Mohand & Peter is a story of friendship, divergences and cross-cultural contact that shines with remarkable authenticity, striking some deep chords and sparking some good laughter, while drawing an honest portrait of a complex and troubled country.

After a timid start, we follow the exhilarating adventures of two friends, Sudanese refugee Mohand (Mohand Hasb Alrosol Abdalrahem) and Newcastle-born Peter (Peter Pearson), when the former invites the latter to embark on an (imaginary?) road trip to his homeland, which he currently can’t visit due to his refugee status.

A lot of the play is humorous, with the duo proving explosively funny in pretty much anything they do or imitate, from camels to family members, and from cows to protesters. Embedded in the general hilarity, however, are some seriously profound questions, in line with the mission of director Sophie Bertrand Besse and her theatre company PSYCHEdelight, aiming to foster social inclusion (and reflection) through theatre. What does it mean to be a foreigner, why are we so obsessed with cultural appropriation, how do we embrace the culture of a place that’s not where we come from?

The one-hour show goes as fast as the two characters’ travels across Sudan – by the end of the show the audience has clapped, sung, laughed, and – hopefully – pondered about the differences that divide us and the (even stronger) ties that bind us together as human beings.

Anna Zanetti

Playing at Elephant & Castle 9 March – 2 April 2022.