You may have heard of the famous West Virginia feud that escalated to bloodshed and years of bad blood between the two families.
In the town of Grandview, outside of Beckley, there is an interesting theater drama that depicts some of the underlying issues of the long-time arguments that may never be settled.I am speaking, of course, of the fabled feud between Hatfields and McCoys.
Some say it began with an argument over the ownership a pig!
The musical, put on by Theatre West Virginia, complete with the loud firing of muskets, set changes, good use of lighting, good staging, and good musical harmony sung by the cast is an outdoor production that can help even those who already know the history of the area to develop a better understanding of the story.
One of the families had members who served in the Union army, one served in the Confederate army. Did this have anything to do with the feud?
There is also a romantic story underlying the feud, and some excellent acting from the cast. The main character of the drama is Devil Anse Hatfield who grows tired of all the fighting by the end of the production and regrets the whole feud he was a big part of for so many years.
I highly recommend that if you haven’t seen it yet, take an evening and go to see “The Hatfields and the McCoys” while it is still playing. It begins at 8:15, has a 15 minute intermission, and lasts until around 11:00. This summer’s production runs through Aug. 21.
You will be glad you did. Take a light coat or long sleeve shirt-the outside temperature cools off after the sun goes down.
The drama will open up a few questions however. How did the feud really begin? Did all the feuding really begin over who owned a pig and escalate into shooting and killing?
Readers: Does anyone have any answers?
