The revival of the UAE's entertainment scene appears to be led by stand-up comedians.
On the heels of August's sold-out shows by Jimmy Carr, fellow UK funnyman Omid Djalili has announced his Dubai return with a gig this autumn.
The comic and actor will take to the Dubai Opera stage on Saturday, November 7, with his new show Good Times.
In addition to multiple regional tours and sell-out performances at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Djalili – whose parents are Iranian – has built a strong career encompassing everything from theatre to Hollywood blockbusters.
When it comes to the latter, he shared quality screen time with Russell Crowe in 2000's Gladiator, in addition to appearances in the 1999 James Bond flick The World is not Enough and 2001 thriller Spy Game.
Djalili also won rave reviews in 2009 for his role as Fagin in the West End production of Oliver, while he lent his voice to the 2015 animated hit film Shaun the Sheep.
While touching upon his heritage and understanding of the region, Djalili's comedy is often about shared experiences and frustrations.
"It's talking about everyday things: long-term relationships, the pitfalls and trappings of celebrity, and getting older," he told The National in a previous interview. And, as for his penchant for adding a bit of musicality to his gigs, that's just the way he was brought up.
“It’s a tradition where I come from; if you’re holding court, there’s got to be a bit of song and dance as well,” he said. “That’s just the way we are. A lot of people in the Middle East, if there’s a one-man show and there’s no singing and dancing, that’s not a one-man show – that’s just someone talking.”
With tickets starting from Dh195 from Dubai Opera, Djalili's show is one of a number of comedy gigs happening in Dubai over the next few weeks. Here are all the other laughs to come.
Thursday, October 8, to Friday, 16 October, in various venues: The Laughter Factory
The enduring live comedy series is back with its latest installment.
Leading October's bill is the UK's Adam Bloom, who comedy superstar Ricky Gervais once described "as one of my favourite stand-ups for about 10 years". He will be joined by British-Nigerian comic Babatunde Aleshe, whose career also includes acting work with appearances in British soap opera EastEnders and drama Waking the Dead. Rounding off the bill is seasoned Irish performer Rory O'Hanlon.
The trio will perform at Movenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach on Thursday and Friday, October 8 and 9; Zabeel House by Jumeirah – The Greens on Saturday, October 10; Grand Millennium Dubai Barsha Heights on Thursday, October 15; and the Hilton Dubai Jumeriah on Friday, October 16.
Tickets start at Dh160 and are available on The Laughter Factory's website.
Thursday, October 22: Nemr at Dubai Opera
A regional favourite, Lebanon's Nemr Abou Nassar returns to the UAE for his Dubai Opera debut. The comic's career continues to make strides in the Arab world and abroad. As well as selling out multiple UAE gigs, Nemr's special No Bombing in Beirut was broadcast on Showtime in 2017. The show starts at 8pm and tickets start from Dh175 from Dubai Opera.
Friday, October 23: Laughter Night featuring Gaurav Kapoor at The Theatre, Mall of the Emirates
Described as a "sweet Delhi boy", Kapoor is a prime example of India's flourishing stand-up comedy scene. As well as supporting Russell Brand on his 2015 Indian tour, Kapoor has performed well-received gigs at some of India's hottest comedy nights including Big Mic, Canvas Laugh and Chalta Hai. Performed in English, Kapoor's comedy will discuss "Jaat culture, people who buy Royal Enfields and poverty .... mostly his own". Shows are at 6pm and 9pm Tickets start from Dh60 from Platinumlist.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Gulf Men's League final
Dubai Hurricanes 24-12 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 849Nm
Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Company%20Profile
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The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
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What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
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%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20has%20been%20moored%20off%20the%20Yemeni%20coast%20of%20Ras%20Issa%20since%201988.%3Cbr%3EThe%20Houthis%20have%20been%20blockading%20UN%20efforts%20to%20inspect%20and%20maintain%20the%20vessel%20since%202015%2C%20when%20the%20war%20between%20the%20group%20and%20the%20Yemen%20government%2C%20backed%20by%20the%20Saudi-led%20coalition%20began.%3Cbr%3ESince%20then%2C%20a%20handful%20of%20people%20acting%20as%20a%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ae%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D%26ved%3D2ahUKEwiw2OfUuKr4AhVBuKQKHTTzB7cQFnoECB4QAQ%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.thenationalnews.com%252Fworld%252Fmena%252Fyemen-s-floating-bomb-tanker-millions-kept-safe-by-skeleton-crew-1.1104713%26usg%3DAOvVaw0t9FPiRsx7zK7aEYgc65Ad%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3Eskeleton%20crew%3C%2Fa%3E%2C%20have%20performed%20rudimentary%20maintenance%20work%20to%20keep%20the%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20intact.%3Cbr%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20is%20connected%20to%20a%20pipeline%20from%20the%20oil-rich%20city%20of%20Marib%2C%20and%20was%20once%20a%20hub%20for%20the%20storage%20and%20export%20of%20crude%20oil.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%E2%80%99s%20environmental%20and%20humanitarian%20impact%20may%20extend%20well%20beyond%20Yemen%2C%20experts%20believe%2C%20into%20the%20surrounding%20waters%20of%20Saudi%20Arabia%2C%20Djibouti%20and%20Eritrea%2C%20impacting%20marine-life%20and%20vital%20infrastructure%20like%20desalination%20plans%20and%20fishing%20ports.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
more from Janine di Giovanni
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
MATCH INFO
Aston Villa 1 (Konsa 63')
Sheffield United 0
Red card: Jon Egan (Sheffield United)
UAE%20set%20for%20Scotland%20series
%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20will%20host%20Scotland%20for%20a%20three-match%20T20I%20series%20at%20the%20Dubai%20International%20Stadium%20next%20month.%3Cbr%3EThe%20two%20sides%20will%20start%20their%20Cricket%20World%20Cup%20League%202%20campaigns%20with%20a%20tri-series%20also%20involving%20Canada%2C%20starting%20on%20January%2029.%3Cbr%3EThat%20series%20will%20be%20followed%20by%20a%20bilateral%20T20%20series%20on%20March%2011%2C%2013%20and%2014.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
