the Mercy Seat: Ben the Jihadist of the Heart

The play is totally about aspects of mercy and atonement, really it can almost be a play on  atonement. (Wink Wink, cough cough, nudge nudge, cough! wink! nudge! fart?)The play keeps in mind notions of morality and hebraic theology (forefathers of Christianity). In hebraic theology as well in christian theology the act of asking for mercy is necessary in order to make up for Original Sin.

Though here the roles are reversed and Adam plays the seducer once promulgated to the name and gender of Eve. Really here both Ben and Abbey are asking for mercy : Ben asks for mercy in his desire to escape his  former life without having to deal with the consequences. Abbey asks for mercy for herself and for Ben's family. 

The funny thing is that Ben thinks he is performing an act of mercy by pretending to die, (self sacrifice wink ,wink, nudge, nudge, cough , cough ,mushroom cloud) while Abbey knows the real circumstance behind Ben's actions and moves herself sexually and verbally to a conformation of her ideas about Ben's true motives. abbey in a sense is seeking mercy and redemption through the verbalization of Ben's love for her ; while Ben is seeking nothing but thighs, legs, and the sweet, sweet,.......... scent of KFC.