All the world’s a stage, but theatre actors in Dubai are still struggling to find spaces to perform. That’s where The Junction comes in. Less than a year old, the performance arts venue in Alserkal Avenue has been creating more affordable spaces for community-led entertainment.
“Everybody was looking for a home that was not that expensive and was warm and welcoming to all kinds,” said Rashmi Kotriwala, who is one third of the founding team.
‘All kinds’ is a good way to put it, as the venue’s shows have ranged from stand-up comedy shows and quiz nights to TedEx talks and a capella singing competitions. Its plays have spanned several languages, including English, Russian, Italian, Greek, Hindi and Arabic.
When it opened in 2015, it provided an alternative to spots like Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre (Ductac) in Mall of the Emirates. It also complements the global, more mainstream arts and culture scene in Dubai.
According to Kotriwala, however, The Junction is more than just a theatre, or a place where people can put on plays — it’s a multipurpose performance venue. The idea behind it was always to support the performing arts community and to add to the cultural scene in the UAE.
Their latest show, Dangerous Corner (JB Priestley) directed by Kailash Nair, hits the stage this Friday and Saturday, at 2.30pm and 7pm on both days. The story revolves around Robert and Freda Caplan, a couple who are entertaining guests at their country retreat when a casual remark by one guest unravels a mess of clandestine relationships and dark secrets that have tragic consequences.
It will join upwards of 30 shows that The Junction has put on since its inception.
Kotriwala, 43, began her journey in Dubai 12 years ago as a primary school teacher in Montessori schools. In 2012, she made her onstage directorial debut in the form of Perfect Stillness, which won several categories at Short + Sweet, an international festival of 10-minute plays.
Two years later came The Junction, founded by Kotriwala and her two partners, Gautum Goenka, 33, and Arjun Burman, 30. The 159-capacity venue is a cosy, artsy spot; it welcomes you with a mini concession stand and vintage art on the walls, a small script library and funky washrooms — the walls are decorated with marker and the stalls hold quirky messages like ‘flush away the blues’.
“The day we opened was 18th of November, 2015,” said Kotriwala. “That day, the first show, we had people standing right outside our door, and the door was being fixed. The show was to begin at 8 o’clock, but at 8 o’clock, this door was being fixed. We were all mopping the floor, cleaning the place. Someone was getting the printed brochures for the programming. Arjun went out and announced, ‘Look, guys, give us ten more minutes.’”
The show must go on, of course. But first, the show must begin.
“We are performers ourselves,” said Kotriwala. “We direct plays, we act in plays, we dance, we sing. We know what a performer needs. We really want to focus on the relationship with our clients. That’s what they need — they’re talented, creative people, who need a little support, and who need to showcase their talent to the world.”
Though Burman and Goenka hold day jobs, Kotriwala has fully dedicated herself to working on The Junction’s affairs. All three co-founders come from Backstage Dubai, the largest community theatre group in Dubai. Last month, they came full circle as they announced they would be absorbing Backstage as their resident theatre group and re-branding it, with hopes of making The Junction bigger, stronger and more efficient.
When it comes to money, Alserkal Avenue has been supportive, but Kotriwala say they rely largely on ticket sales and on patronage to survive. Patronage comes from anyone who pays Dh1,850, Dh3,000, Dh5,000 or Dh7,500 to have their name, or a message, engraved on select seats in the venue; they get some other benefits, too.
“We are still trying our best to keep [prices] as low as we can, but I don’t know how things will work out in the future. We do require patronage to be able to sustain that over a period of time,” admitted Kotriwala, who added that some shows sell out while others receive lower attendance. The equation is simple, really: the more that people support the arts, the longer that the arts will thrive.
The Junction’s upcoming season is set to include Rumours (Neil Simon) directed by Burman, Andhon Ka Haathi (Sharad Joshi) directed by Rashmi Kotriwala, Streetcar Named Desire directed by George Anastasiades, Short + Sweet Bollywood (a festival of 10 minute Bollywood performances), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest directed by Goenka, Pantomime by Vambo Entertainments and Queens of Drama Festival (a female-led festival that was launched last year).
But regardless of what the future holds, the present has already proven the importance of places like The Junction to the budding world of performance arts. For some, it’s become a safe haven — somewhere they know they are not alone.
“People who have come to The Junction, performers, feel like, ‘It’s our home’,” said Kotriwala. “So many of them have come here and said they finally feel like they belong somewhere.”
*Tickets to see Dangerous Corner at The Junction are Dh75 and can be reserved by calling 04-3388525. For more, check out thejunctiondubai.com.
