• Psycho: dir Alfred Hitchcock (1960)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    It doesn't get much better than the original if you want a psychological thriller dripping with suspense. Janet Leigh stars as Phoenix secretary Marion Crane, absconding with a small fortune of her employer’s money; she takes a wrong turn in [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Duo Mediterraneum: Voyage En Mediterranée

    Zayed Theatre, SUAD Campus Hazza Bin Zayed St, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    “A unique musical journey” promises the blurb for this recital of music and poetry with Duo Mediterraneum – Tunisian oud player and singer Fedia Khalfallah; and Gennaro Siena, an Italian classical guitarist and singer. Accompanied by violin, cello, keyboard, and [ ... ]

    AED 50
  • Comedy @ The Palm

    Riva Beach Club Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Mad Cat Comedy's regular Thursday standup gig on the Palm. The cover charge of AED 99 includes one drink.

    AED 99
  • LAST CHANCE Nika Neelova: Beghost

    NIKA Project Space Unit 11 Al Khayat Avenue, 19th Street Road — Al Quoz 1, Dubai

    A solo exhibition for the London-based artist that draws inspiration from Buhais Geology Park and Jebel Buhais archaeological site in Al Madam. Neelova's sculptures, crafted from a variety of materials including glass, clay, and fossilized shark teeth, offer a speculative [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Ghizlane Agzenaï: Kaleidoscope

    Volery Gallery Maze Tower - 5201, Dubai International Financial Center, Dubai

    The Moroccan artist's debut Middle East exhibition is described by the gallery as "a milestone event that offers a unique opportunity to experience Agzenaï’s vibrant and dynamic art in person". On show is a collection of Agzenaï’s signature totems and [ ... ]

    Free
  • Christiane Peschek: Fever

    NIKA Project Space Unit 11 Al Khayat Avenue, 19th Street Road — Al Quoz 1, Dubai

    The artist’s first solo in the UAE is a multisensory exhibition inspired by environmental and emotional desert landscapes, and more specifically "the consequences of global warming and the idea of planetary and bodily fever dreams"; or, as the gallery puts [ ... ]

    Free
  • La Lezione di Teatro | The Acting Class

    The Arts Center @ NYUAD NYUAD Campus, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    This 45-minute play is a joyful lesson in theatre and a tribute to the theatrical talent of Italians for connecting to anyone, transcending language barriers. Set partly in English and partly in Italian (and without subtitles), the show ironically demolishes [ ... ]

    AED 105
  • torn

    The Fridge Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Written and directed by award winning Australian writer/director Alex Broun, assisted by Alexander Rondel, torn is described as “a sexy, fast-paced, brutal, funny and at times moving dissection of post-millennium relationships ... With echoes of Patrick Marber’s Closer, torn is [ ... ]

    AED 120
  • The Zero Apologies Show

    The Clavichord Signature Hotel, Barsha Heights, Dubai

    Mad Cat Comedy's main man Miqdaad Dohadwala with an hour of unfiltered standup crowd work.

    Free
  • Alymamah Rashed: Mirrors from the Sidewalk

    Tabari Artspace Gate Village Level 2, DIFC, Dubai

    A solo exhibition of Alymamah Rashed’s latest work. A new series of large-scale watercolour and acrylic canvases, it's shaped by the belief that bodily connection to specific environments and elements can facilitate spiritual awakening. Rashed reflects on the immersion of [ ... ]

    Free
  • torn

    The Fridge Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Two more performances of this "sexy, fast-paced, brutal, funny and at times moving dissection of post-millennium relationships ... With echoes of Patrick Marber’s Closer, torn is about the impossibility and possibility of love in a modern world where choices abound [ ... ]

    AED 120
  • Seulgi Kim: Ride the Wave

    Volery Gallery Maze Tower - 5201, Dubai International Financial Center, Dubai

    Seulgi Kim’s first solo exhibition in the Middle East brings to Volery Gallery a deeply personal exploration of her emotional journey,. The sea, which plays a central role in her work, becomes a metaphor for life’s turbulence and tranquillity; her [ ... ]

    Free
  • Creative Career Days

    Jameel Arts Centre Al Jaddaf, Dubai

    The Jameel's introduction to careers in the creative sector, aimed primarily at school and college students, is back. Under the (somewhat unwieldy) title Form = Function = Form = Function = Form, the 2024 edition focus on design careers "and [ ... ]

    Free
  • Emanuele Dascanio: Crafting Reality

    Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown Marasi Drive, Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    A two-day popup (only one for the public) for NFTs by Emanuele Dascanio, works that merge traditional techniques with cutting-edge digital experiences – so visitors will find physical artworks enhanced by AR plus some virtual-only pieces that need the AR [ ... ]

    Free
  • Umm Kulthum & The Golden Era

    Dubai Opera

    Saudi theatre producer Mona Khashoggi is bringing this acclaimed musical biography back to Dubai Opera after sell-out seasons in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Bahrain. For thousands of Arabs, Umm Kulthum's death in 1975 was particularly personal and shocking: “my family [ ... ]

    From AED 330
  • LAST CHANCE One Hundred Years of Painting: Arab Art from 1916 to 2017

    Kutubna Cultural Center Madina Avenues 17, Nadd Al Hamar, Dubai

    An explicitly-titled exhibition of 27 paintings selected from two Dubai collections, those of the International House Group and Al Noon Residence; included are works by Farid Aouad, Amine El Bacha, Saliba Douaihy, Farghali Abdel Hafez, Faek Hassan, Shaker Hassan, Emanuel [ ... ]

  • torn

    The Fridge Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    The final two performances (at 5pm and 8pm) of this "sexy, fast-paced, brutal, funny and at times moving dissection of post-millennium relationships ... With echoes of Patrick Marber’s Closer, torn is about the impossibility and possibility of love in a [ ... ]

    AED 120
  • Umm Kulthum & The Golden Era

    Dubai Opera

    Two final performances for this show telling the life story of Umm Kulthum, the most famous songstress of Egypt and the Arab world, from the 1920s to the 1970s – culminating in a grand concert at the Olympia in Paris. [ ... ]

    From AED 330
  • Fujairah Children’s Book Fair

    Al Bayt Mitwahid Hall Al Maktoum Road, Fujairah, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates

    The inaugural Fujairah Children's Book Fair will run 13-19 October 13 to 19 at Fujairah’s Al Bayt Mitwahid Hall. We know little about the event – it has Instagram and Facebook accounts, but right now they’re post-free and there’s no [ ... ]

  • Hour Eternal – Emirati Abstraction

    Bassam Freiha Art Foundation Cultural District Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

    An interesting show of works by 14 Emirati artists who have played a role in shaping contemporary art in the Emirates. Curated by Michaela Watrelot, it has loans from the Ministry of Culture, private collectors, and the artists themselves. The [ ... ]

    Free
  • Visions of the Orient

    BFAF Culture District, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

    A selection of works from the private collection of Bassam Freiha, founder of BFAF, including Orientalist works by Rudolphe Ernst, Paul Leroy, and Fabio Fabbi. To mid-February. Above: Théodore Frère, Outskirts of Minieh

    Free
  • Tarek Elkassouf: Boundaries & Lines from Letters

    BFAF Culture District, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

    In BFAF's Annex Gallery, Lebanese sculptor Tarek Elkassouf is showing his 29-piece sculptural series, Boundaries, alongside concept drawings and writings. The limestone sculptures explore the tension between limitation and liberation. To mid-February.

    Free
  • Monday Night Comedy: This Is Impro

    Courtyard Playhouse Street 4B, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Exactly what it says: a regular Monday evening of scenes, stories and narrative improvisation influenced by audience suggestions and featuring the Courtyard Playhouse's most experienced improv performers plus guests. Classic Courtyard improv. It's free, but you need to put your [ ... ]

    Free but donations welcome
  • LAST CHANCE Mouza Al Hamrani: Homepage

    FN Designs Unit 26 Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    The first solo show by the Emirati illustrator and multimedia designer reflects the duality of the digital age — “celebrating the opportunities the internet has provided, while also expressing the exhaustion and apprehension that come with a prolonged digital presence. [ ... ]

    Free
  • Dubai Design Week

    Ten years is always a good time to see how far we’ve come. The tenth edition of Dubai Design Week  runs 5-10 November in d3, and this year’s festival will apparently reflect on a decade of design and its influence [ ... ]

  • The Fridge Concert Series Season 44: Chinua Hawk

    The Fridge Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    The Fridge gig series continues with the hard-working singer, writer, and "professional entertainer" Chinua Hawk. He has appeared around the world, featured on the Kanye West-produced Talib Kweli hip hop classic 'Get By', and has been a backup singer for [ ... ]

    AED 80
  • LAST CHANCE Magnus Gjoen: The Future of The Past

    Mestaria Gallery Unit 35, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

    Gjoen invites the viewer to explore the delicate balance between history and modernity, as envisioned through a distinctive style that fuses street art influences with pop culture and fine art – symbols and themes from the Renaissance and Baroque are [ ... ]

  • Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances

    Louvre Abu Dhabi Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

    An exhibition of masterpieces from the Post-Impressionist period that is organised into in nine sections, each celebrating both the individual styles and the shared themes that connect this transformative era in art – visitors can follow paths dedicated to Neo-Impressionism, [ ... ]

    AED 63
  • Wednesday Night Impro: Maestro

    Courtyard Playhouse Street 4B, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    The Courtyard's regular evening of elimination improv. Ten actors converge for a night of scenes, songs and games based on audience suggestions. After each round you score the players on a scale of 1 to 5, and the one with [ ... ]

    Free but donations welcome
  • LAST CHANCE Sébastien Labrunie: Brèche

    kanvas Dubai Unit 1, Al Khayat Art Avenue, 19th Street Al Quoz 1, Dubai

    "An organic dive through matter, light and memory," says the blurb. "This hybrid narrative sculpture blurs the line between macro and micro perspectives while connecting moments and places of the past." Labrunie’s first large-scale immersive installation (first seen back in [ ... ]

    Free
  • Areej Rajab: Interwoven

    Mestaria Gallery Unit 35, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

    New work by the Bahraini artist, based on an interplay of colours and emotions where the intricate patterns of human behaviour are delicately overlapped with the rhythms of nature: "she reveals the intricate beauty of natural forms and how they [ ... ]

    Free
  • Siena Jazz Festival

    Zayed Theatre, SUAD Campus Hazza Bin Zayed St, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    SUAD is collaborating with the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Italian Cultural Institute and Accademia Nazionale del Jazz (Siena Jazz) to host a concert "with the goal of promoting young talent and contemporary jazz music". The Academy, the only academic [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • The Tunnel: dir Kim Seong-hun (2016)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    An intricate thriller woven into a story of unthinkable disaster and one man’s fight for survival in the claustrophobic darkness of a tunnel collapse. Presented by the Korean Cultural Center; in Korean with English subtitles

    Free, but pre-register
  • LA Dance Project: Romeo & Juliet Suite

    Dubai Opera

    Benjamin Millepied is a former principal dancer at New York City Ballet whose raison d’etre is to make classical ballet accessible: that's the essential purpose of his dance company, LA Dance Project, and his condensed version of Shakespeare’s story is [ ... ]

    From AED 330
  • Comedy @ The Palm

    Riva Beach Club Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Mad Cat Comedy's regular Thursday standup gig on the Palm. The cover charge of AED 99 includes one drink.

    AED 99
  • Dracula

    The Junction Unit H72, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Kate Hamill's "feminist revenge fantasy" infuses the familiar vampire tale with post-modern wit and "a stake through the heart of toxic masculinity", as the New York Times put it when it was first performed. "The world women inhabit in this [ ... ]

    AED 120
  • Siena Jazz Festival

    The Fridge Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    The Italian Ministry of Culture, the Italian Cultural Institute and Accademia Nazionale del Jazz are brining us a taste of the Siena Jazz Festival (which runs for two weeks in Siena each summer). Three good young Italian bands will be [ ... ]

    AED 190
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    Mövenpick Hotel JBR Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    This month's Laughter Factory tour kicks off at the Mövenpick as usual. The acts: Paul McCaffrey hard-working British comic, a.great storyteller who deserves wider exposure (and will probably get it RSN, so catch him while you can) Hassan Phills dynamic [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • LAST CHANCE Roudaina Fardon: Whispers of Nature

    Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery 796 Jumeirah Street, Dubai

    Roudaina Fardon's first solo exhibition in Dubai: "mosaic-inspired landscapes that highlight the beauty of nature", painted in acrylics with the precise application of different geometric shapes with a small brush. "Whispers of Nature is my way of sharing the quiet [ ... ]

    Free
  • Dracula

    The Junction Unit H72, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    A second performance for Kate Hamill's "feminist revenge fantasy" – which infuses the familiar vampire tale with post-modern wit and "a stake through the heart of toxic masculinity", as the New York Times put it when it was first performed. [ ... ]

    AED 120
  • Classical & Beyond

    Theatre of Digital Arts Souk Madinat Jumeriah, Dubai

    The UAE Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Nicolas Mann delivers the immersive 360º ToDA experience as it "explores hidden stories behind classical masterpieces by Haydn, Beethoven, and more". Specifically, this semi-educational evening for a chamber orchestra looks at the [ ... ]

    From AED200
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    Mövenpick Hotel JBR Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    The usual second night at the Mövenpick for this month's Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Paul McCaffrey hard-working British comic, a.great storyteller who deserves wider exposure (and will probably get it RSN, so catch him while you can) Hassan Phills [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • Ardal O’Hanlon: The Showing Off Must Go On

    Theatre by QE2 Queen Elizabeth 2, Port Rashid, Dubai

    Ardal O’Hanlon, whose CV includes such notable hits as Father Ted and Death in Paradise as well as more recent stints on Taskmaster and Would I Lie to You, has been touring this widely acclaimed (and very silly) show around the [ ... ]

    From AED 195
  • Dracula

    The Junction Unit H72, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    The final performances for Kate Hamill's "feminist revenge fantasy" are at 2pm and 7.30pm today. The familiar vampire tale is infused with post-modern wit and "a stake through the heart of toxic masculinity", as the New York Times put it [ ... ]

    AED 120
  • Performance Co/Lab

    421 Arts Campus Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    An ongoing programme of performance exercises such as contact improvisation, breath work, acting warm-ups, games, and techniques aimed at "performing artists, creatives, and curious individuals looking to explore movement practices. Instructors are multidisciplinary theatre artist and game designer Carlos Páez [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Politically Incorrect Comedy # Creekside

    The Copperhead Marriott Marquis Dubai, Business Bay, Dubai

    Mad Cat Comedy returns to the Copperhead pub at the Marriott Marquis in Business Bay with a strong lineup of local standups: Miqdaad Dohadwala (above): Mad Cat's main man, razor-sharp comedy Sunny: high energy, big punchlines, big personality Liz Bains: [ ... ]

    AED 85
  • LAST CHANCE Majd Kurdieh: Butterflies

    Fann à Porter The Workshop, Villa 45, St. 23b, off Al Wasl Road (opposite Box Park), Jumeirah 2, Dubai

    A solo show for the Aleppo-born Lebanese-based artist with a very distinctive practice – he paints with cartoon-like characters to talk about the current state of the world, usually a boy (Fasoon) and a girl (Fasooneh) who are always smiling [ ... ]

    Free