Lena Waithe’s debut play, trinity breaks all the rules in a good way.
During a talk back with actress Meagan Good, Waithe joked to recent attendees, “For anyone who asks what this play is about, you have your work cut out for you. You’re welcome, and sorry.” And she was correct.
The show encompasses dozens of themes throughout its 80-minute, no-intermission run. The overarching theme, or idea, is reality versus fantasy and the concept of “what if.” In our interview with Waithe ahead of the play’s premiere, we asked her why that idea was interesting for her to explore.
“There’s a moment in the play where my character says that fantasy is a whimsical and exciting idea, and a ‘what if’ is a question you don’t wanna know the answer to, but you ask it anyway. I think I’m less fascinated by fantasy, and I’m more curious about ‘what if,’ because it can be a little dangerous,” she explained.
In the play, she takes her two subjects — and the audience — through that danger. It’s a rollercoaster.
A love triangle without labels
The play takes audience members through the emotional turmoil of three people in a love triangle and the fallout of an emotional affair.
The characters don’t even have names. Instead, they are referred to as A, B and C. There is no mention of race, sexual orientation or class. As Waithe mentioned during the after-talk, the goal is to provide a human experience, void of labels, so that hopefully everyone can identify with one or all three characters and empathize instead of judge.
A is at the center of the chaos. She and B are in a romantic relationship when she begins an affair with C, B’s best friend.
Each character is an agent of their own chaos. A admittedly hates herself, has issues because of her mother, cannot accept love and sabotages what’s good in her life. B accepts pain as something she can overcome, chooses partners who are unavailable and inclined to hurt her and selects friends who grow to resent her. C doesn’t think she is capable of love, rejects change and is comfortable with heartache.
All three have abandonment issues and abandon themselves and each other at one point.
Themes of trauma, dysfunction and unconditional love
The play touches on many themes that feel relevant today. It’s packed with trauma, generational curses, dishonesty, accountability — or the lack thereof — victimization, lack of self-love, testing boundaries and dysfunction.
One of the most powerful ideas is the commonality in all three characters’ relationships with unconditional love. B gives it willingly with no reciprocation. A is uncomfortable accepting it. And C tests it to the max.
When speaking with Good, Waithe said, “Unconditional love is beautiful, but can be viewed as a burden. It’s something you shouldn’t take for granted.”
In the play, C plays the character of God in one scene. When B tells her, “I thought love was supposed to be kind,” God responds, “It should be, but most of the time it’s not.”
And that’s something every audience member can relate to.
trinity is playing at Baltimore Center Stage now through May 15.
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