Shrek The Musical is based on the 2001 hit film with parts of its sequels also incorporated into the show. Photo: Broadway Entertainment Group
Shrek The Musical is based on the 2001 hit film with parts of its sequels also incorporated into the show. Photo: Broadway Entertainment Group
Shrek The Musical is based on the 2001 hit film with parts of its sequels also incorporated into the show. Photo: Broadway Entertainment Group
Shrek The Musical is based on the 2001 hit film with parts of its sequels also incorporated into the show. Photo: Broadway Entertainment Group

Shrek The Musical is coming to Dubai Opera in February


Evelyn Lau
  • English
  • Arabic

Shrek The Musical, based on the Oscar-winning animated film, is coming to Dubai Opera.

Presented by Broadway Entertainment Group and Live Nation, the show will take place from February 21 to 26 and will feature characters such as Shrek, Princess Fiona, Donkey, Lord Farquaad and other favourites from the film taking to the stage.

The show is based on the 2001 film, but also has elements of its sequels — including Shrek 2 and Shrek Forever After — incorporated as well. It tells the story of an ogre named Shrek, who lives in a faraway kingdom, and the adventures he goes on to rescue a feisty princess.

The show premiered on Broadway in 2008 and was nominated for eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Actor and Best Actress in 2009.

Since its run on Broadway, it’s been performed on stages across countries including the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, Singapore, China and Thailand.

“We are thrilled to bring Shrek the Musical, in all of its bright-green glory, back to the UAE by popular demand. With the receptive, engaging family and millennial audiences throughout the Emirates, we look forward to bringing this fun-filled show to this exciting destination,” said Liz Koops, chief executive of Broadway Entertainment Group.

Other musicals in the UAE

Elf the Musical will be staged at The Theatre at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai for a one-week run starting on Saturday until December 24.

Based on the hit film that starred Will Ferrell, the musical tells the touching story of Buddy, a human who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag as a baby and ends up being raised as an elf. Although he grows up as a misfit in the North Pole, he travels to New York City to find his birth father.

Inside Aya, Dubai's new futuristic light and sound park — in pictures

  • Aya, a new immersive light-and-show park, is opening in Dubai on Saturday at Wafi City mall. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
    Aya, a new immersive light-and-show park, is opening in Dubai on Saturday at Wafi City mall. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
  • The park utilises lights, sounds, as well as mirrors to create an otherworldly experience for visitors
    The park utilises lights, sounds, as well as mirrors to create an otherworldly experience for visitors
  • The park is spread across 3,700 square metres
    The park is spread across 3,700 square metres
  • One room requires visitors to lay on their backs and watch a light show projected on the ceiling — the idea is to create an illusion of floating
    One room requires visitors to lay on their backs and watch a light show projected on the ceiling — the idea is to create an illusion of floating
  • Each room, or zone, at the park is designed to create an 'out-of-body experience', say its founders
    Each room, or zone, at the park is designed to create an 'out-of-body experience', say its founders
  • Aya is divided into 12 zones, with each meant to evoke a specific reaction from guests
    Aya is divided into 12 zones, with each meant to evoke a specific reaction from guests
  • Aya mostly features abstract imagery, incorporating extra terrestrial elements in some of the light projections
    Aya mostly features abstract imagery, incorporating extra terrestrial elements in some of the light projections
  • Flora zone features jellyfish-like creatures swimming or flying through an ethereal dimension
    Flora zone features jellyfish-like creatures swimming or flying through an ethereal dimension
  • The zones also feature individual shows, with a vibrant choreography of lights and sounds that could go up to seven minutes
    The zones also feature individual shows, with a vibrant choreography of lights and sounds that could go up to seven minutes
  • The Source zone
    The Source zone
  • Flora zone
    Flora zone
  • Outland zone
    Outland zone
  • Luna zone
    Luna zone
  • Flora zone
    Flora zone
  • The Source zone
    The Source zone
  • Rama Allen, chief creative officer at HyperSpace
    Rama Allen, chief creative officer at HyperSpace
The biog

First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974  
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work

Jewel of the Expo 2020

252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome

13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas

550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome

724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses

Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa

Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site

The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants

Al Wasl means connection in Arabic

World’s largest 360-degree projection surface

Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare

Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.

First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus 

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Updated: December 15, 2022, 9:42 AM