Golden Era of Arabic Music
A "carefully curated" selection of iconic songs that draws inspiration from more than 14 legendary artists to take you on a musical journey across Lebanese, Egyptian, Khaliji, Syrian, and Iraqi classics.
A "carefully curated" selection of iconic songs that draws inspiration from more than 14 legendary artists to take you on a musical journey across Lebanese, Egyptian, Khaliji, Syrian, and Iraqi classics.
A regular Mad Cat Comedy night – "Dubai's wildest comedy show on Saturday" at "the first purpose built comedy room in the country". The cover charge of AED 99 includes two F&B coupons.
A second outing for this Callback Comedy night promising " razor-sharp sets, crowdwork that'll put you on the spot, improv and an atmosphere that turns a good night into a great memory” from local standups plus host – "Sunny, Andrea, [... more]
Walt Disney spent more than a decade developing this animated film version of the fairy tale about a beleaguered girl, tormented by her unsympathetic stepmother and stepsisters, who gets a chance at romance and a better future through the intervention [... more]
Sergio Leone’s satirical riff on director Akira Kurosawa’s samurai classic Yojimbo launched the Spaghetti Western, Clint Eastwood’s career as a movie star, and Ennio Morricone as a household name thanks to that unforgettable score. An instant international phenomenon, this hard-hitting epic [... more]
Semi-autobiographical drama of Palestinian life under Israeli occupation, chronicling the experiences of a Nazareth-based family from the 1948 Arab-Israeli War to the early 21st century. Structured in four historical episodes, the narrative traces generational struggles with displacement, military occupation, and daily [... more]
The Mad Cat team does the rather cool Moon Bar at the Sana Restaurant in Mina Al Salam – a great venue: quite intimate, few distractions. Featuring surprise drop-ins, fresh material, and "the kind of moments that only happen in [... more]
Maria Krivets and her band with classic jazz and swing evoking the world of the Jazz Age via "soaring vocals, exceptional musicianship, unforgettable atmosphere and moments that will make you feel like you've stepped inside one of the most beautiful [... more]
When allied with wit and accuracy, the implicit cruelty of the 'roast' format can be more just an excuse for snide insults or another culture war salvo. Fortunately Abz Ali is pretty good at it – sharp wit, quick comebacks, [... more]
A coming-of-old-age story with real compassion: writer-director Sarah Friedland's story follows the octogenarian Ruth Goldman (noted stage actress Kathleen Chalfant – "an astonishingly nuanced, considered and graceful performance" said the Guardian review) as she copes with dementia and her shifting, [... more]
Mad Cat’s standup team at their regular stop at the Easy Tiger bar in Abu Dhabi's Al Ain Palace. The door price of AED 99 includes two drinks ...
Mad Cat Comedy's only open mic night: comedians test brand new jokes, new performers take the stage, and dog lovers come along for a fun evening. Only 20 seats available. Free entry!
An evening of "intelligent, relatable, and laugh-out-loud comedy" – Dr Anand is good at observational comedy and tells a great story. Recommended.
An hour-long chamber recital of popular operatic arias and duets ("a journey through love, longing, celebration, and unforgettable melody") with soprano Laura Frei, baritone Abdullah Atfah, and pianist Oleg Poliansky. TODA's immersive digital environment provides spectacular background visuals.
An hour-long chamber recital of popular operatic arias and duets ("a journey through love, longing, celebration, and unforgettable melody") with soprano Laura Frei, baritone Abdullah Atfah, and pianist Oleg Poliansky. TODA's immersive digital environment provides spectacular background visuals.
Mad Cat Comedy's regular standup night at Xandros in Signature 1 Hotel, TECOM. The cover charge of AED 80 includes one drink.
Known for her sharp wit, relatable storytelling, and effortless stage presence, magpie favourite Noha Bashir delivers an of sharp observations, personal anecdotes, and clever takes on everyday life – her newest material, performed live in an intimate setting that really [... more]
The marmite comedian is back in town for the second time this year with another look at his latest touring show. It's his trademark up-yours to civility – if he hasn't amended the setlist again, you should expect a flurry [... more]
A two-day workshop (same times tomorrow) with Amparo Baquerizas Carreras and her photobook Gauchito Querido (2026), which will be used as a case study for alternative cartography and the concept of ‘artist as gatherer’. Participants will explore how artistic research [... more]
A regular Mad Cat Comedy night – "Dubai's wildest comedy show on Saturday" at "the first purpose built comedy room in the country". The cover charge of AED 99 includes two F&B coupons.
Improvised crowd work comedy from two very sharp standups – expect quick wit and superfast comebacks from Noha Bashir and Denise Alexe.
First-time director Usman Riaz embraces the old-fashioned star-crossed romance with a beautifully animated film about a young glassblowing artist and his lost love. At the same time it's a truly humanist, demonstrating how art and creativity can provide solace and [... more]
The second chapter in Sergio Leone’s epic Dollars Trilogy ups the ante with more tension, more grit, and a bigger budget thanks the success of the first outing for the Man With No Name. This time around two rival bounty [... more]
Vladimir Sorokin's 1983 has been described as "a bizarrely funny saga of a quintessential Russian institution, the interminably long line". Perhaps you might go for "avant-garde" rather than bizarre; the book is solely snatches of dialogue, the voices of people [... more]
When allied with wit and accuracy, the implicit cruelty of the newly-popular 'roast' format can be more just an excuse for snide insults or another culture war salvo. We hope for the best from Abz Ali, who is known for his [... more]
Described by the gallery as "a significant new exhibition" and "a return to the essential experience of art as presence, encounter, and shared space", this show features a curated selection of 50 newly arrived 2D and 3D works by Annalù, [... more]
A group exhibition featuring works by Wadeei Khaled, Ahmad El Badawi, Bahram Hajou, Hanibal Srouji, Jamal Bassiouni, Rania Amoudi and Yervant Hawarian – an introduction to artists who will be featured in upcoming exhibitions throughout the year, alongside others whose [... more]
This is the MFA thesis exhbiition from six graduating students, presenting the culmination of their research and work – "informed by a deep commitment to risky multi-media exploration The works are by Maha Alasker, Yuehan Dai, Nour Elbery, Almaha Jaralla, [... more]
Hasan Hadi's debut feature is a beautiful tale of love, friendship and resilience told from the perspective of a child growing up under Saddam Hussein’s oppressive regime. It was the first Iraqi film to feature at the Cannes Film Festival, [... more]
“What is the ultimate goal of a city?” asks architect/artist Hamad Almuzaini: “Governance and the streamlining of lived experience – an impossible task – or something more open, broken, and constantly reinvented?” He says these questions guide his work across [... more]
Curated by Nada Shabout of NYUAD's al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art, this exhibition investigates and celebrates the work and influence of one of the most important art movement of the mid-Century Middle East. Dr Shabout brings [... more]
The Pepp promises "45 minutes of piping-hot laughs with four surprise comedians serving punchlines, saucy jokes, and a generous topping of fun".
Second time this week for the Pepp's "45 minutes of non-stop laughs from four surprise comedians serving up a full-flavoured feast of funny", this one with an early start (7pm not 9pm).
A group show of new and archival works on paper selected by Judy Karkour that brings together 14 artists with distinct material and artistic backgrounds – Sarah Almehairi, Faris Alshafar, Olaf Breuning, Bernhard Buhmann, André Butzer, Nadine Ghandour, Monika Grabuschnigg, [... more]
An exhibition featuring more than 40 works by 16 photographers (of different nationalities, but all based in the UAE) that seek to find beauty and meaning in the small moments of everyday life, personal rituals, routines, brief encounters, simple gestures [... more]
The Gulf String Quartet present an hour of arrangements of Piaf favourites – by candlelight, of course. Ticket holders can get 5% off à la carte menus (including drinks) at Shangri-La Dubai's bars and dining venues, before or after the [... more]
A chance to hear the Canadian Arabic Orchestra, an ensemble that fuses the traditions of Western and Arabic music. This programme promises "a soul-stirring journey through the vibrant crossroads of culture and innovation" that honours the rich heritage of Palestinian [... more]
A terrific start to the new season at The Arts Center – a high-octane double bill featuring two bands, both making their Gulf debuts, who really know how to deliver. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band (above) is the pioneering group [... more]
The Vivaldi favourite was written as concerti for violin and orchestra, but it's often arranged for a quartet and this is what we'll be getting here, performed by the Gulf String Quartet. The ambiance is (non-flammable) candlelight, of course. The [... more]
Third time this week for the Pepp's "45 minutes of non-stop laughs from four surprise comedians serving up a full-flavoured feast of funny".
Comedy from two very sharp standups who work really well together. From first dates to ghosting, situationships to heartbreak stories, Noha Bashir and Denise Alexe address the struggles of dating life via sharp humour, relatable stories, and a brilliant chemistry [... more]
This group show is the culmination of the second edition of NIKA Project Space's Open Studio programme: four artists based in the UAE were invited to develop new bodies of work in dialogue with the space, one another, and the [... more]
The first Somali film to be featured at the Cannes Film Festival (in 2024), The Village Next to Paradise tells the story of Mamargrade who is struggling to raise his son Cigaal in their rural Somali village amidst conflict, natural [... more]
Award-winning contemporary dance from Aotearoa/New Zealand, one of the hits of Edinburgh 2025. Created by Oli Mathiesen with Lucy Lynch and Sharvon Mortimer and inspired by the energy and emotion of rave culture, it's a spectacle of stamina, sweat, and [... more]
It looks like this night of improvisational comedy has been so successful that progenitors Tall Tales Productions and The Junction will be running it regularly. As before, it's a show created on the fly from audience suggestions; it's inspired by [... more]
A stand-up show that delves into "life, travel, identity, and the everyday struggles we all face". Abdi is definitely an engaging storyteller, so this should be a good night ...
First of half a dozen Pepp shows where the Egyptian-American standup, actor, TV host, and former cardiothoracic surgeon tries out new material. He's been a comedy success for 15 years, so he knows how to do comedy; it will be [... more]
Second of three performances for this award-winning contemporary dance from Aotearoa/New Zealand. Created by Oli Mathiesen with Lucy Lynch and Sharvon Mortimer and inspired by the energy and emotion of rave culture, it's a spectacle of stamina, sweat, and sheer [... more]
Second of half a dozen Pepp shows where the Egyptian-American standup, actor, TV host, and former cardiothoracic surgeon tries out new material. He's on at 7 and 9pm on 12 and 13 September.
The audience for this show has been called for jury duty. As the story proceeds you hear the testimony, analyse the evidence, and ultimately decide whether the accused is guilty or not ... It's a courtroom drama where you get [... more]
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