Bordertown Café

A couple of weeks ago, I watched a play. I thought it's a play that everyone in my family (including kids) will enjoy--but unfortunately, it's not tailored for everyone. It's a good thing that I watched alone and made a 'review' on how well it went. At least from my point of view as a student.

Play review
Bordertown Café
Nov. 18, 2009
Prairie Theatre Exchange
Three stars out of five


The inviting smell of bacon and eggs cooked on the set of Bordertown Café awakened the senses of the audience. Minus the fat, the 150-minute comedy-drama was a big draw to the sixty-something and above audience but not particularly exciting to the younger ones.

Bordertown Café was far from being snappy and fast-paced. Directed by Rosemary Dunsmore, this two-act play was about living in the border and deciding what borders to cross in order to be your true self.

17-year-old Jimmy (Jamie Spilchuk) was about to start in grade 12 in Nowhersville, Alberta when his estranged trucker dad called and offered Jimmy to come live with him and his new wife in Wyoming. Jimmy thought that moving to the US will solve his problems and keep him away from the drab life at his grandparents’ roadside diner and farm.

The first act of Kelly Rebar’s Bordertown Café opened with a country music fading in. The pitch-black set soon revealed a single bed where Jimmy was sleeping. The sound of birds chirping and vehicles passing by the highway, woke Jimmy up. What happened next was a series of yelling between the teenager and his 34-year-old feisty mom.

Janet-Laine Green as Maxine was the showiest character. Her continuous rant against the Queen Mother dominated most of her dialogues. Green took charge of the stage with her loud, unpredictable singing and overpowered nasal voice which the audience fell for.

Jillian Fargey portrayed the role of Marlene as inward-looking and conflicted. There’s depth in her performance by bringing intensity to her emotions especially in the first act where tension was felt when she spoke about her ex-husband remarrying an American woman and her shortcomings as a mother to Jimmy.

Jamie Spilchuk as Jimmy, showed a lot of teenage-angst which justified his character. He delivered his lines convincingly especially in the first act where he continually chastised himself and said, “I’m a zero winner, an A-one loser!”

Paul Stephen acted the role of Jim, the grandfather. He appeared to be the most relaxed in the play, consistently speaking in a well-mannered tone. His meek personality blended well with the other characters.

The second act was more focused letting the characters have some breathing space to convey their feelings. Although it’s calmer than the first act, the actors didn’t rest and still had so much acting and talking to do.

Set and costume designer Brian Perchaluk, set the stage to a 1950s-1960s style diner. Details were visible such as a jukebox, retro candy machines and metal luncheonette stools—all bringing a sense of period realism to the audience.

All throughout the play, the audience remained responsive—laughing upon hearing puns and memorable lines that sounded humorous such as in the scene when Maxine was talking to Marlene and said, “He is the only kid in the world who has never seen the left side of his father.”

Bordertown Café premiered on stage last 1987 at Prairie Theatre Exchange. The play was definitely dated and dragging. Probably younger people will learn a thing or two about their old folks when they see this play.