The Queen of Hearts – or at least her famous red pout. A rabbit-human hybrid prancing about in a waistcoat. Tiny vials of blue curacao labelled “Drink me”. Welcome to The Showhouse.
The National goes along for the ride.
The dinner
Before delving into details about the lavish costumes and impressive acrobatics involved in this production, the three-course meal served alongside deserves a special shout-out.
Curated by Rob Rathbone, the group culinary director of Solutions Leisure Group, the French-Mediterranean menu is, in a word, delectable. Many of the dishes are infused with more cream than even the Cheshire Cat would know what to do with. Not me, though – I live for the stuff.
My party of four is able to try nearly every item on the menu, and not one is disappointing. Among the choice of appetisers, the velvety burrata tastes like it has been freshly pulled, while the delicately steamed prawns come drenched in tarragon-infused olive oil (an acquired taste, but oh-so-good).
Even the foie gras ballotine, which is more firm than the usual paté consistency, goes down a charm, served alongside buttery brioche and a piquant onion-pepper chutney. Other options include frisee salad with a duck’s egg and classic beef tartare.
Mains are equally decadent. The vegetarian in our party has no choice but to get the mushroom risotto, but (given our penchant to share) we each enjoy hearty mouthfuls of the truffle and Parmesan-infused rice, liberally dusted with nutty cep powder.
A word to the wise: go easy on the baguette basket as the three meaty mains – filet steak, cornfed chicken and wild sea bass – are so filling, you’re unlikely to do much more than roll into bed after this meal.
The steak, in particular, is served with juicy potato dauphinoise slivers that could rival any unputdownable packet of crisps. More cream comes by way of the beurre-blanc sauce that accompanies the sea bass, which is melt-in-the-mouth flaky.
The nutty textures of cep and hazelnut are the prominent flavour profiles in the duck confit (accompanied by truffle gnocchi) and the chicken (on a bed of Jerusalem artichoke puree).
Given all the delicious excessiveness, dessert is a struggle to get through. Of the three bites I manage, the crunchy creme brulee and light-as-air vanilla cheesecake are favourites, while the tarte Tatin is a touch too sweet for my taste buds.
The show
A top hat glitters under the glow of a spotlight, sequins winking as diners take their seats around the central stage. As the clock chimes 9pm, out comes “Alice”, belting out Edge of Midnight, in a powerful voice that does justice to the rocking Miley Cyrus-Stevie Nicks number.
What follows – music-wise – is a mix of classic timeless pop, plus tunes from Broadway and West End musicals. Think everything from Land of 1000 Dances by Tina Turner, Padam Padam by Kylie Minogue and It’s Raining Men by The Weather Girls, to Little Bird by Annie Lennox, Singing in the Rain by Gene Kelly and It’s All About That Walk by Prince.
These are all personified by a talented troupe of dancers (ballroom, tap, pole, contemporary, et al), plus gymnasts, aerial artists and contortionists. Graceful ballerinas with arms outstretched one minute, twisted as pretzels the next, the performers are par excellence, perfectly in synch with the music and one another.
The bit with a dancer ducking in and out of a giant stiletto that doubles as a ladder and a slide is particularly noteworthy.
My one grouse? That the rich Alice x Looking Glass x Rabbit Hole theme was not adhered to throughout the show. Confusing (although no less fun) throwbacks to Wizard of Oz and other obscure references had me pedantically pondering whether they were any Lewis Carroll cues I might not “be getting”. But this is still a whimsical Wonderland, with or without Alice.
It’s also worth noting that the proceedings at The Showhouse play out in a continual loop, rather than the usual format of short bursts and separate acts. This is a deliberate decision, says head of entertainment and show producer Claire Wheatley, to help “diners stay transfixed in the immersive world we’ve created rather than cut the narrative with random DJ tunes”.
Indeed, as Alice comes out for her final solo – Left Outside Alone by Anastasia – you can’t help but hope she finds her way back home.
The Showhouse is open from 7pm to midnight on Wednesday and Thursday; 7pm to 3am on Friday; and 1pm to 5pm and 6pm to 3am on Saturday. Dinner is served from 8pm and the show starts at 9pm. Prices range from Dh395 (silver) to Dh545 (VIP), inclusive of a three-course meal and limited drinks. For reservations, visit www.solutions-leisure.com
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
Quick facts on cancer
- Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases
- About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime
- By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million
- 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
- This rate is expected to increase to 75 per cent by 2030
- At least one third of common cancers are preventable
- Genetic mutations play a role in 5 per cent to 10 per cent of cancers
- Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved annually by implementing the right health
strategies
- The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Western Clubs Champions League:
- Friday, Sep 8 - Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Bahrain
- Friday, Sep 15 – Kandy v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
- Friday, Sep 22 – Kandy v Bahrain
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- 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
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clinicy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Prince%20Mohammed%20Bin%20Abdulrahman%2C%20Abdullah%20bin%20Sulaiman%20Alobaid%20and%20Saud%20bin%20Sulaiman%20Alobaid%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Riyadh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2025%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%20raised%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20More%20than%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Middle%20East%20Venture%20Partners%2C%20Gate%20Capital%2C%20Kafou%20Group%20and%20Fadeed%20Investment%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More on Palestine-Israeli relations
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Dubai Rugby Sevens, December 5 -7
World Sevens Series Pools
A – Fiji, France, Argentina, Japan
B – United States, Australia, Scotland, Ireland
C – New Zealand, Samoa, Canada, Wales
D – South Africa, England, Spain, Kenya
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
%3Cp%3ECreator%3A%20Tima%20Shomali%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0Tara%20Abboud%2C%C2%A0Kira%20Yaghnam%2C%20Tara%20Atalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
UAE SQUAD
Khalid Essa, Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammad Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoon Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Brahmastra%3A%20Part%20One%20-%20Shiva
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
The%20specs
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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.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Stamp duty timeline
December 2014: Former UK finance minister George Osbourne reforms stamp duty, replacing the slab system with a blended rate scheme, with the top rate increasing to 12 per cent from 10 per cent:
Up to £125,000 - 0%; £125,000 to £250,000 – 2%; £250,000 to £925,000 – 5%; £925,000 to £1.5m: 10%; Over £1.5m – 12%
April 2016: New 3% surcharge applied to any buy-to-let properties or additional homes purchased.
July 2020: Rishi Sunak unveils SDLT holiday, with no tax to pay on the first £500,000, with buyers saving up to £15,000.
March 2021: Mr Sunak decides the fate of SDLT holiday at his March 3 budget, with expectations he will extend the perk unti June.
April 2021: 2% SDLT surcharge added to property transactions made by overseas buyers.
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday, February 8 v Kenya; Friday, February 9 v Canada; Sunday, February 11 v Nepal; Monday, February 12 v Oman; Wednesday, February 14 v Namibia; Thursday, February 15 final
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