Review: The Bridge, Bush Theatre

Alaa Shehada in The Bridge, Bush Theatre. Photo Craig Fuller As the crow flies, it’s a short journey, crossing the bridge from Palestine to Jordan, but the reality is far different. Alaa is tasked with making the annual border crossing to carry freshly pressed olive oil from his grandfather’s olive grove to his aunt who lives in Jordan. Embarking on what is inevitably an arduous and patience-testing journey, he’s regarded as a hero by his mother, who can’t stop giving him things to take in addition to the oil. The trip involves buses and queueing – sometimes queuing while sitting on the bus and sometimes standing in line. It involves chaos and order, body scans and passport checks, and a view into two different worlds. One is hot and has flies, the other has air conditioning and guns. A gaggle of colourful characters appears along the way, from the loud, slightly crazy bus driver to the gently domineering old lady, a cigarette smuggler and the girl with the perfect eye make-up. And…

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