Am I busy? HELL YES! Sleep? Who needs it! A home life? Bah! I toss my hair at the notion of that. Am I happy about being busy and sleep deprived? YES INDEED. I know you are asking yourselves why this silly woman is happy about being stupid busy. Why? Because there is so much damned cool stuff happening in Dubai.
Guess what I have been doing for the past few weeks? Watching Short + Sweet of course, what have you been doing? Humm? You know where you should be right? You should have your bottom comfortably parked in a seat at the theatre. I am a devoted fan of Short + Sweet. I watch every year. In fact ( I can say this with my hand on my heart) I have seen every single show since S+ S arrived in Dubai in 2013 at least once, until now. Sadly this year I have not been able to get down to The Junction on Saturday afternoons ( did I mention my busy important life?) but I have seen all the Top 40 performances so far and I fully intend to see the rest. As well as ( yes I did just type that string of words together) the Peoples Choice Final on Feb 26th. Of course I will hoof it down to the Wild cards Final on the 27th Feb. And for those of you who like to glam it up there is the Red Carpet Gala Final on the 12th of March. Details of the aforementioned can be found on The Junction website HERE.
Short + Sweet gets a bit of my love HERE , HERE, HERE and HERE I am crushed that I can't link to a 2015 post on the festival. Want to know why? Because I found a half finished post in my drafts. Ho hum. Tempus fugit my darlings. Time really does fly.
Every year short + sweet is better than the previous year. Do you have any idea how happy that makes me? A few weeks ago after my first viewing of the Top 40 I felt as if I had died and gone to heaven watching the talented actors on stage performing under the guidance of committed directors working with ( in most cases) scripts that have been written by local playwrights. It really does not get cooler that that. Don't get me wrong it is not all air kisses and "you were wonderful darlings". There are some plays that really could have done with improvement and were a trial to watch, but I don't judge the festival by that. Every year sees an improvement in the quality of the writing, an improvement in the quality of direction, and talent is being developed. It is also exciting to see new talent emerge. It is particularly heartening when a core of people emerge over the years in the competition that take what they are doing seriously, understand that the minute someone pays money to see a performance they deserve your very best not your "oh I did if for a lark". Not that you can't have that in the competition but those productions won't impress me or the audience.
In my mind, and this is only my opinion, the biggest improvement has been in the quality of the writing. This is due to S+S existing, and creating a platform for original work to be showcased, I think that Backstage with its ten minute play writing competition "Stage Write" is a contributing factor and another help has been the many writing course, workshops, and collaborations that are available around Dubai for passionate wordsmiths.
Before every show Alex Broun tells the audience a bit about the Festival. It has grown from humble beginnings, 15 years ago in Sydney Australia, to "the biggest little play festival in the world". I am sure largely due to the tireless efforts of people like Alex (together with Liz Hadaway, the Dubai Festival Director) who have guided, coddled, inspired and bullied Dubai's passionate thespians to improve their writing, acting and directing skills year on year. They have done a good thing peeps!
Room for improvement? Staging. Rather sad overall. The inherent constraints of the format have given productions a mediocre out. How sad. A bit of creative, out of the box thinking is needed for set design.
But enough complaining! Here is what I love.
Baindu Kalokoh and MC Candy Bee in "Hair Ye Hair Ye" was inspired. I was reminded of home and of passages from Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Baindu's second performance of the evening was powerful to watch. Such talent makes my heart sing.
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| Baindu Kalokoh |
I loved Eric Dury's performance in "Happy New Year". Frankly Eric can turn sitting-still-in-a-chair into a riveting performance. He suffers from having an audience ( that would be me and his fans) expecting him to be good every time he steps on stage. He does not disappoint.
"Intelligent Design" was one of the winning plays that had the talented Cris Meija in the cast. The two plays she acted in went through to the next round. She must be a very happy actress and rightly so!
Proof that a good performance transcends language came in the form of "Madaari" a beautiful drama directed and performed by Nilesh Deshpande with Devendra Lawate. I think that Devendra also did the Hindi translating. I did not need to understand the words that were spoken to understand the story being told or the emotions that were unfolding.
In the weeks coming up to Short + Sweet I have been coming home to a quartet of luvvies rehearsing. My home was invaded by the cast of "The Naked Truth" as they manoeuvred their way around the delicate problem of working with a script set in a Nudist Camp. I kept hoping I would come home to inappropriately unclothed people but sadly they were most civilised and drank tea and went over their lines fully clothed. Bryan , light and love of my life, makes the most god awful tea ever and the cast, with great forbearance, drank the disgusting brew night after night. I would happily have gone onstage naked to stop the torture. I did wonder if it was a ploy. As it happened they had a cunning Dubai appropriate plan in place that spared the audience the view, and them from arrest.
Another locally written production ( Osman Aboubakr & Zeibak) "Santorini Sunset" has the lovely husband and wife team ( Jenny Gray and William Acklam) acting as a married couple. Both talented regulars on the Dubai drama scene.
And the show that had me laughing out loud? Well that has to be "Ya Welcome, Ya Welcome." Rosine Saad, who showed such promise in previous years, gave us a tight, cleverly crafted script. She chose a wonderfully talented cast who gave us a spirited, engaging, ten minutes of jolly good comedy with exactly the right twist in the tale to thoroughly delight the audience at the end.
Have I whet your appetite? I hope so! You know where to go: THE JUNCTION.
Emirates Airline Festival Of Literature Shakespeare Strand
By now you should be wondering what else is going on in Dubai and be keen to dive into some more thespian type events. You need look no further than Festival City from the 28th February to the 12th March to find an explosion of Shakespeare in all sorts of guises. The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature has teamed up with The British Council to provide Dubai Theatre lovers with amazing array of visual and auditory treats.
There is a link HERE to a world of wonder in Film screenings, inspirational discussions and live performances.
Not sure what all the fuss is about when it comes to Shakespeare? Ben Crystal will take the stuffy out of your notions of who Shakespeare was and who he wrote for. This is a great way to excite students about the bard and for you to find the passion in the plays. "Shakespeare on Toast"
The remarkable thing about Shakespeare is that he is really very good - in spite of all the people who say he is very good.” – Robert Graves
The works of William Shakespeare have shaped the English language and the culture of English-speaking countries, and even in translation his plays are well-known around the world. The panel will discuss this influence on their own work and lives.
Actor and author Ben Crystal has played Hamlet on stage, heads up the Passion in Practise Ensemble which seeks to mimic the original pronunciation and techniques of Shakespeare’s time, and wrote Shakespeare on Toast: Getting a Taste for the Bard.
Matt Haig has written two books strongly influenced by Shakespeare’s plays: Dead Fathers Club and The Last Family in England – the latter of which demonstrates that Shakespeare’s stories lose none of their power even when the hero is a Labrador.
Holly Smale has an MA in Shakespeare and is outspoken about his universality and the need to teach his works as plays for everyone, not the elite. Holly’s love of the Bard is shared with Harriet Manners, star of Holly’s Geek Girl series.
Marcia Williams is on a mission to foster a love of Shakespeare in children, through her Tales from Shakespeare and her contribution to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s Shakespeare Week,
Not to be missed lovely Dubai People this will be a lively and interesting discussion for theatre lovers to experience.
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| A Modern take on bad ass Shakespeare? |
My final absolute must-be-done event at the Emirates Airlines Festival Of Literature related to The Bard is Steven Berkoff's Shakespeare's Villains. Steven Berkoff's reputation is legendary. He is considered to be a master of his craft. Come and see him perform his one man production in this once in a life time opportunity. DO NOT MISS "SHAKESPEARES VILLAINS"
Food Truck Alert!
Philip , my first born wonderful son, and his girlfriend Giuli are also rather busy at the moment. They are helping their peeps taking part in the Dubai Food Festival in a Food Truck Competition. Here is the blub below.
"Inspired by the mouthwatering and healthy Mediterranean cuisine and street festivals of Japan, “Tori Matsuri” – translating to Street Festival in Japanese- is a student run fusion restaurant concept with carefully picked flavors from Japan and The Mediterranean. Initiated and run by a diverse group of students from The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management who share one thing in common; a passion for good food and true hospitality. Come and experience a truly world class hospitality and dining experience at the Dubai Food Festival where EAHM students will offer you food that is made with love and served with soul. This one week pop-up restaurant is just a small step towards the horizon of their dreams and will showcase their immense talent and potential.
This Dubai Food Festival, indulge yourselves into the freshness and aromas of the Tempura prawns served with fresh Mediterranean salad whilst taking your taste buds on a Japanese-Mediterranean fling with their signature exquisite and exotic dessert Green Tea Ice Cream with Spiced Chocolate Sauce. Enjoy the unique refreshments Tori Matsuri offers you on a sunny day at the beach, including exotic lemonades, tea blends and the all-favourite Sangria Popsicle. You definitely don’t want to miss this one out! If you are a foodie, then Tori Matsuri should be on your must visit list; after all, it’s good food, no strings attached! The food for sure will be delightful for your eyes and its exotic taste, freshness and aroma will want you craving more."
Well I will be there with bells on. Why don't you take a trip down to Kite beach between the 25th Feb to the 4th March and treat your taste buds at the Tori Matsuri Food Truck. Directions HERE
Dance Lessons with "Clave de CRUNK"
The Other thing that my darling boy is doing (with his charming lovely girlfriend Giuli) is give dance lesson. Fancy doing a bit of Salsa? A bit of ballroom? Hip Hop more your scene? Well if you are lucky enough to be part of the Emirates Hospitality Academy you can join Clave de CRUNK. See the details below and HERE. Get onto the Dance Floor!
"Inspired by the mouthwatering and healthy Mediterranean cuisine and street festivals of Japan, “Tori Matsuri” – translating to Street Festival in Japanese- is a student run fusion restaurant concept with carefully picked flavors from Japan and The Mediterranean. Initiated and run by a diverse group of students from The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management who share one thing in common; a passion for good food and true hospitality. Come and experience a truly world class hospitality and dining experience at the Dubai Food Festival where EAHM students will offer you food that is made with love and served with soul. This one week pop-up restaurant is just a small step towards the horizon of their dreams and will showcase their immense talent and potential.
This Dubai Food Festival, indulge yourselves into the freshness and aromas of the Tempura prawns served with fresh Mediterranean salad whilst taking your taste buds on a Japanese-Mediterranean fling with their signature exquisite and exotic dessert Green Tea Ice Cream with Spiced Chocolate Sauce. Enjoy the unique refreshments Tori Matsuri offers you on a sunny day at the beach, including exotic lemonades, tea blends and the all-favourite Sangria Popsicle. You definitely don’t want to miss this one out! If you are a foodie, then Tori Matsuri should be on your must visit list; after all, it’s good food, no strings attached! The food for sure will be delightful for your eyes and its exotic taste, freshness and aroma will want you craving more."
Well I will be there with bells on. Why don't you take a trip down to Kite beach between the 25th Feb to the 4th March and treat your taste buds at the Tori Matsuri Food Truck. Directions HERE
Dance Lessons with "Clave de CRUNK"
In fact everyone in our house is busy. Bryan has just started rehearsing in Dubai Drama Groups production of Educating Rita with Jane Kilalea and Ellen O'Flaherty. This one will be a goodie peeps! More on that later.
And that, lovely people, is why I am happy being so busy. I am happy because it warms the cockles of my heart to be surround by people who do stuff and I love to be doing stuff. Life is good. Make yours good. Do interesting things. Get down to the Theatre. Come to the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. Support a Student run food truck and take up dancing!
