Dubai Culture is running its third Makers’ Month this weekend at Earth Roastery in Al Quoz – panel discussions, talks, and hands-on workshops "designed to sharpen skills and foster collaboration between manufacturing and the creative industries". The principles are sound: [... more]
Events
Calendar of Events
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Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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7 events,
Free, but pre-register
This year’s ADIBF – remarkably, it’s the 34th edition – has the theme ‘Knowledge Illuminates our Community’, a sentiment which brooks no argument. There are 90 participating countries, the 'Focus Personality’ is Avicenna (Ibn Sina), the ‘Book of the World’ [... more]
Free, but pre-register
The seventh edition of the Summit, which runs 27-29 April, again brings together "thought leaders" from art, heritage, media, museums, music, public policy and technology to debate the role of culture. This year's theme is the catch-all 'Culture for Humanity [... more]
Invitation only
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Rimini Protokoll pushes the boundaries of conventional theatre. During this performance walk within the collective’s ‘Remote X’ series (2013–ongoing), you are invited to explore the growing presence of artificial intelligence in future cities; for this tour, designed specifically for Abu [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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Rimini Protokoll pushes the boundaries of conventional theatre. During this performance walk within the collective’s ‘Remote X’ series (2013–ongoing), you are invited to explore the growing presence of artificial intelligence in future cities; for this tour, designed specifically for Al [... more]
Free, but pre-register
—
A second performance by tango champions German Cornejo and Gisela Galeassi, dancing to the music of Astor Piazzolla and accompanied by an ensemble of ten dancers and a seven-strong live band.
From AED 330
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In the run-up to International Jazz Day, The Fridge and Alserkal Avenue present a free al fresco jazz gig with the Errico Cutolo Quartet and a swing set that reimagines classic Italian love songs ...
Free
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4 events,"The immigrant embodies the human capacity to adapt and rebuild wherever they settle. They create bridges between cultures, carrying a soul heavy with memories that form a part of their identity." New work by the prominent Syrian artist, blending abstraction [... more]
Free
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One of the Coutryard's two-act evenings of spontaneous scenes and stories based on audience suggestions. First up is the regular Monday evening mix of scenes, stories and narrative improvisation from some of the Courtyard Playhouse's most experienced improv performers plus [... more]
Free
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6 events,The artist's first solo exhibition in Dubai features 12 new portraits that aim to capture "the rich diversity of women who define Dubai’s essence ... each portrait a tribute to the quiet confidence, individuality, and allure that make this city [... more]
Free
A group exhibition, curated by Sara Serpilli and Marina Baisel, featuring Fatma Latooh, Barbara Duran, Sara Alkhayyal and Zeina Abdullah. Says the gallery: "this exhibition is not merely a showcase – it is a tribute, a declaration, and an invitation [... more]
Free
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The 22nd Abu Dhabi Festival closes with a special tribute to the late musical legend, Quincy Jones, performed by trumpeter Riley Mulherkar and his brass quartet The Westerlies. Described in one review as "über hip, modern yet timeless," Mulherkar’s performance [... more]
AED 175
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"A celebration of jazz as a unifying force, bridging musical traditions from around the world". This year’s Jazz Night programme looks a particularly exciting one, and a fitting match for International Jazz day. The artists: Esperanza Spalding (USA) – Berklee [... more]
SOLD OUT but there may be returns
|
7 events,
—
Stéphanie Chardeau-Botteri, art historian, great-grandniece of the artist, and author of a study of Caillebotte of the same name as the talk (it was shortlisted for the 2024 Goncourt Prize for biographies) discusses the life and legacy of the "unknown [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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A talk accompanying the Burj Rashid exhibition that commemorate the 45th anniversary of the tower's inauguration (and which ends soon). This panel discussion, moderated by architect Amal Anoohi, features artist Ahmad AlAttar, designer and artist Sara Al Khayyal, and artist [... more]
Free
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Single mother Julie (César award-winning actress Laure Calamy) works a grueling job as a head chambermaid in a five-star Parisian hotel while struggling to raise her two children at the end of a commuter line. A job opportunity arises that [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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An evening to celebrate International Jazz Day and honour 85 years of Blue Note Records with classics from John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and more. The all-star ensemble is led by award-winning bandleader Peter Long and includes Peter Long [... more]
From AED 290
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Presented by DCT Abu Dhabi, a five-week citywide series of jazz performances, education programmes and community events in the UNESCO Creative City of Music peaks with the now-traditional All-Star Global Concert. Led by iconic keyboardist Herbie Hancock and hosted by [... more]
SOLD OUT but there may be returns
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The Courtyard's most peopular 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 [... more]
Free
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3 events,SAC returns for its third annual edition, again organised in collaboration with Italy’s Bergamo Animation Days (BAD), with an extensive (indeed, impressive) programme of trends, cutting-edge technologies, and game-changing opportunities, This year there's a substantial Japanese influence – Studio Ghibli [... more]
AED 139
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The Abu Dhabi Festival in collaboration with Berklee Abu Dhabi pay tribute to musical legend Quincy Jones (a close friend of the Festival) in a special session of Riwaq Al Fikr – ADMAF Talks. The evening features insights from long-time [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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4 events,
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Successful 40s-ish photographer Mat (James Cuningham) takes us on a heart-warming, epiphanic journey in this one-man show, written by Nick Warren and directed by Jenine Collocott. On learning that his girlfriend is pregnant, a stunned Mat goes for a jog [... more]
AED 120
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A slightly belated World Jazz Day celebration in the form of a concert by Grammy Award-winning Egyptian oriental jazz pioneer Fathy Salama with a world premiere of his latest work. He will be joined by the noted bassist André Segone and [... more]
From AED150
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6 events,
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Kinusaiga is a Japanese art formakin to collage or patchwork, where fabric – originally silk – is wrapped around a carved wood or foam base to create images (often landscapes or patterns) without any need for traditional sewing. This hands-on [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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Abu Dhabi has been chosen as the host city for the 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize – "in recent years, the UAE’s growing presence in the global arts and culture landscape, and openness in supporting the works of international architects provides [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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SFP Montage is a series of special projects and initiatives linked to Sharjah Arts Foundation’s annual Sharjah Film Platform (SFP) festival that forges new associations among the works and expands their reach beyond Sharjah; two award-winning films from the seventh [... more]
Free
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Theeb ('Wolf') is a young Bedouin boy living in a remote part of the Ottoman Empire in 1916. When his older brother has to escort a British officer across the desert, Theeb tags along for the adventure – and experiences [... more]
Free
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8 events,An exhibition of ten works by the influential Khor Fakkan artist, one of the “Pioneer Five” who bolstered the contemporary art scene in the UAE in the 1980s and influenced a generation of artists in the region. Curated by Tarek [... more]
Free
Alla Abdunabi’s first solo exhibition presents a new body of work that critiques and engages with simulacra, a concept used in philosophy and cultural studies to analyse how symbols shape our perceptions of what is accepted as “real.” Alla Abdunabi [... more]
Free
A clever juxtaposition of works by two masters of the poetry of balance and movement that reveals unexpected harmonies between the artistic languages of Alexander Calder and Philippe Hiquily. Calder’s gouaches on paper, with their bold colours and rhythmic compositions, [... more]
Free
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Collected Histories, a project co-founded by Hind Mezaina and Jasmine Soliman, aims to foster discussion on personal documentation and archiving "with an ultimate goal of inspiring and supporting individuals to become ‘citizen archivists’ by cataloguing, and exploring ways to self-publish [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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Collected Histories, a project co-founded by Hind Mezaina and Jasmine Soliman, aims to foster discussion on personal documentation and archiving "with an ultimate goal of inspiring and supporting individuals to become ‘citizen archivists’ by cataloguing, and exploring ways to self-publish [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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SFP Montage is a series of special projects and initiatives linked to Sharjah Arts Foundation’s annual Sharjah Film Platform (SFP) festival that forges new associations among the works and expands their reach beyond Sharjah. This evening's films: Upshot dir Maha [... more]
Free
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2 events,
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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 [... more]
Free
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0 events,
|
2 events,An exhibition showcasing the artistic journey of the Emirati artist known for his ability to capture maritime heritage and coastal landscapes through the interplay between nature and time; he characteristically incorporates elements of rust, waves, and the textures of the [... more]
Free
—
The Courtyard's most peopular 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 [... more]
Free
|
4 events,Curated by Duygu Demir, NYUAD assistant professor of Art History and curator at the Art Gallery, this exhibition features new work by current MFA students Maha Alasaker, Yuehan Dai, Nour Elbery, Almaha Jaralla, Tooba Shaikh, and Shaima Shamsi that has [... more]
Free
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The latest in the NYUAD Art Gallery's series of conversations with curators features Nada Raza, Director of the Alserkal Arts Foundation. She'll be giving an overview of her curatorial journey as a divided ‘South Asian'; her PhD was on transcultural [... more]
Free
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The last concert of the UAE Classical Talents Season 2024/2025 features the return of Magadalena Wajdzik (piano) and Carlos Teixeira (flute) in a programme with works by Bach, Mozart, Fauré and Poulenc As usual, concert curator Stéphane Ferrault will illuminate [... more]
AED 150
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A tribute to the iconic Edith Piaf, led by the French-Lebanese singer Manel Mallat and directed by Kristian Abouanni. She is accompanied by an orchestra of 20 musicians, conducted by top film composer Danny Bou-Maroun, who has reimagined Piaf’s classics [... more]
AED 195
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4 events,The second edition of this Emirates Literature Foundation conference brings together a diverse selection of educators and experts from across the globe, including some of the most influential voices in the fields. The aim: to discuss and offer guides to [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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Vertiginous human pyramids, bodies being thrown seven metres into the air, barely believable hand-on-hand acrobatics, combat, contortions and more – stunning circus skills, and all threaded through with a strong sense of place and a passionate exploration of pollution, power [... more]
AED 105
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Modern circus at its best, with all the classic virtuosity and circus skills of some other troupes but without the overload of technology and glitz: this show brings together all three of the core ensembles of the Australian company with [... more]
From AED 290
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A second and final evening for this tribute to the iconic Edith Piaf, led by the French-Lebanese singer Manel Mallat and directed by Kristian Abouanni. She is accompanied by an orchestra of 20 musicians, conducted by top film composer Danny [... more]
AED 195
|
5 events,Modern circus at its best from the top Australian company. An award-winning creative team of director Darcy Grant, designer Geoff Cobham and composer Ekrem Eli Phoenix have extended and amplified the signature spirit of this rather unique company: visceral, poetic, [... more]
From AED 290
The Jameel's annual Youth Takeover is the manifestation of the Assembly, an experimental learning programme designed to foster creative leaders aged 18 to 24 in the UAE, "inviting the creation and curation of projects reflective of their generation’s areas of [... more]
Free
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A second and final performance for this spectacular piece from Circus Baobab, a company of 13 talented young dancers and acrobats from Guinea and the diaspora. Circus Baobab works collaboratively to develop shows that blend traditional West African performance forms [... more]
AED 105
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Dubomedy gigs are usually pretty good, especially when the price is free (with a minimum spend of one drink or one food item) and a "fantastic" (their judgement) bill of stand-ups – "you never know who will drop by!" It's [... more]
Free
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4 events,
—
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 [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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The final chance to see this performance of modern circus at its best from a top Australian company. An award-winning creative team of director Darcy Grant, designer Geoff Cobham and composer Ekrem Eli Phoenix have extended and amplified the signature [... more]
From AED 290
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3 events,
—
An intimate evening of heartfelt songs, reflecting on the complexities of navigating love, friendship, and family as life shifts during this transformative decade. It's a celebration of vulnerability, change, and the ongoing journey of rediscovering who we are. An NYUAD [... more]
AED 55
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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. This evening has a second act, featuring Felipe Ortiz – founding [... more]
Free
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4 events,An evening of piano brilliance, showcasing the instrument's dramatic power and profound emotional depth with two of the classic masterpieces of the repertoire, both of which make great demands of the pianist – Beethoven's “Appassionata" and Liszt's Sonata in B [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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Inspired in part by the Open GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums) movement – which promotes open access, reuse, and sharing of cultural collections in digital spaces – the Open Culture project seeks a local context for such ideas; organiser and [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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Odile Deray, a small time public relations executive, has her work cut out for her – getting some exposure for a pretty terrible small-budget horror movie called Red is Dead. Then she gets a break: the projectionist is murdered, just [... more]
AED 35
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6 events,
—
A lecture exploring the powers attributed to stones and their symbolism, the beliefs surrounding protective animals, and the fascinating stories of legendary jewels and talismans from various cultures. The speakers – both lecturers at L’ÉCOLE Middle East – are art [... more]
AED 50
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Melanie Lischker's documentary reconstructs the life of her mother (who she barely remembers) from over 100 hours of Super 8 and video footage that was meticulously recorded over the decades, mostly by her father. The result is the poignant story [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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The Courtyard's most peopular 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 [... more]
Free
—
This 103-minute documentary contains more than one hundred 50-second films captured by the movie pioneers Louis and Auguste Lumiere, supported by sensitive and knowledge narration from the compiler –.who happens to be the artistic director of the world’s most prestigious film [... more]
AED 30
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3 events,
—
The South Korean smash hit and multi award winner (including the Cannes Palme d'Or in 2019 and a Best Picture Oscar) is a black comedy thriller: it follows the street-smart Kim family scamming their way into the household of the [... more]
AED 30
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The Fridge's Open Mic night is one of the best in town, both because of the venue (good vibes, good acoustics, good crowd) and because of the top tech available – includes drum kit, electric keyboard, bass amp, guitar amp, [... more]
Free
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6 events,Now this should be one of the highlights of the UAE's exhibition year, not just because of the content – it's subtitled explicitly 'Contemporary Art from Korea, 1960s to Today', and South Korea is home to some of the most [... more]
Free
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Beshay has been cured of leprosy but has never left the leper colony in the Egyptian desert where he has lived since childhood. On the death of his wife, though, he finally decides to leave in search of his roots. [... more]
AED 30
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This 45-minute play -- first seen at the NYUAD Arts Center last autumn – 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 [... more]
AED 120
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This month's Laughter Factory tour has another good crop of fine up-and-coming talent. The acts: Aaron Butler engaging Belfast-born stand-up known for his high spirited stage presence Justin Panks observational comic with a genius for approaching seemingly everyday subjects from [... more]
AED 160
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This moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday tells the story of Hirayama, a man who seems utterly content with his simple life cleaning toilets in Tokyo. Outside his structured daily routine, he enjoys music, books, and [... more]
AED 30
|
11 events,Adrian Pepe’s poetic meditation on fragmentation and renewal gets an extended run at NIKA Project Space. It uses a monumental 200m2 woollen textile piece that previously wrapped a building damaged in the 2020 Beirut Port explosion to highlight the relationship [... more]
Free
A solo exhibition by that French artist that explores "the spectral space between presence and absence, giving form to what lingers just beyond perception" (the ancient Greek word 'eidolon' means phantom, double, or apparition). Karras’s works appear as delicate traces [... more]
Free
A group show – with Maria Andrievskaya, Almendra Bertoni, Katie Hector, Jen Hitchings, and John Denniston II– that invites us to think of colour not just as a visual element but as a language of its own. "Colour is what [... more]
Free
Zhou Song's solo show echoes traditional Chinese landscape painting but employs symbolic imagery to explore relationships between nature, technology, and faith. The 'anthropomorphic tree' is central, serving as a metaphor for nature’s alienation by technology – "these trees retain natural [... more]
Free, but book appointment slot
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Comedy Kix presents some of Dubai’s top Desi stand-ups – Nitesh Chaturvedi, Emaad Siddiqui, Adil Javed, Faizan Nassan, Piyush Malhotra, and Prateek Hiranandani (the show will partially be delivered in Hind). The door price includes a free drink.
AED 85
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Kim's documentary profiles the career of Nam June Paik and his pioneering contributions to video art. A timely meditation on the contradictory ways in which technology elicits both fascist tendencies and intercultural understanding, the film charts Paik’s artistic evolution with [... more]
Free
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As part of International Jazz Month in Abu Dhabi, The Temple makes its public debut – an evening with some of the UAE’s most creative improvisers. It's curated by Ratish Chadha, who also plays in a couple of the slots. [... more]
AED 105
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Truffaut's largely autobiographical coming-of-age drama is the classic French New Wave film and utterly unmissable. In the first of many appearances with the director, Jean-Pierre Léaud is a misunderstood 13-year-old living in a small, uncomfortable Parisian apartment with his mother, [... more]
AED 30
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This month's Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Aaron Butler engaging Belfast-born stand-up known for his high spirited stage presence Justin Panks observational comic with a genius for approaching seemingly everyday subjects from extraordinary angles. Roxy Yekta UK-born Iranian comedian with [... more]
AED 160
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Souleymane is an asylum-seeker with two days to prepare for the interview that will determine his residence permit status. As he pedals through the streets of Paris delivering meals, he relates his story; it's one of violence and survival – [... more]
AED 30
|
8 events,The first major survey of Vietnamese contemporary artist Tran Luong covers 30 years of painting, installation, performance and work with communities showcasing how his practice has been shaped by political and social transitions and his multifaceted roles as activist, curator, [... more]
Free
Trần Lương is a major figure in performance and visual art in Vietnam. This exhibition is the first international survey for the artist; it includes painting, installation, performance, community engagement and institution-making as it traces Trần’s life and work from [... more]
Free
Nadine Ghandour’s first solo exhibition in the UAE, curated by Dawn Ross, features recent works informed by her experiences in various cities, including Dubai, Sharjah, Cairo and Rotterdam. Working with drawing, writing, performance and sculpture, Ghandour creates works that depict imagined [... more]
Free
Ana Escobar Saavedra has a cross-disciplinary creative practice working on the frontiers of craft, art and design. Born and bred in Colombia, she is now established in the UAE; for the last few years, she has combined a personal studio [... more]
Free
For the fourth time, this exhibition shows work by students completing the two-year Master of Fine Arts in Art and Media at NYUAD – Dima Abou Zannad, Bao, Adele Bea Cipste, Hala El Abora, Mowen Li (Amira), Jude Maharmeh, Safeya [... more]
Free
"A rare journey through modern and contemporary Arab art” in the form of more than 35 original works by artists including Ismail Fattah, Najat Makki, Khaled Al Jader, Louay Kayali, and Salah Taher that represent women in a variety of [... more]
Free
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A night of unique improvised theatre with Felipe Ortiz, an acclaimed performer from Colombia – founding member of La Gata Circo and Picnic Impro, teacher of circus techniques, clowning and theatre improvisation at the Javeriana University in Bogotá, touring around [... more]
Free
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3 events,
—
The South Korean smash hit and multi award winner (including the Cannes Palme d'Or in 2019 and a Best Picture Oscar) is a black comedy thriller: it follows the street-smart Kim family scamming their way into the household of the [... more]
Free
—
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 [... more]
Free
|
6 events,
—
Three young artists bicker over their music in the hip music bar C’est Si Bon, where they formed the C’est Si Bon Trio. Tehn beautiful socialite Ja-young enters the picture and becomes their muse, and a series of moving love [... more]
Free
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A wrist injury forces promising pianist Yu Jun to return to Korea for treatment. While recuperating at his father’s music college, he comes across a mysterious woman named Jung A in an old practice room; their growing connection takes an [... more]
Free
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The Palace in question is of course Emirates Palace (specifically, the Broadway Brasseries and Bar) where we're promised "a night of smart, sharp stand-up featuring rising voices and seasoned comics from the UAE and beyond ... A laid-back, high-quality comedy night [... more]
AED95
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The Fridge's series of showcase concerts continues with Ukrainian pop powerhouse Allexa Bash – echoes of Kate Bush and Adele – with her new single 'Hurricane' plus songs from her debut album Dark Angels. Support comes from singer-songwriter Joe Girvin [... more]
AED 70
—
The latest edition of the Fridge's showcase gig series gets under way with poetic R&B-adjacent Arabic rap from Alexandria's Scander X. Support comes from Cairo rapper Blue Saif.
AED 70
|
8 events,
—
Kim Nam-woo is struggling wife life as people around him seem to be constantly leaving him – his best friend, Jun-ho, is going to study in Seoul; his widowed mother is paying more attention to her new boyfriend. Then he [... more]
Free
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A curated collection of short narrative and documentary films produced and directed by alumnii from Arab Film Studio, an initiative supporting emerging filmmakers that plays a vital role in nurturing the UAE’s film industry and positioning Abu Dhabi as a [... more]
Free
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One of South Korea's top bands, Jaurim, celebrated their 25th anniversary with a special album featuring a live concert and a chorus made up of 117 fans. This film documents the making of the album, intercut with personal anecdotes from [... more]
Free
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MTDXB's production of Frank Loesser's musical classic has a cast of 50 and a 14-piece live band – should be a suitably dazzling celebration of Broadway by Dubai’s only musical theatre community for adults. There are performances at 7.30pm on [... more]
AED 150
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All 37 of the bard's plays, condensed into 97 minutes of fast-paced comedy, silliness, audience participation, and "just the right amount of innuendo". Look out for Othello as a rap song, the History plays as a gridiron football game, Titus [... more]
From AED 200
—
The Courtyard's most peopular 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 [... more]
Free
—
Ths second weekend of this month's Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Aaron Butler engaging Belfast-born stand-up known for his high spirited stage presence Justin Panks observational comic with a genius for approaching seemingly everyday subjects from extraordinary angles. Roxy Yekta [... more]
AED 250
|
9 events,Experimental photography works by the Iraqui artist, who says: “Inspired by the Sumerian myth and my archaeological excavations in our invisible life, the mythological love series invites us to contemplate the magical love relationship between human women and the Anunnaki [... more]
Free
Al Braithwaite is a contemporary artist from London who works across a variety of disciplines including sculpture, assemblage, found material and installation. For this show, Braithwaite’s Material Abstraction (MATAB) comprises textured panels arrayed as physical sculptures. Says the gallery: “Their [... more]
Free
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Single man Min-sang is a meticulous planner and obsessively tidy. He just wants peace and quiet — but his building has become an unofficial home for stray dogs, thanks to the free-spirited vet Jin-young who is his tenant. A chance [... more]
Free
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After a stint in a mental hospital, Korean teen Su-mi reunites with her beloved sister Su-yeon and they return to live at their family home. The girls' father has remarried, and the siblings are immediately resentful of his new wife. [... more]
Free
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This adaptation of Yasmina Reza's Le Dieu du Carnage is described as a "compelling theatrical experience that delves into the fragile facade of civility". The play follows two couples who meet to resolve a conflict between their children – but [... more]
AED 50
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The second performance of MTDXB's production of the musical classic, with a cast of 50 and a 14-piece live band. There are further performances at 7.30pm on 23 and 24 May, with a 2.30pm matinée on 24 May too; use [... more]
AED 150
—
The second performance for this four-day run of the West End hit – all 37 of the bard's plays, condensed into 97 minutes of fast-paced comedy, silliness, audience participation, and "just the right amount of innuendo". Look out for Othello [... more]
From AED 200
—
The Abu Dhabi stop on this month's Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Aaron Butler engaging Belfast-born stand-up known for his high spirited stage presence Justin Panks observational comic with a genius for approaching seemingly everyday subjects from extraordinary angles. Roxy [... more]
AED 160
|
8 events,Sailstorfer’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery brings together three series of works that explore one of the artist’s signature themes: energy. He reflects on energy in its various forms – as a source, as storage, as a transmitter, as [... more]
Free
A group exhibition featuring Emirati artists Asma Khoory, Taqwa Alnaqbi, and Sultan Al Remeithi, curated by Salem AlSuwaidi. "In a world rushing forward, the exhibition invites you to linger—where 'killing time' becomes a quiet, radical act of care, presence, and [... more]
Free
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The third performance of MTDXB's production of the musical classic, with a cast of 50 and a 14-piece live band. There are further performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on 24 May; use the promocode 10guys at checkout to get 10% [... more]
AED 150
—
The third performance for this four-day run of the West End hit – all 37 of the bard's plays, condensed into 97 minutes of fast-paced comedy, silliness, audience participation, and "just the right amount of innuendo". Look out for Othello [... more]
From AED 200
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A new Courtyard Playhouse community theatre night, described as "a celebration of creativity and experimentation" with community members and in-house performers taking the stage to try out fresh ideas and showcase their talents. The first half features performances from the [... more]
Free
—
This month's Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Aaron Butler engaging Belfast-born stand-up known for his high spirited stage presence Justin Panks observational comic with a genius for approaching seemingly everyday subjects from extraordinary angles. Roxy Yekta UK-born Iranian comedian with [... more]
AED 160
—
The noted choreographer Edward Clug has managed a powerful and poignant reinterpretation of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana for this production by the Ballet of the Slovene National Theatre Maribor, which has received generally enthusiastic reviews en route to Dubai . [... more]
From AED 330
|
10 events,The first solo exhibition in the Middle East for the Addis Ababa artist showcases Sime’s distinctive practice of transforming colourful wires, circuit boards, and electronic components into intricate, layered compositions that blur the boundaries between technology, nature, and abstraction. The [... more]
Free
Efie Gallery is opening its new space in Alserkal Avenue with Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons’ debut solo exhibition in the Middle East. The exhibiiton, curated by Faridah Folawiyo, explores diaspora and interconnectedness through the flora and fauna of Latin America, the [... more]
Free
The second solo exhibition at this gallery for the Iran-born, NY-based artist features new paintings that revels in transplanting elements within themselves. Hoseini says “the figures have moved from architecture to landscape"; so the flat figure expands and multiplies in [... more]
Free
The third performance for this four-day run of the West End hit – all 37 of the bard's plays, condensed into 97 minutes of fast-paced comedy, silliness, audience participation, and "just the right amount of innuendo". Look out for Othello [... more]
From AED 200
How do contemporary artists grapple with the shifting role of text, literature and knowledge in an age of AI? This group exhibition curated by Tor Seidel tries to answer that question. As Seidel puts it, "Has access to texts and [... more]
Free
The final performances of this ballet reinterpretation of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana by the Ballet of the Slovene National Theatre Maribor, with choreography by Edward Clug The original is of course a 20th-century choral classic that draws inspiration from medieval [... more]
From AED 330
The final performances of MTDXB's production of the musical classic, with a cast of 50 and a 14-piece live band. There are shows at 2.30pm and 7.30pm; use the promocode 10guys at checkout to get 10% off tickets.
AED 150
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While his previous work was embedded with themes of time, context, and the mutual influence of elements, Fann À Porter's second solo exhibition for Syrian artist Mayar Obeido introduces a focus towards place, location, and grounding. The artist navigates a [... more]
Free
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The final stop for this month's Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Aaron Butler engaging Belfast-born stand-up known for his high spirited stage presence Justin Panks observational comic with a genius for approaching seemingly everyday subjects from extraordinary angles. Roxy Yekta [... more]
AED 160
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6 events,A selection of works from the 1970s to the present by the noted Lebanese-Brazilian artist, including oils on canvas, gouache on paper, and pencil drawings. A highlight is her exploration of 'neutral gray' or coloured gray, achieved by blending primary [... more]
Free
Curated by Duygu Demir, NYUAD assistant professor of Art History and curator at the Art Gallery, this exhibition features new work by current MFA students Maha Alasaker, Yuehan Dai, Nour Elbery, Almaha Jaralla, Tooba Shaikh, and Shaima Shamsi that has [... more]
Free
Dubomedy's improv evening is back with graduates of Dubomedy's workshops plus special guests – a total of 22 comedians on stage across two shows, apparently – in "a hilarious mash-up of stand-up and improv". This is a double-header, with shows [... more]
Free
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A tale of courage, friendship, and adventure for all ages. Zodi, a 12-year-old nomad, discovers an orphaned baby camel in the desert. He names it Téhu and forms a deep bond with the animal. He dreams of entering Téhu in [... more]
AED 35
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The noted Kazakhstan / Turkish cellist performs his well-known and much loved 'Soul Therapy; programme, accompanied by a chamber orchestra – music from famous Turkish movies and TV series, folk songs, romantic ballads, classics, and "simply soulful works that are [... more]
From AED 190
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1 event, |
9 events,Huda Lutfi’s fourth solo exhibition at the gallery includes works from three recent series – When Dreams Call for Silence (2019), Our Black Thread (2020–2021), and Healing Devices (2020–ongoing) It also includes a selection of previously unshown miniature collages, offering [... more]
Free
Unlike earlier works that centred around collective narratives, this new body of work from Hazem Harb is highly personal and intimate; it aims to draw the viewer into Harb's own lived environment, reflecting his sense of disembodiment, a feeling of [... more]
Free
Index Dubai sprawls around the Dubai World Trade Centre, with its best and most focused element being this 'workplace solutions' tradeshow-within-a-show. More than 100 designers and brands will be promoting their workplace furniture, technology and equipment; the accompanying Workspace Summit [... more]
Free, but pre-register
With a mix of painting and sculpture, this solo exhibition by the Emirati artist explores folklore, mythology, psychology, and social constructs that shift between abstraction and representation. Says the blurb: "The exhibition highlights the power of art to spark dialogue, [... more]
Free
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The South Korean smash hit and multi award winner (including the Cannes Palme d'Or in 2019 and a Best Picture Oscar) is a black comedy thriller: it follows the street-smart Kim family scamming their way into the household of the [... more]
Free
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The Fridge's series of showcase concerts concludes with high-class jazz-fusion from Egyptian pianist Rami Attallah with Rony Afif on drums and David Bernabelaand on bass. Special guests Mohamad Hosny (oud) and Artur García (sax) should make it a good night [... more]
AED 70
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Cinema has always been very interested in itself. In Cédric Kahn’s Making of we are introduced to a movie, a story about workers fighting to protect their factory from being relocated. And we meet a variety of characters involved in [... more]
AED 35
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The Fridge's showcase gig series continues with smooth R&B from Prince VA, who for the first time plays here with a full live four-piece, Support comes from Theo Thomson and more soulful R&B.
AED 70
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5 events,
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Kim Nam-woo is struggling wife life as people around him seem to be constantly leaving him – his best friend, Jun-ho, is going to study in Seoul; his widowed mother is paying more attention to her new boyfriend. Then he [... more]
Free
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One of South Korea's top bands, Jaurim, celebrated their 25th anniversary with a special album featuring a live concert and a chorus made up of 117 fans. This film documents the making of the album, intercut with personal anecdotes from [... more]
Free
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The Courtyard's most peopular 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 [... more]
Free
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13 events,A solo exhibition for the Lebanese-Uruguayan painter. We're promised "a profound journey through imagination, memory, and abstraction ... With this poetic metaphor, the artist gestures toward a body of work that resists confinement. His paintings, like the river he evokes, [... more]
Free
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After a stint in a mental hospital, Korean teen Su-mi reunites with her beloved sister Su-yeon and they return to live at their family home. The girls' father has remarried, and the siblings are immediately resentful of his new wife. [... more]
Free
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A teenage girl is captured by a giant mutated squid-like creature that appears from Seoul's Han River after toxic waste had been dumped in it, The victim's loving family is thrust into battle with the creature to rescue her .. [... more]
Free
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A writers’ group intended for writers to practice their craft without the pressures of producing a final outcome, designed to provide a supportive environment for writers to write alone yet in a group. You're invited to polish your writing skills [... more]
Free
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A free taster session for the Courtyard's corporate training courses aimed at "business leaders, HR professionals, and curious teams to experience" for them to expeirence "how we use improvisation to build real-world workplace skills like collaboration, communication, and leadership". It’s [... more]
Free, but pre-register
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"A heartfelt evening of art and advocacy" organised by Dubomedy and RAW Coffee in collaboration with the Palestinian Business Council. Ali Al Sayed hosts a bill that includes comedy from him and Mina Liccione, plus Charles Hbeiliny, Isra Abu Zayed, [... more]
Free, but donagtions welcome
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The always excellent Abu Dhabi Choral Group, the city's best-established and best-regarded community theatre company, offers this "hilarious and heartwarming" adaptation of the popular film, a successful Broadway and West End musical (music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by [... more]
AED 105
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One of the most consistently funny of the Courtyard's classic improv gigs is back after a couple of months' hiatus: the speakers have to give a presentation on a slide deck they’ve never seen before, with the topic determined at [... more]
Free
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An "immersive performance" that blends classical music, theatrical narrative and video projections "to awaken the senses and inspire environmental consciousness ... in a powerful celebration of the natural world and a moving reflection on the collective responsibility to protect it". [... more]
AED 75
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The ever popular Jo Koy's brings his current tour to the big stage at Etihad Arena as part of Abu Dhabi Comedy Week. Expect an evening of Filipino culture-centric anecdotes drawn from a colourful family and a load of life [... more]
From AED 180
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7 events,A solo exhibition of recent body work by one of the gallery’s stars. Alshaibi’s multimedia work explores spaces of conflict and the power struggles that reimagine Baghdad’s transformation – its peaks, declines, and latent possibilities. Baghdad becomes a site of [... more]
Free
The annual show by Sharmila Dance Center, one of the UAE's longest-established dance schools, is currently in its 24th year. A show for aspiring performers of all ages – from 7-year-olds to professional dancers – it always offers a whirlwind [... more]
From AED 150
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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 Snezana Ivkovic's String Quartet. The ambiance is (non-flammable) candleight, of course. The [... more]
From AED 200
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The second performance for the Abu Dhabi Choral Group’s Summer Revue. This "hilarious and heartwarming" adaptation of the popular film, a successful Broadway and West End musical (music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire) is based on [... more]
AED 105
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The Moroccan-Canadian comedian and actor celebrated as one of the funniest people in France brings a French-language show to the Abu Dhabi Comedy Season lineup. Boasting a career spanning acclaimed one-man shows, international tours, and French cinema, Elmaleh has a [... more]
From AED 195
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The razor-sharp Dubai-based comedian previews her Edinburgh Fringe show, her official solo debut. She's no novice, of course – she's supported Jason Manford and Schalk Bezhuidenhout on tour, has opened for Frankie Boyle too, and she has more than 500,000 [... more]
AED 100
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12 events,The inaugural exhibition in the Emirates for the Ghanaian artist explores the concept of ‘home’ through the lens of Afro-Surrealism. This series marks an introspective shift in his practice, reflecting his evolving sense of place in the world; HOME: Heart [... more]
Free
Malik Thomas Jalil Kydd's body of work delves into his Iraqi heritage, while bridging painting, drawing and fibre art – "reconciling the tactility of textiles with a sensitive examination of form", as the gallery puts it. "Focusing primarily on the [... more]
Free
Matinée and evening shows for the Abu Dhabi Choral Group’s Summer Revue, a "hilarious and heartwarming" adaptation of the popular film. The grumpy but lovable ogre embarking on a quest to rescue the feisty Princess Fiona for the scheming Lord [... more]
AED 105
Recent projects from the Tehran-born artist. Nazgol Ansarinia’s work examines the systems and networks that underpin her daily life – from everyday objects to routines, events and experiences. She's interested in the relationships they form to make up a larger [... more]
Free
The second day of performances for this annual show by Sharmila Dance Center, one of the UAE's longest-established dance schools. Currently in its 24th year, this is a show for aspiring performers of all ages – from 7-year-olds to professional [... more]
From AED 150
The Emirati artist and designer's inaugural solo exhibition comprises a series of photographs that documents the striking ecological diversity of Mount Kilimanjaro. Captured through Al Gurg’s attentive and empathetic gaze during a six-day journey in 2021, this work offers "a [... more]
Free
Ahmad Kasha’s complete War Series (2018–2025) is presented here for the first time in association with Fann à Porter. Influenced by various traditions of war art, the series reflects on the psychological toll of violence on people, animals, nature, and [... more] A group show featuring Nevine Hamza, Atefeh Majidi Nezhad, and Layla Juma. Says the gallery: "Each artist navigates the threshold between structure and sentiment, material and memory, between what is seen and what is sensed ..." Hamza’s work draws on [... more]
Free
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Another good-looking Comedy Kix night in Expo City, with some of Dubai’s most interesting up-and-coming stand-ups – seven of them: Saeed El Nahdy, Moncif Boumaza, Ehsan Fahmi, Andrea Brooks, Rebecca How, Jed Dawson and Tanveer Khan. The door price includes [... more]
AED 85
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The razor-sharp Dubai-based comedian previews her Edinburgh Fringe gig, a show that "dives deep into the absurdities of divorce, internet fame, and identity, wrapped in Saaniya’s signature wit and bite".
AED 100
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Hans Zimmer is probably best known for some of the most listened-to soundtracks in the history of cinema – The Lion King, Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight, Dune - but his live show is also pretty special. [... more]
From AED299
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