There will be four performances of Blippi: The Musical at Etihad Arena this month. Photo: Flash Entertainment
There will be four performances of Blippi: The Musical at Etihad Arena this month. Photo: Flash Entertainment
There will be four performances of Blippi: The Musical at Etihad Arena this month. Photo: Flash Entertainment
There will be four performances of Blippi: The Musical at Etihad Arena this month. Photo: Flash Entertainment

Blippi: The Musical executive producer says Abu Dhabi show is set to delight


Melissa Gronlund
  • English
  • Arabic

Blippi, the YouTube edutainer with a penchant for repeating himself and narrating his every move, is coming to Abu Dhabi! He's coming to Abu Dhabi! Did you know he's coming to Abu Dhabi?

If you have children under five, you might be familiar with the bow-tied blue-and-orange-clad character, with his bright glasses and indefatigable cheeriness.

You might also know he's performing at Etihad Arena in a show called Blippi: The Musical on February 18 and 19.

Racking up one billion views per month on YouTube, Blippi leads children through familiar environments, such as a children’s museum, a ball pit or an indoor play centre. He crawls, barks like a dog, stumbles and gets up. And he talks. Oh, how he talks.

He verbalises every move he makes so that toddlers and preschool-age children can learn the words associated with his actions. But now you, the parent, are investing in noise-cancelling headphones, even as you marvel at just how absorbed your children are and how keen their powers of association.

Blippi: The Musical will take the capital’s children through a special live musical performance of this feat of self-narration. Gambolling about onstage with other Blippi characters, Blippi and co will sing and dance and invite parents and children to sing along as well.

“Now that Blippi has grown as a character, we’re so thrilled to be able to bring him off the screen to delight children live on stage,” says Josh Blackburn, the executive producer of the musical.

The move to bring Blippi The Musical to Abu Dhabi is the latest example of Flash Entertainment’s drive to diversify the region’s live entertainment offering. Photo: Flash Entertainment
The move to bring Blippi The Musical to Abu Dhabi is the latest example of Flash Entertainment’s drive to diversify the region’s live entertainment offering. Photo: Flash Entertainment

Blackburn worked with an army of designers, writers, actors, choreographers and composers to put together the Abu Dhabi show.

There are now two Blippis, the original, Stevin W John and new actor Clayton Grimm — a changeover that was somewhat controversial and much talked-about among parents on social media. It's not clear yet whether John, Grimm or indeed a third actor will be part of Blippi: The Musical in Abu Dhabi.

You can, however, expect all the familiar Blippi songs including The Excavator Song, whose vague resemblance to 1990s indie rock makes it a step up from Baby Shark in terms of tunes to have in your head for 12 days straight.

This will be Blippi: The Musical’s first foray in the Middle East after running for more than 500 performances across the US and UK. It is being staged by Flash Entertainment.

“Since Blippi is a digitally native brand and character, we had to dig deep into all of the children's content available on YouTube, Netflix and other streamers to know what kids and families expect and are familiar with in relation to these brands,” says Blackburn, who describes Blippi as the “ultimate play date”.

“Blippi, while an adult, speaks to children on their level, and inspires children’s natural curiosity for the world around them. He encourages learning through doing, playing and exploring, and children are delighted to learn alongside him.”

Blippi: The Musical will hold four performances at Etihad Arena, Yas Island, on 18 and 19 February 2023. Tickets are available at www.etihadarena.ae

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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
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2)
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The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Company profile

Company name: Suraasa

Started: 2018

Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker

Based: India, UAE and the UK

Industry: EdTech

Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding

NBA FINALS SO FAR

(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)

Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109

Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109

Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123

Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105

Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106

Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland

Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)

WITHIN%20SAND
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Moe%20Alatawi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Ra%E2%80%99ed%20Alshammari%2C%20Adwa%20Fahd%2C%20Muhand%20Alsaleh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

MATCH INFO

Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD

* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10

The specs

The specs: 2019 Audi Q8
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 340hp @ 3,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
 

Company profile

Name: Dukkantek 

Started: January 2021 

Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani 

Based: UAE 

Number of employees: 140 

Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service) 

Investment: $5.2 million 

Funding stage: Seed round 

Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office  

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm

Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Price: from Dh498,542

On sale: now

Ways to control drones

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.

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

 

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

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Updated: February 13, 2023, 1:42 PM`