Mush and Me

Among the avalanche of responses to the current situation in Gaza, one was surprisingly heartening. In support of peace between Israelis and Palestinians, an Arab-Jewish couple tweeted a selfie in which they kissed and held a sign reading “Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies”. The image and its message soon went viral, shared around the globe.

It’s the same spirit that animates Mush and Me, though not without an acute awareness of the inherent complexities of interfaith relationships. Karla Crome’s play depicts the covert romance between Jewish Gabby and Muslim Mush, co-workers who quickly and inconveniently fall for one another. Interspersed with this narrative, meanwhile, are recorded interviews with various interfaith couples.

The obstacle littered story is told with warmth, intelligence and impressive sensitivity. Isaacs and David Mumeni spit sparks as the central lovers, their relationship as fiery as the religious debates they passionately thrash out. For Mush, Islam offers him a purpose in life, while agnostic Gabby finds that tradition is not as easily shed as faith. Their search for a concrete explanation of what divides them is as fascinating as it is heart-wrenching.

Crome is not suggesting that love can overcome all barriers and bridge all differences. Conflict and complications remain, acknowledging the knotty nuances of the play’s subject. What Mush and Me does suggest, however, is that it’s worth a shot at the very least. After all, as one interviewee puts it, love’s one of the best things we have knocking around in our fucked up world.