The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-23
''They Shall Not Die"
DramGtizeS ScOttSbOrO

uses many OF the actual statements
OF all the people conCe-ned-the Ne
gro boy with his I wasn't tried in
Scottsville (Scottsboro) was framed
there" the Southern attorney with
his references to Jew money from
New York and his dramatic il
censes are employed mainly to create
an ineligible. gripping continuity.
Yet the Recommendation is 50 wisely
selected and so eXpe-tly arranged
that one is both satisfied as to the
authenticity Of the facts and moved
by their import. The characters be-
come not only credible, but real, de-
spite the fact that there is no Char
acter portrayal here in the ordinary
sense Of the word: It is their place
ment in the pattern Of events that
gives them form, makes living people
Of them.
Play is ForcefM
The author does not strain for
plausibility; he does not trouble to
show that he is impartial" and
fair" He tells his stoTy-or lets it
seem to tell itself-and We see that
it is true. 1t is impossible to sit be-
fore this narrative and sceptically
murmur "meloorama": it is too Ut
terly straightforward, it is equally
difficult to sniff the air and whisper
propaganda; 1t is too forcefuly
factual They Shall Not Die" is
dramatic reporting Of the best type.
rTH49- &c
less. The "love-story" Of Lucy Wells
(Ruby Bates), though dramatically
useful, is fairly feeble, and much Of
the first act is sketchy and uncon-
vincing. The first weakness is Incl
dental; the second vital Wexley
knows and tells us in the course OF
the play that the Vctimization Of the
Negro boys falsely accused Of rape is
no horrible accident or miscarriage
OF justice, but an outgroWth of that
economic fear on the part of the
southern ruling class in the face OF
its vast population Of Negro workers
But precisely this connection, though
inevitably implied ell through the
trial scene and directly stated in
other places. is very lamely and
vaguely contrived in the beginning Of
the play, Wexleys knowledge is still
only conceptual, that is, something
he realizes with his head, but which
he does not yet sec clearly as il
works itself out in terms Of every
day life, and is therefore unable 10
give it a truly concrete and interest
ing dramatic embodiment.
THE production, too has serious
faults, though Of another kind.
Most Of them relate to the difference
between the spirit Of the play and
the mind of the producers. but this
is a subject so complex and impor-
tant that we must leave it for an
other article. The other Shortcom-
ing Of They Shall Not De is its
audiencel A large part Of the The
atre Guild subscribers and the So
called general public" which makes
up Broadway houses" are simply
miscast in relation to this play: they
will not act as an audience should at
such an event. They try as hard as
possible not to be taken in: their
whole idea OF art" is something
that moves you without disturbing
you, something that permits you 10
shed a consoling tear and which one
raves" about and forgets after one
has seen the next big hit. If they
take sides, If they should forget too
completely that what they are see
ing on the stage is truly an image Of
life and involves a responsibility on
their part, their artistic" pleasure
might be spoiled. They do not want
to be involved: they prefer to sit con-
templatively in their seats and regard
the spectacle solely as a SHOW" Such
an attitude, of course, has practically
nothing to do with art--it is closer
to the dead-letter Office of the post
Office and the dust of forgotten mu-
seums-and it can kill even so stir
ring a play as this.
However, this is weakness that
can be remedied. Readers of the
Daily Worker can become part Of
the audience for ''They Shall Not
Die" remake it, revitalize it and
transform it into the thrilling theatre
it essentially is. BY a different kind
Of echo, and a new kind of answer
they can add to and complete the
plays significance They can teach
the Theatre Guilds usual audience
and the dramatic reporters that the
world of the theatre is not bounded
by Eugene O'Neill on the north and
by romantic masquerades on the
south. They can teach them that
the world Of the theatre is not a
world Of make-belieye but part Of
the whole thunderous, passionate,
struggling world in which ecstasies
over George NJ. Cohan and Helen
Hayes play very tiny role indeed