An enduring detail of Dallas Cultural History, the Good Latimer tunnel once connected Deep Ellum to the rest of Dallas. Back in the day, Deep Ellum was the hub of frantic nightlife, with jazz and blues, pool halls, dominoes, The Cotton Club, weed and nose candy among its distractions. In the 1920’s it comprised the largest gathering of African Americans in the South, where you could find gambling, dancing, drinking and (seriously) religion. All in one night. Sadly the day came, when the Good Latimer was sealed off, though not necessarily the glory days of that district.
Ravinia Whitfield and Good Latimer have been a couple, living together for more than 30 years. It takes awhile, before we realize they’re not married. They fold laundry, sweep, relax, read, and eat at the table. When they play cards, it’s blackjack, which feels like an odd choice. Seems they both worked at a casino before they met. When Ravinia has an accident, it’s Good who rushes to her aid, and waits by her hospital bed, till she wakes up. They go home together, as if this is how it’s meant to be.
As she describes it, one day, Ravinia realizes she is no longer in love with Good. She doesn’t offer this information freely, and takes no pleasure in disclosing it. Naturally, Good finds this news alarming, and it doesn’t help to know she hasn’t fallen for another, nor was there one, triggering event. Ravinia is nothing if not practical. She doesn’t scream, or get dramatic, or tell him to leave or weep. Since they’re not married, there’s nothing forcing them to stay together. But then, there never was. Nobody lied, or held anyone hostage, or faked pregnancy, and so forth. Ravinia was never motivated by some salient imperative, so her next step isn’t obvious.
Playwright Angela Hanks has concocted a very cunning and subtle conceit that elucidates Ravinia’s dilemma, and the reasons why human beings choose to cohabitate. Why do people choose to live together, to look past the other’s exasperating habits and inexplicable blindspots, whatever the pretext? Good Latimer is Ravinia’s spouse and a tunnel that took African Americans to the part of town that was theirs. A place where they were free to kick up their heels and mingle, and celebrate life. But that tunnel was filled in years ago. Deep Ellum still exists as a fairly high-spirited bohemian district, but there’s no going back to the way it was.
Ravinia must ask herself the timeless (Talking Heads) question: “How did I get here? Is any any marriage perfect? Do I want someone to take care of me? None of these are easily answered, and Hanks takes no refuge in gimmicks (though she includes some oracles) or disrespecting Ravinia’s solemn quandary. In love or not, she obviously cares deeply for Good, and owes him the truth. Good Latimer is an unsettling, sometimes melancholy piece, suffused with warmth and humanity.
Kitchen Dog Theater presented The World Premiere of Good Latimer, by Angela Hanks. It played (and streamed) October 7th-24th, 2021. 4774 Algiers Street Dallas, TX 75207. 214-953-1055. www.kitchendogtheater.org