guessing and – more importantly – thinking.  Via characters like Kenzie Ross as the white Asha who grew up in a black family, and Brandon Carter as the black Justin who is mocked for being an Oreo (white on the inside), Blood At The Root not only explores the impact of prejudice, but the expectations and burdens of racial and sexual identity themselves.