Crimes of the Heart (3.5 stars out of 5)

by Katie Kierstead

Through March 26th, Divine Stage Works presents a lively and enjoyable production of Beth Henley's much-loved, Pulitzer Prize-winning Crimes of the Heart. Set in Hazlehurst, Mississippi in 1974, five years after Hurricane Camille, Crimes of the Heart is a tragi-comedy with Southern Gothic flourishes about the troubled lives of the three, eccentric Magrath sisters: Lenny (Amanda Kelly), the shy, eldest sister who takes care of their Old Granddaddy, outspoken Meg (Brooke Casanova), a failed singer, and the impulsive Babe (Cheryl Bellows), in the midst of a scandal for shooting her abusive husband. If all this sounds a little too much like a Lifetime movie for your tastes, don't balk. Although the play does focus on the relationship between three women, it is more importantly a character study of flawed but unflinchingly relatable human beings who somehow find the courage to overcome life's obstacles. Despite the family's disturbed and dysfunctional past and the unwieldy challenges they now face, Henley's script is filled with delightful gallows humor that allows us to chuckle at the girls' predicaments even as we are moved to sympathy. The play is affecting, but never saccharine. It's easy to see why Crimes of the Heart has been such a popular choice for repertoires across the country.

The three charming leading ladies of Crimes have established a wonderful rapprt with each other: Even though they look nothing alike, you really believe they are sisters. Although their timing and delivery is usually good, their performances occasionally seem a little high-pitched and histrionic, a problem not helped by the acoustics of the church hall venue. They would do well to rein things in ever so slightly. By and large, however, they strike just the right chord between humorous and sympathetic. Anne Colpitts as the sisters' busy-body, self-righteous cousin Chick steals every scene she's in, as does Brad Reed as Babe's lawyer Barnette, who became "fond" of Babe after she sold him a pound cake at a local fair. Both serve as perfect examples of the quirky, larger-than-life personalities that make Southern Gothic writing so satisfying.

Director Peyton Pugmire's set design is imaginative and inspired. Constructed slightly on a slant, the kitchen of the dilapidated Magrath house where the action takes place is a literal reminder of the off-kilter tone of the play, and also alludes to the devastation of the hurricane. His economic use of the small space creates an appropriate sense of claustrophobia that emphasizes the tension between the characters.

All in all, I very much enjoyed by stay in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, and encourage you to make the trip as well.