Exploring The Lives of Jamaican Maroons in The 18th Century

From the moment that Camille Simone Thomas‘ play Sweet Blood begins, the audience is immersed in 1727 Jamaica, dropped into a world of lyrical language and familial bonding — one in which the presence of slavery looms just outside of the mountains.

Within the mountains, we meet three free Afro-Taino Maroon sisters: Caona, a nurturing healer played by Whitley Armstrong, Tanama, a free and rambunctious spirit played by Amanda Hunt, and Ris, the fierce and protective older sister played by Brianna Johnson. The three actors’ chemistry is on display right away as they exchange stories, witty banter, and engage in sisterly spats in a way that feels organic and lived in.

To the three actors’ credit, Tanama, Ris, and Caona are each played with equal parts strength and sensitivity. While their personalities are distinct, you believe that they’ve come from the same Baba and Bibi, as they display a shared resistance and protect each other in their own ways.

“Sweet Blood is described as being At once intimate and epic, which stands to be true.”

This bond sets the tone for the rest of the play, as the sisters navigate “Familial love, cultural commitments, lineage, and liberation.” There are all sorts of colorful characters throughout, such as Calaway Swanson’s portrayal of Cyrus, a mulatto heir to a major shipping company. Cyrus’ character was written and embodied with a rich amount of nuance, which adds another layer of depth to Sweet Blood.

Director Raecine Singletary did a fantastic job creating pictures on stage, and the play kept viewers visually engaged throughout. The fighting scenes — coordinated by Luke Pearlberg — were particularly enthralling. The actors were fully committed to the intensity of these battles, enhanced by the immersive nature of JACK’s theater, and the dirt and mulch-filled scenic design of Ezekial Clare. As audience members, we were in it, ooo-ing and ahh-ing, cheering and sobbing throughout.

Sweet Blood is described as being “At once intimate and epic,” which stands to be true. Camille allows the audience to spend time with the sisters as they engage in song, share stories, and connect with generations past. Still, she makes time for world-building, which pays off in the second act, at which point the scale of Sweet Blood’s world feels massive.

At times, it’s easy to forget that the play has just six actors, as it manages to flesh out characters seen and unseen, and blur the boundaries between the living and the dead. In the end, we’re left feeling just as connected to the land as the three black women who call it home.

While Sweet Blood’s run at JACK is over, we’re keeping an eye out for the play, and all involved for what they do next. Sweet Blood is a lot of things, but perhaps Camille Simone Thomas describes it best: “It is an offering, a mourning song, and a celebration: for the women who came before, for the daughters yet to come, for the possibilities of liberation that refuse to die.”

Marketing Photos by Don Brodie

A special shoutout to Amen Igbinosun, Kiará Johnson, John-Philip Faienza, and JACK for platforming such powerful work.

CAST

Adrian Lamont Caldwell Jr as Khosi
Daniel Shevlin as Joseph
Amanda Hunt as Tanama
Brianna Johnson as Ris
Whitley Armstrong as Caona
Calaway Swanson as Cyrus

__________________

CREATIVE TEAM

Produced by Camille S. Thomas, Renee Harrison & Jordan Powell
Assistant Directed by Jordan Powell
Scenic Design by Ezekial Clare
Lighting Design by Ethan Feil
Costume Design by Sam DeBell
Fight Choreography by Luke Pearlberg
Prop Design by Eric Cipriaso
Music Direction by Jhori Ahnae
Intimacy Coordination by LySaundra Janeé