- Dubai Comedy Festival, which takes place from 21st to 24th of October, has revealed a star-studded line-up of headliners.
- The jampacked line-up of global comedic talent includes Gad Elmaleh, Michelle Wolf, Mo Amer, Ali Al Sayed, Nemr, Vir Das, Gaurav Kapoor, and Mina Liccione.
- Don’t miss out on four days of stand-up sets, unforgettable shows, activations and non-stop laughs!
Dubai, UAE – : After news broke recently of its highly anticipated return – Dubai Comedy Festival has now revealed the official line-up of its citywide extravaganza of laughs, which is set to take place in multiple hotspots across the city, from 21st to 24th of October. Presented by Dubai Calendar and produced by BRAG, Live Nation and Dxb Live, in partnership with Dubai Opera, BookMyShow, Dubomedy, Virgin Radio Dubai, and Dubai 92 – Dubai Comedy Festival is ready to treat the city to a healthy dose of comedic relief, with a star-studded line-up of international and local talent.
Featuring some of the planet’s funniest men and women, including Gad Elmaleh, Michelle Wolf, Mo Amer, Ali Al Sayed, Nemr, Vir Das, Gaurav Kapoor and and Mina Liccione – Dubai Comedy Festival will unleash four full days of hilarious stand-up sets, unforgettable shows, and, of course, non-stop laughs.
Ahmed Al Khaja, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), commented: “As one of the first few cities in the world to restart the events industry and also bring back live events, the Dubai Comedy Festival further reinforces Dubai’s position as a safe destination and a global events hub. With the live entertainment scene in Dubai bouncing back with a buzz, DFRE continues to work closely with event organisers and other stakeholders in providing residents and visitors the opportunity to enjoy a diversity of acts hosted in line with public health guidelines to ensure the safety of all performers and audiences.
“We welcome everyone to celebrate the beauty of comedy and laugh together at this festival, providing even greater inspiration to the participating artists from the East and West, and a boost to all the local artists who are part of the UAE’s growing entertainment landscape. As art and theatre are intrinsic to the cultural and social fabric of the UAE, we look forward to seeing the Dubai Comedy Festival become an annual fixture in Dubai’s events calendar,” he added.
MICHELLE WOLF & MO AMER, HOSTED BY ALI AL SAYED
21st October at Dubai Opera (English language show):
- Michelle Wolf has quickly become one of the most influential voices in the comedy landscape, with the Village Voice calling her “the voice comedy needs right now” and The Daily Beast declaring, “Michelle Wolf is the future of stand-up comedy.” She recently released her second hour-long stand-up special ‘Michelle Wolf: Joke Show’ on Netflix. Previously, she made international headlines as the much buzzed-about headliner of the 2018 White House Correspondents Dinner.
- Mo Amer is a stand-up comedian and writer, who, in October 2018, debuted his acclaimed Netflix special ‘The Vagabond’, and currently appears as a series regular on the hit Hulu original series Ramy, with other TV appearances on ‘The Daily Show with Trevor Noah’, ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’, ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’, and HBO’s ‘Crashing’. Mo tours extensively with Dave Chappelle, having performed over 1,000 shows together. Independently, Mo has sold out shows all over the US and in over two dozen countries. Rolling Stone named Mo one of the ‘Top 10 Comedians You Need to Know’.
- Dubai-based Ali Al Sayed’s lightning-fast wit and rapport with audiences has allowed him to perform numerous shows in the iconic Comic Strip Live in New York, as well as major international gigs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Theatre of Change Festival in Greece. As the Co-founder of Dubomedy, Ali co-started the first comedy school in the region, introducing stand-up comedy from an Arab perspective and paving the way for many young comedians. Ali is involved in the Dubai Comedy Festival as a curator and performer and has shared the stage with the likes of Dave Chappelle and Trevor Noah. He has also appeared on three seasons of ‘Comedy Central Presents: Stand Up’.
For tickets and more information, visit any of the following links: dubaicalendar.com, dubaiopera.com, ticketmaster.ae.
NEMR
22nd October at Dubai Opera (English language show):
- Nemr is a Lebanese-American stand-up comic who is credited with pioneering the stand-up comedy scene throughout the Middle East. In 2017, Nemr premiered his hugely successful comedy special, ‘No Bombing in Beirut’, across the United States on Showtime, and across Canada. He has written and performed seven full feature shows, the latest of which was a world tour that took him to many major US cities, Europe, and across the Middle East. He has also released two feature specials as cinematic experiences, ‘EPIC’ (2014) and ‘Victorious Secret’ (2016), and has numerous television credits from major networks, along with appearances on CNN, BBC HARDTalk, and ‘The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore’.
For tickets and more information, visit any of the following links: dubaicalendar.com, dubaiopera.com.
VIR DAS
22nd October at Dubai World Trade Centre (English language show):
- Vir Das is an Indian comedian, actor and comedy musician. Vir Das, India’s highest selling comedian, needs little introduction to UAE audiences thanks to recent Netflix specials For India and Abroad Understanding, along with the web series Hasmukh and for his prolific approach to entertainment. With well over 1,000 plus live shows under his belt, the comedian and actor has appeared in Bollywood movies, Web Series specials, and a wealth of TV shows and plays. Hot off the heels from a 6-month lockdown; the ‘See You Outside Tour’ is one of Vir’s most personal shows to date! After seeing the world from the inside for so long… it’s time to spread the laughter and See You Outside!
For tickets and more information, visit any of the following links: dubaicalendar.com, ae.bookmyshow.com, ticketmaster.ae.
GAD ELMALEH
23rd October at Dubai Opera (French language show):
- Gad Elmaleh is a French-Moroccan stand-up comedian and actor who has achieved widespread notoriety in France, Morocco and the United States. He is a star in the French-speaking world and more recently in the United States. He has starred in several feature films, including Coco, Priceless, La Doublure, and Midnight in Paris. Voted the funniest person in France, he was named ‘Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters’ by the Minister of Culture. He was also named ‘Knight of the National Order of Quebec’. Elmaleh is often referred to as the ‘Seinfeld of France’ and has performed numerous sold-out world tours, in arenas across the globe. In 2015 and 2018, Elmaleh did national comedy tours across the United States. In 2019, he released the Netflix series ‘Huge in France’.
For tickets and more information, visit any of the following links: dubaicalendar.com, dubaiopera.com, ticketmaster.ae.
GAURAV KAPOOR
23rd October at The Theatre, Mall of Emirates (English language show):
Gaurav Kapoor is a Delhi-born, Indian comedian known for his razor-sharp wit and candid humour. After winning almost every open mic he ever participated in (yes, he is that good), including the Big Mic, Canvas Laugh Club, Chalta Hai, and Buzz Off, Gaurav opened for the world-famous comic Russell Brand on his Indian tour. His favourite topics to talk about on stage are Jaat culture, people who buy Royal Enfields, and poverty (mostly his own), a variety that makes Indian audiences fall in love with him. And, with his recent spelling change (Kapur to Kapoor), he has got all the validation he needs and is ready to take over the world.
For tickets and more information, visit any of the following links: dubaicalendar.com, ae.bookmyshow.com.
MINA LICCIONE & THE FUNNY GIRLS GO PINK!
24th October at The Theatre, Mall of Emirates (English language show):
- Mina Liccione and the HER-storical Funny Girls are back to perform a special stand-up comedy show in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness! This is NOT a ladies-only show and men are encouraged to join for a laugh! The show will be headlined by Mina Liccione (Broadway, Comedy Central, MTV) and will feature Dubomedy’s beloved Funny Girls: Liz Bains, Sameera Khan, Rebecca How and Nada Karim, hosted by Imah Dumagay. DJ Trina will be on the decks spinning feel good tunes with a special appearance by Cancer Survivor Lina Al-Sharif, the Pink Ribbon Crafters, BCA Packs and more surprises.
- Mina Liccione is a multi-award-winning performing artist and comedian hailing from New York. She has been seen on Broadway in STOMP, MTV’s The Grind, all 3 Seasons of Comedy Central’s ‘Comedy Central Presents…’ TV Show, as well as Season 2 of Ridiculousness. In 2008, she co-founded Dubomedy Arts with her husband Ali Al Sayed, which is home to the Region’s first Comedy School and all-female troupe: Funny Girls UAE. Mina filmed her debut 1-hour stand-up special entitled “Mina Liccione: Araby By Nature” in 2017, acting as the first female comedian to do so in the Middle East. Her second special is currently airing on Comedy Central and Wavo.
For tickets and more information, visit any of the following links: dubaicalendar.com, ticketmaster.ae.