The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-05-17
TOO
LATE
TO
CLASSIFY
BY RUSSELL KAY
FLORIDA News Service)


in part at least by the tax money
of Floridians. this state is being
given some delightful publicity
through the presentation of a
three-act drama, Big Blow.
Accompanied by a rather indig-
nant letter came press clippings
from Milwaukee papers review
ing the, show. Since it is extreme
ly doubtful whether or not this
particular drama" will be pre-
sented by any Florida unit of the
Federal Theatre Tin spite of the
fact that it is supposed to be a
typical Florida story, l believe it
would interest many Floridians,
as it did me, and the Floridian
who was good enough to send me
the clippings, if the reactions of
the reviewers were presented
here. '.'' 'sf.Li.' :.
1ne so-called drama, it seems,
was written by Theodore Pratt,
and is directed by Victor Suther-
land and presented nightly at the
Great Northern Federal Theatre
as a WPA production and adver-
tised in the paid theatrical col
umns of Milwaukee papers as
Big Blow-Drama of the Hurri-
cane Country.
Cecil Smith of Milwaukee, who
reviews the production, describes
it as follows:
Florida Crackers and 'Furrin-
.ers' from Nebraska, fly at each
others threats for five scenes of
Big Blow and in the last scene
are nearly reconciled by being
immured within the walls of a
single log cabin during death
dealing hurricane.
Theodore Pratt'S local color
l;tory is big with potential dra-
matte material: the mistrust of
the natives toward intruders from
the north, the bitter antagoniSm
of races when a loyal negro is
forced to lay hands on a white
man to save the heroine's virtue,
the screaming ecstasy of a Holy
Roller meeting. the irresponsible
wrath of nature when a hurricane
sets in.
Except for the crotchety, wind
bitten aunt of the Nebraska hero,
played by Dorothea Bates, there
is not a real character in the play.
The Floridians are COMPLETE
LOWLIVES, incapable of a neigh
borly gesture, or Christian at
titude, until the hurricane catches
them in the midst of their revival
meeting, blows all the starch out
of them and leaves them ready
for a saccharine final curtain.
l imagine some of our Florida
Crackers" might get a thrill at
being pictured as ignorant, brut-
al, intolerant natives, crouching
to spring at the throat of visitors
from other states. They surely
would applaud to the echo of that
touching scene where the loyal
negro saves the fair white woman
from the evil clutches of a white
Cracker" rapist.
Of course our senators and con-
grcssmen are too busy to give Ell
Their time or thought to the ac-
tivitieS of such immaterial and
trifling units as Federal Theatres.
/ doubt seriously whether any of
them have ever taken the trouble
to visi. one. But I wish Senator
Pepper, who favors the "arts",
would see if he can't arrange to
have big Blow" produced by
Florida units, so the "homefolks"
can see firsthand what a kind
and benevolent government is
doing for us.
Just why Florida should be
singled out by the WPA Federal
Theatre to be presented at gov
eminent expense as "a horrible
example" l don't know-and may
be it's none of my business. But
it seems to me as we get enough
adverse publicity through REGU-
LAR channels without bein' call
ed on to accept the title of LOW
LIFERS"-even though the cause
is termed a great humanitarian
effort.
I have no quarrel with the
WPA. I've defended it on occa-
sions, and gladly recognize its
constructive accomplishments. l
recently granted government of
ficials permission to quote and
widely distribute a column prais-
ing the WPA for its contribution
to the nation in roads, public
buildings. farmers markets, and
other worthwhile improvements.
But if there is anything help
full or constructive in the produc-
ton of such so-called drama" as
Big Blow" and other ''tripe"
that seems to be typical of the
WPA-Federal Theatre effort. I'm
either too dumb or unsympathetic
to appreciate or understand it.
And personally. l think the soon
er we close such projects and care
Co. @toeo x>oo,la ~ n4harc that