Pantomime with a twist

Dubai Drama Group gives classic fairy tale local flavour


The classic tale says that Dick Whittington leaves for London, where, with the help of his cat, he becomes a mayor. The Dubai Drama Group (DDG) has made this into a pantomime and changed a few things around. In their version of Dick Whittington, Dick goes on a cruise, gets shipwrecked and lands up in Satwa, where he has his wedding.

"Most of the pantomimes that the DDG does are adaptations of classic fairy tales. They are all given local jokes, songs, names of places and twists and turns that bring out Dubai," says Dave Arnold, director of the play.

This particular pantomime really brings out Dubai in various ways. Jumeirah Jane is the name of the dame (who is played by a man); Cactus Cantina is one of their favourite spots. To top it off, there is a Sultana of Satwa, as well as the climax song - Back in Dubai.

Besides these local elements, the play itself is humorous, with a lot of audience interaction. Apart from the colourful, bizarre costumes and settings, there will be plenty of dancing and singing (even Jingle Bells).

But the actors do not intend to hog all the fun, so they will be pulling up kids from the audience for the sing-along. In fact, the director is still looking for rats for the Satwa Palace. So, if you have energetic kids or theatrical ones, contact Arnold on panto@dubaidramagroup.org to make them a part of some of the shows. As he says, "The more rats there are, the squeakier it will be."

The play runs from December 20 to 22 and again from December 27 to 29 at the Dubai Country Club. There are matinee and evening shows on Thursdays and Fridays, and an evening show on Saturdays. Tickets are priced at Dhs 60 for adults and Dhs 30 for children.

For further information, call the Dubai Country Club or visit the website on www.dubaidramagroup.org

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