(5)
Nasty Little Secrets
Lanie Robertson
Back County Crimes
by Lanie Robertson
Highlights
Synopsis
Newly re-issued title!
Similar in structure to Spoon River Anthology and Our Town , Back County Crimes presents life – and, in this case, violent death – in a small town, tied together by a running commentary by the town's sole physician of many years.
The author has a savvy sense of black comedy, utilized by weaving a series of sordid tales of backwoods murder and adultery.
Each vignette is either compelling or caustically comic.
It is a strangely beautiful play, with music, by a writer of great ability.
Press Reviews
"I am impressed by Robertson's poetic sweep of his rural Southern American dialogue and by the intrinsic truthfulness of his characterization."
— Philadelphia Daily News
"A rousing affirmation of life with all its mystery and variety... Robertson has drawn a gallery of incisive and keenly sympathetic character portraits."
— Memphis Press Scimitar
"This collection of crimes committed by the citizens of Duty is a chilling walk into the human heart, where pain slips into madness. Think Our Town, but darker."
— Battle Creek Enquirer
Characters
| Character |
|---|
| Act I |
| DOCTOR DANIEL WEBSTER AUTRY A man in his early sixties. He is a gentle, soft-spoken, wise old man. He dresses in a suit and string tie, probably smokes a pipe. |
| REVEREND COURTNEY Slightly younger than DOC AUTRY and the obverse of him. REV. COURTNEY is rigid, angular, hidden behind the veneer of his church rhetoric. His manner of speaking is calm to the point of being chilling. He too dresses in a suit and string tie, possibly he always wears a hat. Part of his psychological dress is his large Bible, his shield. |
| HONEY TURNER She is young, possibly a Black woman. She is pretty but naturally so, not “gussied up” in anyway. |
| BUCKY TURNER Strong, young and crude. |
| LAWYER Dresses in a suit, smart but “plays to the jury” of the small town. |
| BIRD CARLTON Middle aged, heavy set, and extremely neat. Her backbone is as rigid as a ruler and as straight. She seems soft spoken and kind, probably quite as nice as RICHARD PRITCHARD’s mother. |
| RICHARD PRITCHARD A good-looking Mama’s boy, nervous and afraid and alone. |
| LOU JANE FERGUSSON A young “mess” of a woman. She is neater than her in-laws but only barely. |
| OL’ MAN FERGUSSON A disgrace to the human race, he is filthy and likes it. |
| TOM FERGUSSON Only a younger OL’ MAN FERGUSSON. |
| MRS. SCOTT Tall and thin, she could be any age, the age of the mother who has lost her children. |
| SAM SCOTT Same age as his wife, but his age is emphasized by drink, not grief. |
| CARTER SCOTT Thin like his Mama, he is handsome and quite young. |
| CARRIE WAKEFIELD Angelic in her prettiness, just a child. |
| SISSY WAKEFIELD CARRIE’s mother is work weary, a frightened woman, afraid of things she hasn’t even begun to comprehend. |
| EUGENE WAKEFIELD A farmer who has been finally beaten by hard work, bad luck and an evil fate. |
| CHRISTOPHER BOYD CADWELL In his late teens or early twenties, he is neat and would be handsome if it were not for the terror that lies deep in his eyes. |
| JOY JEAN MAHORNEY A very plain young thing. |
| SHERIFF BONNER Slightly older than JOY JEAN and probably so exasperated with her because he just might like her more than he can admit. |
| JUDGE and |
| MRS. MAHORNEY Senile and deaf beyond belief. |
| MRS. JAMES PALLARD SIMPSON Quiet, dignified elderly lady. |
| MISS DELILAH MAYBERRY Strong-willed, strong-featured, and strong character. Younger than MRS. SIMPSON. |
| MRS. TEMPLETON DOUGHERTY DRAUGHN Much younger than MRS. SIMPSON, she is somewhat “flashy” but expensively dressed. She is the second MRS. DRAUGHN. |
+ 15 more characters
Publication
Back County Crimes is a comedy play written by Lanie Robertson and published by Samuel French .
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Performance Rights
Available for Licensing
Amateur Only
Fee: Minimum Fee: $110 per performance
Restrictions: Major Markets Plus (US) / Standard Plus Add'l Postcodes (UK)
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