Un|Earthed - Of Mothers, Grandmothers and Freedom

Rushing from a heavy downpour into the warmly lit foyer of the charming new arts centre in Buckfastleigh run by Moor Imagination Collective, I am instantly warmed by the wood floor, banistered staircases and stonework of this former chapel. As people take their seats for a full house on this stormy evening in December, the national alarm sets the theatre-goers a-buzzing as they fumble to turn off their mobiles. We can deal with the weather later. More importantly, Inez Aponte, the person we have all come to see, makes her entrance. With the high red arch and golden moon of the chapel's apse forming the backdrop she takes centre-stage. The buzz and alerts subside as she begins her story - and what a story!

Inez tells a tale we would all love to be able to tell, the one that begins with the question 'where do I come from?'. As her story unfolds, the audience is drawn in to this tale of belonging. From its origins on the African continent, passing through the Dutch colony of Suriname to North America and Europe, Inez's family history is brought to life with a host of colourful characters. Mingled with her reworkings of traditional folk tales from Suriname, the evening progresses towards its conclusion in a woven fabric of fact and myth. An old crone washes a magical calabash, shape- shifting spirit animals roam the forest and a magical baby speaks from its mother’s womb. Meanwhile, in the real world, slave ships criss-cross the Atlantic, a father is left behind, and two blonde Dutch bullies get their come-uppance. Piece by piece, in the manner of a fairy tale, we are lured into her search for lost mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers.

There is nothing quite as mysterious as our own heritage. From DNA testing to online genealogy, we are tempted, in this technologically-challenging age, to look back, to find the time when you became you. Each of us was held inside our grandmother's body when she was pregnant, as eggs inside our tiny mothers. "Where were you then?", Inez asks an intrigued audience. A list of near and far away places sings out into the space.

Inez is decribed as an Imagineer, a storyteller and barefoot economist, as someone who can cultivate our radical collective imaginations in a time of transition. With only her voice to carry the message, the audience is captivated throughout this two-part show. Her experience as a storyteller is clear. She holds the stage with warm authority, provoking audience participation in a rhythmical call and response. The bell-like family name, Ringeling, sounds out throughout the show, acting as a reminder for people enslaved - and freed. This is a show about finding your name and keeping your name. With one eye looking forward and another looking back, Inez twists each strand into a rope of rootedness and belonging - an engaging and thought-provoking evening's entertainment.

For more information on the project https://www.unearthedshow.com/

For more information on the venue https://moorimaginationcollective.org.uk/