• Le Petit Prince

    Dubai Opera

    Two final performances for this spectacular dance/circus interpretation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s fable of an aviator who lands in the middle of the desert and meets the Little Prince, who’s travelling from one planet to another looking for his sheep. [ ... ]

    From AED250
  • Beauty and the Beast: dir Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise (1991)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    A newly restored print of Disney's family-friendly animation: the beast (an enchanted prince, of course) tries to win the love of the young and beautiful Belle with the help of the caste's enchanted staff (who have been transformed into a [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Culture Bus: Quoz Arts Festival

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

    The 2024 series of 421's Culture Bus trips from Abu Dhabi kicks off with a visit to the second day of Quoz Arts Fest. You'll get three hours on site: 2pm: Depart from 421 3.30pm: Arrive at Quoz Arts Fest [ ... ]

    AED 30
  • Karama Arts Club: In the UAE Frame – Photography

    25hours Hotel Dubai One Central Trade Center Street, Dubai

    The intelligent networking session for creative peers continues its 'Arts Unfiltered' panel series, this time delving into photography in the UAE. "We aim to cover a broad range of topics, then open up to the floor to hear your questions [ ... ]

    Free with a drinks package
  • NEOclassica with Arash Behzadi

    Theatre of Digital Arts Souk Madinat Jumeriah, Dubai

    Arash Behzadi plays his own compositions, "neoclassical musical narratives reflecting the ups and downs of life ... Passion, love, yearning, heartache and solace: all these feelings will come alive", accompanied by ToDA's 360° visuals. The excellent Soren Lyng Hansen guests [ ... ]

    From AED 190
  • Drinks & Comedy

    Emirates Sports Hoel Al Hebiah Fourth, Park-A2, Dubai Sports City, Dubai

    It's always a pleasure to come across an explicit title. This is a free Comedy Kix standup gig with a bill that includes Noha Bashir, Yash Bhardwaj, Rula Korban, Valentina Danubio (aka 'the ukulady'), Amr Abbas, Rami Salamé and of [ ... ]

    Free
  • Rayyane Tabet: The Return

    Sharjah Art Foundation, Flying Saucer Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    A second performance for this piece that traces the 50-year journey of a marble sculpture depicting a bull’s head, using interviews as well as inventory lists, photographs, legal documents and other evidence presented to the New York Supreme Court from [ ... ]

    Free
  • Past Lives: dir Celine Song (2023)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Celine Song's first feature has been nominated in two of this year's Oscar categories (Best Motion Picture category and Best Original Screenplay – but criminally not Best Director). It's the story of a modern romance; Na Young’s family emigrated from [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Fridge Concert Series 42: Billu and the Brownies | Chelsey Chantelle

    The Fridge Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Another good local band, Billu and the Brownies delivers high-energy dance vibes like few others. Also on the bill is sultry-voiced soul/R&B songstress Chelsey Chantelle.        

    AED 70
  • Ballet Gala: The National Ballet of China

    Dubai Opera

    Two performances at Dubai Opera for a company that is noted for its dazzling hybrid of western ballet and Chinese culture. The programme includes Chinese New Year, its reimagined version of The Nutcracker, followed by excerpts from La Bayadère, the [ ... ]

    From AED 350
  • Dark Times

    Radisson DAMAC Hills Hessa Street Dubailand, Dubai

    A Comedy Kix standup gig, promising "a night of bold, dark humour with the brilliantly witty stage actor and comedian Sadiq Saboowala". He is indeed good, and he can indeed be pretty dark ... Also on the bill: Sunil Mashari [ ... ]

    AED 85
  • Funeral Home Comedy

    Ting Irie, Mamsga al Saadiyat Mamsha Al Saadiyat, Cultural District, Abu Dhabi

    Abu Dhabi needs a regular comedy night. This one is new to us, but by all accounts delivers an excellent standup night at an undoubtedly great location ("the UAE’s first Jamaican Restaurant & Lounge"). We're promised acts from Abu Dhabi, [ ... ]

    AED 95
  • Emirates Litfest

    Festival City Dubai

    The UAE’s biggest and best literary event is back, with the usual cornucopia of writers, creators and thought leaders – a total of around 160 events at Festival City from 31 January to 6 February. The line-up includes the 2023 [ ... ]

    [Various prices]
  • Ballet Gala: The National Ballet of China

    Dubai Opera

    The second performances at Dubai Opera from a company that is noted for its dazzling hybrid of western ballet and Chinese culture. The programme includes Chinese New Year, its reimagined version of The Nutcracker, followed by excerpts from La Bayadère, [ ... ]

    From AED 350
  • Vikram Divecha: Short Circuits

    Jameel Arts Centre Al Jaddaf, Dubai

    Vikram Divecha’s exhibition covers the Dubai-based artist’s practice since 2013, showcasing his playful and poetic site-specific works, public art, installations, videos, photography and drawings. In particular, Divecha has long had an in-depth interest in the invisible structures of planning, construction, [ ... ]

    Free
  • Pablo Ferrández

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

    The Spanish cellist has been racking up accolades from every corner, including a very special one from Anne-Sophie Mutter: “Pablo Ferrández is truly special. Great sound, very refined vibrato, flawless left and right hand and a true musician” (his second [ ... ]

    AED 100
  • Roma città aperta | Rome Open City: dir Roberto Rossellini (1945)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    This harrowing drama about the Nazi occupation of Rome was shockingly authentic, conceived and directed amidst the ruin of World War II. The result has been cited as one of the greatest films ever made; certainly it's a landmark of [ ... ]

    Free
  • Rahu

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

    An adaptation of Kurosawa’s Rashomon transposed to Punjab (and delivered in Punjabi, with English subtitles). A man is found dead and his wife abused; a bandit confesses, but the wife’s story is different – and the dead man himself has [ ... ]

    AED 100
  • Candlelight: Best of Opera Classics

    Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi

    An evening of opera hits with Isabel Maria Canada Luna (soprano) and Aldo Dotto (piano), lit by candlight and located under the gazebo in the Emirates Palace's Oriental Cafe.                

    From AED AED 250
  • All Africa Festival

    Etihad Park Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

    Three days of African vibes, described as "the UAE’s largest celebration of Africa’s rich and diverse cultures in all their vibrant expressions and representations"; we're promised "an unforgettable mosaic of performances, artistic, culinary and culturally immersive experiences". It's built around [ ... ]

    From AED 150
  • Ras Al Khaimah Art

    Al Jazeera Al Hamra Ras Al Khaimah

    Ras Al Khaimah Art, the new incarnation of the Ras Al Khaimah Fine Art Festival, opens to the public at 9pm on Friday 2 February. As ever, it’s at the Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village, which has increasingly been [ ... ]

    Free
  • Ketu

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

    An adaptation of Sidney Lumet’s courtroom drama 12 Angry Men, transposed to Punjab in the 1890s (and delivered in Punjabi, with English subtitles). The members of a jury deliberate a guilty verdict that means death for the accused; one of [ ... ]

    AED 100
  • Judit Böröcz, Bence György Pálinkás and Máté Szigeti: Singing Youth

    Sharjah Institute of Theatrical Arts Calligraphy Square, Sharjah

    The original Singing Youth is a larger-than-life memorial statue of three young people by Greek sculptor Memos Makris, a political refugee in Hungary. In 1953, the statue was installed in front of a sports stadium in Budapest; it still stands [ ... ]

    Free
  • Jean Boghossian: Flames

    Sy Regis Hotel Doha The Pearl Qatar, Doha, Qatar

    A solo show for Doha's Anima Gallery in which the Belgian-Lebanese artist explores themes of environmental conservation, the wrath of nature, and the impacts of war in the Middle East via several series of works that illustrate the transformative power [ ... ]

    Free
  • Culture Bus: Art Dubai

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

    The excellent Culture Bus trip gives you the third and final day of Art Dubai (which is usually the quietest, so it's the best one for seeing art). You'll get three hours on site: 10.30am: Depart from 421 11.50pm: Arrive [ ... ]

    AED 30
  • ¡Fiesta Flamenca!

    Theatre of Digital Arts Souk Madinat Jumeriah, Dubai

    German Cova and his musicians (guitar, piano, tabla and one dancer) in a 75-minute tribute to the Spanish flamenco virtuoso Paco de Lucìa. "Every aspect of this vibrant show will leave you breathless," promises the blurb, and of course there's [ ... ]

    From AED 190
  • Kamasi Washington

    Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi

    The top saxophonist and bandleader redefines jazz boundaries with a progressive approach, fusing jazz, hip-hop, R&B, and classical music. For this Abu Dhabi Festival concert he has a 12-strong band and we’re promised “a unique and unforgettable experience” that is [ ... ]

    From AED 150
  • Cello Master

    Dubai Opera

    The titular cellist is the exciting young Franco-Belgian star Camille Thomas, playing with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra under the noted Norwegian conductor Eivind Gullberg Jensen. This InClassica concert has a lively programme that should bring out the best in her: [ ... ]

    From AED 199
  • Dreams of Miyazaki

    Theatre of Digital Arts Souk Madinat Jumeriah, Dubai

    A journey in 360° space through the worlds created by Hayao Miyazaki & Joe Hisaishi with the Armenian pianist Gayane Aslanyan. "In 60 minutes, she will transport you to a realm of wonder and fantasy where imagination knows no bounds [ ... ]

    From AED 240
  • The Gold Rush: dir Charles Chaplin (1925)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Charlie Chaplin’s tramp goes looking for gold and fortune in the Klondike, gets mixed up with some burly characters, falls in love with the beautiful Georgia (Georgia Hale) and tries to win her heart ... It's the now-familiar mix, but [ ... ]

    Free
  • Xinjiang is a Nice Place

    Cultural Foundation Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Street, Abu Dhabi

    The Xinjiang Art Theatre Song and Dance Troupe celebrate the Chinese New Year with this colourful, large-scale epic of music, dance and spectacle that depicts the colourful culture of Xinjiang – a vast region of deserts and mountains in northwest [ ... ]

    From AED 150
  • Shehan Karunatilaka: Writing Across Borders

    NYUAD Campus, Conference Centre NYUAD Campus, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Shehan Karunatilaka, the 2022 Booker Prize Winner, talks with NYUAD Visiting Professor of Literature and Creative Writing Harshana Rambukwella. Karunatilaka’s fiction combines the surreal and the drakly humorous, notably in his Booker winner The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida – [ ... ]

    Free
  • The Holdovers: dir Alexander Payne (2023)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    A warm-hearted and thoughtful holiday story of three lonely, shipwrecked people who find support in the most unlikely of places. A curmudgeonly teacher (Paul Giamatti) is forced to remain on campus at a New England prep school over Christmas to [ ... ]

    Free
  • Fridge Concert Series 42: Dina Stars | Yohaan Samuel

    The Fridge Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Dina Stars closes out Series 42 with her dynamic performance and a set that runs the gamut from power ballads to dance-pop. Support comes from singer-songwriter Yohaan Samuel.          

    AED 70
  • Sharjah Light Festival

    [various Sharjah locations]

    Regular readers will know that magpie has always been a fan of the Sharjah Light Festival, the 13th edition of which runs 7 to 18 February. SLF is being joined by two more light festivals that have emerged in the [ ... ]

    Free
  • Ökozid | Ecocide: dir Andres Veiel (2020)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    ÖKOZID / ECOCIDE Director: Andres Veiel Feature, Germany, 2020, 90 min. Starring Nina Kunzendorf, Friederike Becht, Edgar Selge and Ulrich Tukur February 7, 2024 @ 7pm, at Manarat Al Saadiyat It is the year 2034 and drought and flooding are [ ... ]

    Free
  • Aakash Odedra & Aditi Mangaldas: Mehek

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

    The world premiere of a new dance piece, devised and performed by two of the pre-eminent South Asian dancers of their time – Aakash Odedra, well known to Abu Dhabi audiences from previous visits; and Aditi Mangaldas, a dancer and [ ... ]

    AED 105
  • Wednesday Night Impro: Maestro

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

    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 the lowest score is eliminated. Eventually only [ ... ]

    Free but donations welcome
  • André Butzer: Becoming Matisse

    Carbon 12 Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    A solo show from one of Carbon 12's regulars. Butzer's style is characterised by "Disney figures painted by Munch": iconic characters, expressive language, deceptively careful use of colour, all done in "in honour of Henri Matisse" says the artrist. "Simultaneously [ ... ]

    Free
  • Paisan (Paisà): dir Roberto Rossellini (1946)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Rossellini’s follow-up to his breakout Rome Open City (Roma città aperta) is an ambitious and moving look at the final days of war in Italy and the confusion that follows in its wake. This classic of neo-realist cinema is presented [ ... ]

    Free
  • Aakash Odedra & Aditi Mangaldas: Mehek

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

    The second and final performance of the world premiere of a new dance piece, devised and performed by two of the pre-eminent South Asian dancers of their time – Aakash Odedra, well known to Abu Dhabi audiences from previous visits; [ ... ]

    AED 105
  • Le Dîner de Cons

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

    Francis Veber's highly successful modern French farce gets the Culture Emulsion treatment. Pierre Brochant is one of the Parisian businessmen who have a weekly 'idiots' dinner', where guests bring along a dimwit who can be ridiculed. Brochant finds an excellent [ ... ]

    AED 150
  • Perhaps Here

    Sharjah Art Foundation – Bait Al Serkal Arts Square, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    Borrowing its title from Khulood Al Mualla’s fourth book of poetry Rubbama Huna, Perhaps Here explores the orbits of contemporary imagination through a variety of live performances. This event will feature artists from diverse disciplines who will share their works [ ... ]

    Free
  • The Jazz Night with Winck

    Theatre of Digital Arts Souk Madinat Jumeriah, Dubai

    ToDA transforms into a jazz venue for live performance accompanied by a 360° immersive show: this time it's Luisa Winck with keyboard and drums in a 90-minute set. Expect a range from soulful ballads to upbeat foot-tappers ...     [ ... ]

    From AED 170
  • Timothy Chooi & Chanyong Chin: Massenet, Prokofiev, de Saraste

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    An evening featuring some of the favourite pieces of violin virtuoso Timothy Chooi  – notably Pablo de Saraste’s thundering Zigeunerweisen (Gipsy music) and Massenet's more delicate Méditation from Thaïs – in a programme that mixes popular works of the classical [ ... ]

    From AED 50
  • Le Dîner de Cons

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

    A second performance of Francis Veber's highly successful modern French farce by Culture Emulsion. Pierre Brochant is one of the Parisian businessmen who have a weekly 'idiots' dinner', where guests bring along a dimwit who can be ridiculed. Brochant finds [ ... ]

    AED 150
  • Laughter Factory: ‘Irrelevant But Hilarious!’

    Mövenpick Hotel JBR Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    This Laughter Factory tour carries a label that sets the bar quite high, but we do like a bit of ambition. The comics: Steven Biggs Netflix and HBO alumnus making his Middle East debut. Signing him is described as "a [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • Naser Al Sughaiyer: Lisan

    Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai

    A semi-fictional sound-walk in the Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park, departing from the Jameel and following the Dubai Creek along the Jaddaf waterfront. It is an immersive and interactive experience narrated by a 12-year-old girl, leading audiences through contrasting natural and [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Nemr

    Festival City Mall Dubai

    The Lebanese/American comic is touring a new stand-up show (his eight major tour, by our count). Expect inch-perfect delivery, a great ability to work the room, and especially spot-on commentary on the world's recent experiences. Recommended, even at these prices. [ ... ]

    From AED 200