From left: Musicals 'The Phantom of the Opera,' 'Tina - The Tina Turner Musical’ and 'Mary Poppins' are set to return to London's West End in 2021. Shutterstock; Johan Persson; Manuel Harlan
From left: Musicals 'The Phantom of the Opera,' 'Tina - The Tina Turner Musical’ and 'Mary Poppins' are set to return to London's West End in 2021. Shutterstock; Johan Persson; Manuel Harlan
From left: Musicals 'The Phantom of the Opera,' 'Tina - The Tina Turner Musical’ and 'Mary Poppins' are set to return to London's West End in 2021. Shutterstock; Johan Persson; Manuel Harlan
The curtains are raised in London's West End theatre district.
As the UK government gradually eases restrictions in place to help curb the spread of Covid-19, the previously shuttered theatre district is roaring back to life, with more than two dozen shows coming to London's stages in 2021.
The number comprises West End staples, such as The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables, while other productions such as musical adaptations of blockbuster films Pretty Woman and Back to the Future, have another chance to shine after the pandemic halted initial runs only weeks after their debut.
Premieres are also on the cards, with anticipation surrounding the October arrival of Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical.
Here are nine shows to check out in London's West End.
1. ‘Les Miserables – The Staged Concert', Sondheim Theatre until Sunday, September 5
Leading the West End revival is the concert version of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables.
Produced by industry giant, Cameron Mackintosh, also behind West End runs of Phantom of the Opera and Mary Poppins, this concert version of the famous tale of love and French resistance features all the big numbers sung by stars Michael Ball (playing Javert), John Owen-Jones (Jean Valjean) and Shan Ako as Eponine.
2. 'Amelie The Musical', Criterion Theatre until Saturday, September 25
After its successful 2019 run garnered three Olivier Award nominations, the musical adaptation of the 2001 French film returns to the stage.
Amelie The Musical is all charm and whimsy as we follow the title character's (Audrey Brisson) quest to secretly spread joy and happiness among friends and family, only to fall in love along the way.
3. 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat', The London Palladium, Thursday, July 1, to Sunday, September 5
A West End favourite based on the biblical story of Genesis. Premiering at the Young Vic in 1972, the show remains a staple of the scene with various productions over the decades.
The 1991 cast recording album of the show even scored a UK No 1 hit with Any Dream Will Do.
4. ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, Her Majesty's Theatre, Saturday, July 27 to February 13, 2022
The Angel of Music returns to London.
Widely renowned as the world's most popular musical, The Phantom of the Opera first opened in the West End in 1986 and went on to conquer New York's Broadway.
Adapted from Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel of the same name, the gothic romantic drama tells the story of a disfigured musical genius who lurks in the depths of the Paris Opera House and falls in love with a beautiful young soprano called Christine.
The musical features classics songs, such as Think of Me and TheMusic of the Night.
5. ‘Pretty Woman: The Musical’, Savoy Theatre, Thursday, July 8 to Sunday, December 12
The West End production of the Hollywood blockbuster was only finding its feet when the pandemic struck and halted its run after four weeks.
The anticipation remains strong, however, as the show returns with actors Aimie Atkinson and Danny Mac taking on the role of Vivian and Edward (immortalised on screen by Julia Roberts and Richard Gere) in this romantic drama about love and second chances in Los Angeles.
6. ‘Tina – The Tina Turner Musical’, Aldwych Theatre, Wednesday, July 28 to June 26, 2022
Simply the best? Well, the crowds and critics thought so when the show premiered in London in 2018.
Following the tumultuous life of Tina Turner, the production is full of pop hits and grit as we follow the travails of the soul diva.
From humble beginnings to her tumultuous personal life, Turner managed to pave the way for generations of women in show business without sacrificing her integrity.
7. ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’, Adelphi Theatre, Friday, August 20 to February 13, 2022
Marty McFly's hover board was only taking flight when the anticipated Back to The Future: The Musical closed after a few weeks in March 2020.
But the time-travel tale, made famous in a trilogy of 1980s films starring Michael J Fox as teenager McFly and Christopher Lloyd as quirky scientist Emmet "Doc" Brown, returns to give us all the nostalgic feels.
That also extends to the musical, as the cast belt out renditions of ThePower of Love by Huey Lewis and The News and Chuck Berry's Johnny B Goode.
8. ‘Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical’, Lyric Theatre, Friday, October 1 to April, 3, 2022
London will be jammin' when the anticipated Bob Marley musical premieres later in the year.
From the luscious hills of rural Jamaica to sold-out concert halls across the world, the show follows the life and career of reggae pioneer and social justice warrior, Bob Marley.
While cast details remain under wraps, expect many of the hits to be played, including Exodus, No Woman No Cry and 3 Little Birds.
9. ‘Mary Poppins’, Prince Edward Theatre, Saturday, August 7 to February 13, 2022
A successful stage adaptation of a Walt Disney classic 1964 film becomes enchanted once again as Mary Poppins descends upon the Banks family's London residence on Cherry Tree Lane.
As well has her signature umbrella, the most famous nanny brings a world of magic, travel and inspiration to the family's children.
The timeless score includes the jaunty singalongs Jolly Holiday,Step in Time and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
Saturday
Fiorentina v Torino (8pm)
Hellas Verona v Roma (10.45pm)
Sunday
Parma v Napoli (2.30pm)
Genoa v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (8pm)
Juventus v Sampdoria (10.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Bologna (10.45om)
Playing September 30
Benevento v Inter Milan (8pm)
Udinese v Spezia (8pm)
Lazio v Atalanta (10.45pm)
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE) TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
South Africa:
Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada
Coach: Ottis Gibson
Bangladesh:
Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Mustafizur Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal, Taskin Ahmed.
Coach: Chandika Hathurusingha
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet
RESULT
Leeds United 1 Manchester City 1
Leeds: Rodrigo (59') Man City: Sterling (17')
Man of the Match: Rodrigo Moreno (Leeds)
Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans
Jasmin Mujanović, Hurst Publishers
David Haye record
Total fights: 32 Wins: 28 Wins by KO: 26 Losses: 4
v West Indies which starts Thursday: Rory Burns, Joe Denly, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root (captain), Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Ben Foakes, Sam Curran, Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson, Jack Leach
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
Priority access to new homes from participating developers
Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
Flexible payment plans from developers
Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
Schedule for Asia Cup
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Countries have been coming up with ways to restrict and monitor the use of non-commercial drones to keep them from trespassing on controlled areas such as airports.
"Drones vary in size and some can be as big as a small city car - so imagine the impact of one hitting an airplane. It's a huge risk, especially when commercial airliners are not designed to make or take sudden evasive manoeuvres like drones can" says Saj Ahmed, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research.
New measures have now been taken to monitor drone activity, Geo-fencing technology is one.
It's a method designed to prevent drones from drifting into banned areas. The technology uses GPS location signals to stop its machines flying close to airports and other restricted zones.
The European commission has recently announced a blueprint to make drone use in low-level airspace safe, secure and environmentally friendly. This process is called “U-Space” – it covers altitudes of up to 150 metres. It is also noteworthy that that UK Civil Aviation Authority recommends drones to be flown at no higher than 400ft. “U-Space” technology will be governed by a system similar to air traffic control management, which will be automated using tools like geo-fencing.
The UAE has drawn serious measures to ensure users register their devices under strict new laws. Authorities have urged that users must obtain approval in advance before flying the drones, non registered drone use in Dubai will result in a fine of up to twenty thousand dirhams under a new resolution approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Mr Ahmad suggest that "Hefty fines running into hundreds of thousands of dollars need to compensate for the cost of airport disruption and flight diversions to lengthy jail spells, confiscation of travel rights and use of drones for a lengthy period" must be enforced in order to reduce airport intrusion.
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber, Ed Norton, Greta Gerwig, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson
Three stars
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
GroupA: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
PAKISTAN SQUAD
Pakistan - Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Aamer Yamin, Rumman Raees.
