Beth Henley’s plays “Crimes of the Heart” and “Miss Firecracker” both very much reveal the theme of how humor can camouflage human suffering and tragedy. “Crimes of the Heart” examines the plight of three young women who are betrayed by their passions. Each woman suffers a certain tragedy in her own life, which is directly related to a certain form of mental sickness, yet at the same time a certain humorous angle exists in that life. The same can be said about “Miss Firecracker,” as the main actor appears to be a humorous caricature of her very self.