Strange Root

Combining contemporary circus, physical theatre, clowning, and Black performance traditions, Strange Root confronts the history of Joice Heth, the enslaved Black woman whom P.T. Barnum exhibited in 1835. Her exploitation helped launch his career; her story remains overshadowed by his fame.

Strange Root unfolds as a psychological thriller, placing Heth’s history in dialogue with the lived experience of creator and performer Julia Baccellieri. The piece questions the nature of spectacle, what it conceals, and how its legacy of exploitation continues to shape American entertainment.