From a million-dollar heist to chaotic family dynamics, The Mosque Heist has it all
Please be advised this article contains many spoilers about the play.
Dear University of Regina (U of R) community,
On the evening of Oct. 9, 2026, two Carillon musketeers had the fun opportunity to watch The Mosque Heist by Zarqa Nawaz, presented by Globe Theatre.
To give you a preview of what we got ourselves into, the play follows Kareema, a Regina caterer who is given 48 hours to come up with a million dollars to save her husband, who is being held hostage by a loan shark.
The chilling part? She’s about to rob a mosque on the 27th night of Ramadan, one of the holiest nights of the month.
Now, let’s dive deep into the actual play.
Play foundations and themes
The play starts off with Kareema, her husband Kashif, and their daughter Haniya getting ready to deliver food.
The opening is very light-hearted, yet it reveals some deeper themes, including patriarchy and the strained mother-daughter relationship.
Kashif and Haniya immediately downplay Kareema’s role in the family business, arguing that her husband brings in the customers, which is why the business carries his name. Kashif definitely deserved to be held hostage for a while.
One of the many themes of the play is the illusion of wealth.
During the opening, Larry, the loan shark, takes one look at Kareema’s bright pink cashmere shirt and comments, “Do you know how many silkworms died for this?!”
The entire reason the family is being hunted by Larry is Kashif’s desire for more, yet it is Kareema who ultimately saves the day.
Another important theme the play touches on is family unity. When Larry threatens the family’s lives, Haniya intervenes. She says, “you have to kill me first,” to which Larry responds, “I am trying!”
The family’s stalling tactics and the women’s protective nature — while Kashif remains useless — earn them 48 hours to come up with the money.
As expected, when Larry decides to keep Haniya hostage, Kareema is more than happy to offer up her husband instead. Me too, girl. Me too.
Now that we have an underlying foundation of the play, let’s talk about the characters.
Honestly, where else would you find a million-dollar mosque heist, a Fisher-Price-esque car, and a Just Bins reference all in one evening? Only in Regina. -Chanchal Mitruka
Kareema: the headstrong woman
Kareema is a headstrong woman who refuses to bow down to anyone.
Her tenacity is especially well portrayed when she and Zaynab, a woman from the mosque, keep fighting over a parking spot. Kareema refuses to bow down, despite Zaynab holding a higher position at the mosque.
Kareema’s personality also shines through her hot pink shirt and pants. The bright colours reflect her perseverance and determination.
Haniya: the cynical daughter
Haniya is dressed in soft blue and baby pink colours, showcasing her youthful nature.
She’s smart, bright, and wants to open her own business. However, she initially gives up on her education after refusing to take drugs with a professor.
Later, she finds her determination again, confronts the professor, and makes her journey back towards her dream.
Altaf: too many committees to count
Haniya’s love interest, Altaf, who is involved in way too many committees to count, is an energetic and somewhat aloof character.
He is almost too energetic in the beginning, seemingly using his constant activity to suppress the sadness surrounding his father’s death.
He is dressed in a bright yellow shirt with maroon stripes and shiny red pants. The outfit reflects his immaturity at the beginning of the play, but by the end, a long coat is added to his costume, suggesting that he has matured.
Yasmeen: “big strong men”
Yasmeen – Kareema’s best friend, a psychiatrist, a widow, Altaf’s mom, and an apparent rule follower – is incredibly loyal.
Throughout the play, she frequently talks about “big strong men.”
When Kareema finds herself in trouble, Yasmeen doesn’t abandon her. Instead, she embraces Kareema’s troubles as her own.
When Kareema goes to confront Larry with the million dollars, Yasmeen joins her, despite knowing the risks.
Yasmeen also wants to be the head of her department but has struggled to achieve that goal because of the narcissistic men in her field. Fortunately, she gets her happy ending by becoming the head of the psychiatric department.
Kashif: the useless man
Kashif didn’t grovel enough.
Throughout the play, like many husbands — sorry, not sorry — he takes Kareema for granted.
He eventually repents and learns his lesson while staying with Larry as his precious hostage.
By the end, he puts Kareema’s name on the family business. Now, that’s what we like to see.
Zaynab: the misunderstood woman
Zaynab is an incredibly powerful character, particularly in how she represents women’s strength.
She wrote lyrics that were stolen by Adam, the famous musician donating one million dollars to the mosque. It’s always an Adam.
Despite her disagreements with Kareema, she gives her the million dollars she needs, money that rightfully belongs to Zaynab because Adam stole her work.
Beneath her intimidating exterior, she’s a compassionate and misunderstood woman.
Adam: the pretend-good Muslim
Then comes Adam, a pop star who presents himself as a devout Muslim but doesn’t necessarily practise what he preaches.
He’s one of the most selfish characters in the play, particularly because he takes credit for Zaynab’s lyrics.
His storyline highlights how women’s creative work can be stolen or overshadowed by men.
Fortunately, he gets the ending he deserves. During an online livestream, he faces public backlash for stealing Zaynab’s lyrics.
Relationship dynamics
Everyone’s favourite part, criticizing relationships!
The first dynamic we need to discuss is the one between Kareema and her daughter.
Both are headstrong women driven by the desire to see their family business succeed and make a name for themselves; however, Haniya often fails to recognize Kareema’s hard work and the value she brings to the business.
As the play progresses, Haniya begins to express her love and support for her mother.
Another important relationship is the one between Kareema and Yasmeen.
The two grew up together and have remained inseparable. They’re also strong feminist figures, something that becomes especially clear during the heist.
While the robbery is taking place, both women are in the kitchen cooking and stalling, appearing completely unsuspecting.
After all, they’re just two women cooking in a kitchen, right?
Another relationship worth discussing is the one between Haniya and Altaf.
From the beginning, there’s sizzling tension between the two, particularly when Altaf presses Haniya about why she’s no longer attending university. Their relationship reaches a turning point when they find themselves stuck in a dark church basement while carrying out the heist.
At one point, Altaf says something along the lines of finally having Haniya alone. That was very cliché.
Sets and props
With a storyline this intense, the simplicity of the set creates a nice balance.
Each scene uses only a few set pieces, but the simplicity helps keep the different locations distinct without making the production feel disconnected.
The home advantage of knowing roughly where in Regina each scene takes place is an added bonus.
My favourite part of the set, by far, is the movable car the characters use to drive from place to place. The Fisher-Price-esque design is perfect, allowing the car to move around the stage while adding another layer of humour to the production.
Audience reactions and personal favourites
It is time to highlight some of the audience reactions and my personal favourite moments.
I must say, the audience completely impressed me. They were energized and laughing throughout the entire show.
I was also caught off guard during one scene when Haniya and Altaf were stuck in the basement. Their escape route happened to take them directly through the row where the two Carillon musketeers were sitting. As they squeezed through the very tight space, they called us “big mice.”
We felt very special after that evening.
Another fan-favourite moment involved a reference to a local garbage company. When Kareema and her friend were stalling the delivery guys to carry out their plan, they invented a story about a neurotoxin which shrinks male parts. The delivery guys said they hadn’t heard about it in the news.
Naturally, the two women asked where they got their news.
Their answer? “Just Bins.”
They should’ve been reading the Carillon instead.
Final thoughts
The show brings together comedy, drama, and social commentary in a way that keeps the audience entertained.
Honestly, where else would you find a million-dollar mosque heist, a Fisher-Price-esque car, and a Just Bins reference all in one evening? Only in Regina.
We hope our journey through The Mosque Heist has entertained you as much as the play entertained us.
With that, we must bid you goodbye, for now.
Xoxo,
Chanchal Mitruka and Anya Peppler
