The Sally McCoy Play
John Butch Preston
Last Thursday evening my wife and I drove from Lawrence County to the APP Theatre in Pikeville to see the Sally McCoy play. And it was well worth the trip. The play tells of a little-known incident in the Hatfield/McCoy saga, Sally McCoy’s trek on foot for miles to the home of Devil Anse Hatfield to beg for the lives of her three sons who are being held prisoners there. The fact that she arrives near midnight speaks of her long journey.
Her three sons, as the historical legend has come down to us, shot and stabbed the brother of Devil Anse, and he lies near death in another part of the woods as the play opens. Sally intrudes into the Hatfield home and is confronted by Devil Anse’s two sons, Cap and John, and his brother Valentine, who emphatically make her unwelcome and try to force her to leave. But already we see that Sally is a strong woman and has staked her claim to be there.
Devil Anse is in another part of the house and she is given several excuses as to why he won’t come out to talk to her, one being that he is asleep. She dismisses these reasons and persists in her dire determination to see him, even as Cap Hatfield points a pistol in her face. Finally, out of frustration in trying to get rid of her, Cap convinces Devil Anse to come out. This begins the second act and we come to see why he didn’t want to face her.
Emotions reach their highest peak in this scene, as she pleads for the lives of her sons in as many ways as she can, from letting them go before a legitimate court to singing Devil Anse a hymn. But he is adamant in upholding the only justice he has ever known, the code of the hills! Of course, the play must end as the true-life story ended, but even knowing this, the dramatic climax of the play nearly brought us out of our seats. And I ask, who among the audience could come away from this play without feeling changed in some way.
Sally was brilliantly played by Robin Irwin, the executive director of the theatre. She wrung our hearts out, and also displayed her beautiful singing voice with the hymn to Devil Anse. The four male actors performed their roles masterfully, especially Chris Swan as Devil Anse. But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the folks behind the scene, lighting and sound. The set is something to behold and has a unique feature that near the end suddenly shocks you into realizing why the play was written—by playwright Lane Michael Stanley.
This play runs until October 5th, and was worth the two-hour drive to Pikeville, for on the way back I felt more human.
