Alida Gunn is Esmeralda and Joe Quintero plays Sam in the Borderlands production of "Earthquake Chica," a comedy by Anne García-Romero.

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Esmeralda is reckless, lusty and game for just about anything. She's got a Latino father but a disdain for the culture.

Sam is methodical, analytical, sexually repressed and emotionally sheltered. But he quivers with passion for his Latino culture, particularly its literature.

It's a match made in hell.

The two make up the only characters in Anne García-Romero's comedy "Earthquake Chica," which Borderlands Theater opened last Friday.

Esmeralda and Sam work at the same law firm — she's a secretary, he's an accountant. He's shy and awkward but still somehow manages to intrigue her.

The play follows their relationship over a series of months. He becomes her teacher in the ways of the culture, including the writings of Pablo Neruda, Federico Garcia Lorca, and Jorge Luis Borges. She teaches him to be a hip dresser, a tender lover and, unsuccessfully, a free bird willing to travel the world with her.

There are some wonderful verbal images in this play — one, a blue bucket by a bed to catch tears, is particularly poignant.

And García-Romero has an ear for rhythmic dialogue.

But the play, which was a finalist for Arizona Theatre Company's 2002 National Latino Playwrights Award, spins lots and lots of wheels.

The scenes change quickly, each detailing the tug of war between the two characters. Usually, they end with the couple bickering.

The same wheel spins over and over. The play does offer resolution, but it's weak and vague, leading to confusion.

Still, García-Romero's voice is a vibrant one that has a love of language and storytelling. While this script has problems, it's clear she has more to say. There is no doubt that her potential is impressive.

Eva Tessler directed this production with a smooth hand and a sharp accent on the humor.

But it was the two actors, Alida Gunn and Joe Quintero, who held the play together. They had a good chemistry and an energy that complemented each other. They both brought their characters' quirkiness to vivid life, infusing the play with an energy that was almost strong enough to make up for the script's weaknesses.