Eighteen years into his stand-up career and Michael Smiley is suddenly a wanted man.
The London-based comic left behind a genuine media frenzy as he jetted off for The Laughter Factory comedy tour, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi this week and last. Although, admittedly, most of the buzz was not actually comedy-related.
Smiley has been quietly cultivating a low-key acting career alongside his regular stand-up work, but a small film called Kill List suddenly threatens to catapult him to that next level of fame, the kind where the paparazzi shout your name at premieres.
"The quality papers have been doing full-page reviews on it," says the incredulous comic. "It's beyond my wildest dreams. This time last year we were up in Sheffield just about to make it, and there's no way that in a year's time I'd have thought we'd be going through this level of exposure and publicity. It's a bit of a phenomenon - people have just loved it and really taken it to their hearts."
Not that Kill List is a lovable film in the family-friendly sense. An intense, unconventional horror/thriller, it concerns a couple of hit-men, Jay and Gal - played by Smiley - who take on an increasingly sinister new mission. Like Se7en or The Usual Suspects, and unlike many modern movies, it leaves you with more questions than answers.
"What happens with a lot of films now, these blockbusters, it's chewing gum for the eyes, the gratification is instant and there's nothing to talk about afterwards, apart from how good Halle Berry looked or how great that car chase was," he says. "One thing about this film, you come out with an opinion. Part of it is an allegory about what's going on in the world today, society, the morality of going and watching these movies.
"Killing people is a horrible, horrible thing, the worst thing you can do as a human being, and some films make it look like an arcade game. It seems really easy. Whereas the reality is that it's really horrible and will affect you and other people for the rest of your lives. So when the death scenes in Kill List come up, there's nothing glamorous about it whatsoever. You really feel like it's sullied you slightly."
Paradoxically, Smiley admits that his stand-up style is storytelling and entertainment, pure and simple, with no hidden agenda. The Northern Ireland-born comic moved to London as a teenager in the early 1980s, but only took to stand-up in his early 30s, having acquired a suitable haul of anecdotes. The "wacky and left field" manner of many younger comics, who haven't the same life experience, leaves him cold.
"My ma and dad always brought me up to tell the truth because it's easier to remember. So that's what my comedy was - I always tried to be truthful because it was easier than something convoluted and character based."
It was character comedy that led him into acting, however. Keen to tell longer stories on stage, Smiley took a semi-autobiographical show about a cycle courier - his old job - to the Edinburgh Fringe, and was offered a similar role in a sitcom called Spaced, co-written by his old flatmate, Simon Pegg. He then played a zombie in Pegg's Shaun of the Dead, began winning straight roles, and gradually built a busy second career.
The stand-up remains a big part of his life, though, and while he now devotes August to a long family holiday rather than the Edinburgh Fringe - "I wouldn't give that up to be in a stinky venue with 10 people with rucksacks looking at me" - he is working on a new long-form one-man show. It concerns his move from Ireland to England, is called The Immigrant, and will provide some useful material for the current trip.
"I came to London for six months, and that was 28 years ago," he says "I'm sure there are a lot of people in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, who've come over, had a three-year contract and been there since 1985. That's a common theme.
"We all know what it's like being away from your natural environment, and how strange that new environment is, then all of a sudden it becomes home, although you don't realise when that changed. My accent hasn't changed, and my attitude to life I don't think has changed that much, only in the sense that I still think like an Irishman. Well actually I'm thinking like a father more than an Irishman now."
Smiley has been looking forward to this Middle Eastern trip in particular, his second such visit, as an old friend from the circuit, Paul Tonkinson, is also on board. Both are fathers in their 40s now, so rock 'n' roll behaviour is unlikely.
"I'm really excited about it. We'll hang out, spend days by the pool, like a couple of old men in a retirement home in Florida."
It beats a month in a smelly venue in Edinburgh, then?
"Yes it does, my friend. Yes it does."
The Laughter Factory comedy tour, which has already been in Dubai and Doha, lands in Abu Dhabi tomorrow night at the Crowne Plaza's Heroes before moving back to Dubai for three more shows Wednesday to Friday. All shows begin at 9pm. Tickets are Dh130 and can be purchased from 7.30pm onwards at the door or on www.timeouttickets.com. For more information visit www.thelaughterfactory.com.
GRAN%20TURISMO
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Courses%20at%20Istituto%20Marangoni%2C%20Dubai
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Company%20profile
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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)
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
Copa del Rey
Barcelona v Real Madrid
Semi-final, first leg
Wednesday (midnight UAE)
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Getting%20there
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
