The Blood Stone

This project began in March 2004, and involved seventy children from six schools across the city and county of Leicestershire. We hosted a series of day long workshops at the 'Y' Theatre in Leicester with Dominic Rai of Man-Mela Theatre and Rani Moorthy of Rasa Theatre leading the workshops. We took as our theme a childrens story by Jamila Gavin, 'The Blood Stone'...

The Blood Stone by Jamila Gavin

A tale of adventure, trust, loyalty and greed set in the Middle Ages.

The fourth generation Venetian jeweller Geronimo Veroneo has not been heard of for 12 years since leaving for Hindustan in search of a fortune and adventure.

His wife and children have been left behind under the 'protection' of Bernardo, a scoundrel whom the eldest daughter Elisabetta has been forced to marry. The family believe Geronimo to be still alive.

One day a stranger tells them that Geronimo has been taken hostage in Afghanistan. The only way he can be freed is for a ransom to be paid. The family's one asset is a precious diamond which Bernardo has also tried to get hold of.

Filippo, the hero of the novel, sets out for Hindustan with the diamond sewn into his scalp, encountering many adventures on the way. The diamond is called the Ocean of the Moon, and it gives Filippo special powers including the ability to speak different languages.

In many ways, this is the story of the ODYSSEY, full of dramatic twists and turns, bringing together different cultures, beliefs, landscapes, blessings and curses.

The main characters:

Filippo, who goes in search of his captive father who he has never seen.
Filippo's mother Dora
Filippo's brothers Carlo and Guiseppe
Filippo's sisters Sofia, Elisabetta and Gabriella
Bernardo Pagliarin, who is left in charge of the family in the father's absence.
Signor Khan, a friend of Filippo's father
Rosa the cook