Crimes of the Heart

by Beth Henley

Book Overview

THE STORY: The scene is Hazlehurst, Mississippi, where the three Magrath sisters have gathered to await news of the family patriarch, their grandfather, who is living out his last hours in the local hospital. Lenny, the oldest sister, is unmarried

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822202506
• ISBN13: 9780822202509
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Dramatists Play Service
• Length: 106 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.3" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Crimes of the Heart

I was thoroughly pleased. The product was in very good condition and I received it immediately.

Touching, real, and hilarious

I was lucky enough to work with Henley herself on a production of this show while I was in college, which offered a wonderful opportunity to gain some insight into Crimes of the Heart. Being a native Mississippian with two sisters myself, I was struck by how true-to-life this play is. The script captures that elusive "sense of place" that all the critics talk about when discussing the South - crazy relatives, old friends with haunted pasts, the importance of food and other types of sustenance. The plot revolves around wacky personalities, old wounds, and unplanned events, and even though the characters frequently despair, the show ends on a hopeful note. As with most plays, it's better to watch Crimes of the Heart than to read it, but I admit that I laughed out loud when I read some of the scenes. Henley won a Pulitzer for her work in Crimes of the Heart, and I think it was well-deserved.

Beth Henley is the greatest!

I just finished playing Lenny in a college production of this play. It was the most fun I've ever had in any role! I have two sisters myself, and Henley's depiction of that kind of relationship is incredibly real. There are some great scenes and monologues for acting practice, too--one, two, or three women, and a couple for one man and one woman. I recommend it to anyone.

Realistic Mississippi Life

Being a native Mississippian and also a native of Hazlehurst-the setting of the play- it amazing how realistic the play is about life in the South. Henley's play captures the essence of family relationships, that "crazy" person in everyone's family, the relationships between sisters as friends, and the narrow-mindedness of people in the South. Where else but in the South would a person commit suicide just because "they were having a bad day."

Smart play written with plenty of drama and black comedy.

Upon first look, this play may seem silly and unreal. But, you can't help becoming absorbed into the life of a seemingly dysfunctional family of 3 sisters, their obnoxious cousin, a young lawyer caught in the middle, and a crippled old boyfriend. The story is wild and entertaining, yet dramatic and relatable. The only thing better than reading this piece is seeing it performed live.