Dubai Comedy Festival 2021: International stars bring the laughs to the UAE

Prepare for more laugh-out-loud moments as the annual Dubai Comedy Festival is set to take place this month with returning comedians and some newbies. Presented by Dubai Calendar and produced by BRAG, Live Nation and Dxb Live, the packed line-up includes multi-lingual shows, entertainment and more, running from May 13 to 22 across the city. Check out the comedians announced so far — more are yet to be announced — and where you can watch them.

Ali Al Sayed: The Dubai-based co-founder of Dubomedy is known for his lightning-fast wit and for bringing a fresh, Arab perspective to the art of comedy. He has performed at the Comic Strip Live in New York, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Theatre of Change Festival in Greece, and has shared the stage with the likes of Dave Chappelle and Trevor Noah. When and where: May 14, The Theatre at Mall of the Emirates.

Harsh Gujral: The Indian comedian draws from his life experiences for his jokes that will get the audience rolling on the floor with laughter. If you’re sitting in the front row, expect to get roasted. When and where: May 15, The Theatre at Mall of the Emirates.

Gad Elmaleh: French-Moroccan comedian and actor Elmaleh has starred in movies including ‘Coco’, ‘Priceless’ and ‘Midnight in Paris’, and will be doing his set in French. Elmaleh, who was once voted France’s funniest man, has performed at sold-out world tours and in 2019 released Netflix series ‘Huge in France’. When and where: May 16 and 17, Dubai Opera (French language show).

Alexander Revva (pictured) and Mikhail Galustyan: These legendary and much-loved Russian comedians will perform their show ‘Funny and Even Funnier’ for the first time in Dubai. Apart from their jokes, the duo will be improvising to add to the fun. When and where: May 18, Dubai Opera.

Nemr: The Lebanese-American stand-up comic is said to have pioneered the comedy scene throughout the Middle East. He has a number of projects to his credit, including the 2017 comedy special ‘No Bombing in Beirut’, seven comedy shows that he’s written and performed across the globe and multiple TV credits. When and where: May 20, Dubai World Trade Center.

Mina Liccione: The Dubai-based performing artist, hailing from New York, is the co-founder of Dubomedy Arts with her husband Ali Al Sayed and will perform her show ‘Growing Up Ringside’ at Dubai Comedy Festival. The talented star filmed her debut one-hour stand-up special titled ‘Mina Liccione: Araby By Nature’ in 2017, making her the first female comedian to do so in the Middle East. Her second special is currently airing on Comedy Central and Wavo. When and where: May 16, The Theatre at Mall of the Emirates.

Maz Jobrani: Jobrani is a Dubai regular who is famous not only for his comedy but for his roles in Hollywood projects such as ‘Better Off Ted’ and ‘The Interpreter’. The Iranian-American talent is a founding member of The Axis of Evil comedy tour and has appeared on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ and ‘The Late Late Show with James Corden’. When and where: May 21, Dubai World Trade Center.

Eddie Griffin: The Hollywood actor and popular comedian, whose last major outing was in Oscar-winning film ‘A Star Is Born’, will bring his unique brand of comedy to the city on May 22. Griffin started his career on-stage as a dare and has been on the comedy scene since 1990. When and where: May 22, Dubai Opera.

Kev Adams & Friends: French comedian Kev Adams will perform in Dubai for the first time at a show that includes his hilarious group of friends, including Ilyes Djadel, Alex Fredo, David Azria, and more. When and where: May 22, The Theatre at Mall of the Emirates.