Nowhere on the Border
Reviewed by Iris Mann
The Road Theatre Company
Through March 8
Nowhere on the Border is playwright Carlos Lacámara’s sensitive, imaginatively crafted take on the various perspectives surrounding illegal immigration — a particularly timely topic given our current political climate. Unfortunately, as directed by Stewart J. Zully, the material’s potential to move us is only occasionally realized, while the performances are of varying quality.
As the story begins, we are “somewhere” on this side of the border with Mexico. Roberto (Jonathan Nichols) is watching over the decomposing corpse of a woman who apparently died while attempting to clandestinely cross. He is suddenly confronted by Gary (Chet Grissom), a volunteer who helps the Border Patrol and who assumes that the Mexican-born Roberto has entered the country illegally and might be a drug dealer or a terrorist. But Roberto has a visa and has notified the authorities about the dead woman. He is here on an ill-fated search for his daughter, Pilar (Natalie Llerena), who is now missing. She has paid the cartel to smuggle her into this country so she can find her husband, who has been living here for three years.
Lacámara deserves particular praise for presenting his theme without taking sides, but instead giving voice and value to opposing views. In Roberto, he illuminates the perspective of desperate people who come from south of the border seeking work, safety or a reunion with their loved ones. From Gary, he airs the complaints of many American workers whose livelihood, from their standpoint, is threatened by the cheap labor that illegal immigrants supply.
As it turns out, both men have lost their jobs.
Intermingled with the scenes between the two men is Pilar’s backstory. We see her arrange with the “connected” Don Rey (Thom Rivera) to be smuggled across the border, and we follow her on her torturous trek through the desert.
The arduousness of that journey somehow fails to be moving. Pilar’s suffering under the intense arid heat and her increasing weakness are indicated but not potently conveyed, perhaps because the venue’s small stage makes it difficult to envision the punishing expanse and emptiness of the vast wasteland she is traversing. Derrick McDaniel’s lighting design and Nicholas Santiago’s projection design help somewhat, but the desired effect is still not totally achieved.
In addition, Pilar’s desperation to find her husband doesn’t arouse empathy. It is difficult to ascertain whether this is due to a weakness in Llerena’s performance or to the tepidness of her character’s motivation.
Other performances fluctuate in their effectiveness. Rivera and Leandro Cano, who plays Jesus, a man being taken across the border with Pilar, acquit themselves satisfactorily. But Diana DeLaCruz struggles to define her role as the ‘coyote’ who smuggles them.
The most powerful work of the evening is delivered during the exchanges between Gary and Roberto. In his portrayal of a volunteer guard attempting to prevent what he considers an invasion, Grissom grows stronger and more engaging as the action progresses toward its almost inevitable conclusion.
However, it is Nichols who makes the play sing — smoothly projecting an essential decency, innocence, good will and caring nature that evoke the viewer’s sympathy. The script is laced with humor, largely arising from Roberto’s naiveté, and Nichols navigates those moments effortlessly.
The full impact of this story finally makes itself felt when, after some tragic moments, the two sparring fathers manage to find in each other a common humanity.
The Road Theatre on Magnolia, 10747 W. Magnolia Blvd., NoHo Arts District; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; through Mar. 8. (818) 761-8838 or www.roadtheatre.org. Running time: 87 minutes with no intermission.
