The cast of 'Dinner with Friends': (from left) Hissain Hadi, Cerine Bouery, Priyanka Johri and Ahmar Iqbal. Courtesy Yogesh Sharma
The cast of 'Dinner with Friends': (from left) Hissain Hadi, Cerine Bouery, Priyanka Johri and Ahmar Iqbal. Courtesy Yogesh Sharma
The cast of 'Dinner with Friends': (from left) Hissain Hadi, Cerine Bouery, Priyanka Johri and Ahmar Iqbal. Courtesy Yogesh Sharma
The cast of 'Dinner with Friends': (from left) Hissain Hadi, Cerine Bouery, Priyanka Johri and Ahmar Iqbal. Courtesy Yogesh Sharma

'Dinner with Friends' is coming to Dubai, and it might just make you reflect on your own relationships


Rupert Hawksley
  • English
  • Arabic

There is a line in Donald Margulies's 1998 play, Dinner with Friends, that sounds, on the face of it, a bit trite. "The thing is," says Gabe, one half of a married couple from Connecticut, "you never know what couples are like when they're alone." It is the sort of well-meaning – but essentially meaningless – guff you might see on the Instagram page of a celebrity going through a break-up.

Or is it? Think harder about those words. They force us to confront some uncomfortable truths, not so much about other couples, but about ourselves. Perhaps the reason we know so little about what couples are like when they're alone is that we don't care enough to ask. I'm not talking about a ­"keeping-up-with-the-Joneses" type of nosiness. We all have that. But how many of us make the time to find out what is going on behind the facade our friends and loved ones present to the world?

It is a question at the heart of Dinner with Friends, which is being revived by Indian director Meghana Mundkur and Tall Tales Productions for a short run in November at The Junction in Alserkal Avenue, Dubai. "I think what Donald [Margulies] is trying to say is, check in with your friends, check in with your spouse," says Mundkur. "Don't get complacent with your relationships, whether it's friendships or whether you're married, because that's when you might start drifting apart. Just because you've got the school fees to pay and work [to do], it doesn't mean that the passion and the fire has to end. There are ways of figuring it out."

Dinner with Friends, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2000, is set in Connecticut (although it could be anywhere in the world) and focuses on two couples: Gabe and Karen, and Tom and Beth. One evening, Beth tells the others she is divorcing Tom, who has been unfaithful to her. This comes as a great surprise to Gabe and Karen and triggers a period of reflection about their own relationship, as well as the early days of Tom and Beth's romance (in a neat twist, it was Gabe and Karen who introduced their friends to each other on a holiday to Italy years previously).

The play has been revived many times around the world since it opened off-Broadway in 1999, including at the Park Theatre in London in 2015. It was also adapted into a film released in 2001, starring Andie ­MacDowell as Karen and Toni Collette as Beth.

The cast and director Meghana Mundkur (centre) of 'Dinner with Friends'. Photo: Yogesh Sharma
The cast and director Meghana Mundkur (centre) of 'Dinner with Friends'. Photo: Yogesh Sharma

The themes of love, loss and simply getting on with getting on are timeless. But Mundkur believes they are particularly prescient now. “I think our entire generation is going through this period of self-reflection,” she says. “What are we doing? How are we messing up relationships? How do we make marriages last longer? Does the passion have to dissipate or can we hold on to that teenage love we had when we got together?”

These questions are particularly poignant for Mundkur, who recently went through a divorce. It is why she chose to take on Dinner with Friends. The process has, she says, been "up and down" but she was determined to direct something that lots of people could relate to. "I've been through that dire scenario where we have had to announce to our friends that we are splitting," says Mundkur. "And those friends have then reflected on their marriage, going, 'Have we made the same mistakes that they've just made?'

She has directed me in another play, so it's an interesting role reversal

“It is something that people need to start talking about,” she continues. “I’ve come across people who don’t want to talk about relationships because it’s heavy and we just don’t want to think about it. I thought this might start some interesting conversations.”

The success of Dinner with Friends, which has a cast of only four and is set in the nondescript suburban house of Gabe and Karen, relies almost entirely on the quality of the performances. There are no gimmicks to hide behind. The audience, who play the role here of eavesdroppers, must believe in – and care about – the characters. Mundkur, who actually played Karen in 2003, is confident that she has found four actors capable of transporting us into the tangled lives of strangers. "I'm quite blessed with the cast I have," she says.

Priyanka Johri, who theatregoers might recognise from a 2018 production of Just Like That, set in Jumeirah Lakes Towers in Dubai, plays Karen, with Ahmar Iqbal as her husband Gabe. Hussain Hadi takes the role of Tom, meanwhile, and Carine Bouery plays Beth.

Hussain hadi and Cerine Bouery in 'Dinner with Friends'. Photo: Yogesh Sharma
Hussain hadi and Cerine Bouery in 'Dinner with Friends'. Photo: Yogesh Sharma

Mundkur has worked with Johri before – “she has directed me in another play, so it’s an interesting role reversal" – but she has been trying to cast Iqbal for some time. “I have asked Ahmar to do two of my previous plays. He rejected both,” she says, laughing. “He is completely off script already. He is extremely dedicated and is pretty much a method actor. He really soaks himself into the character and works very, very hard.”

For Bouery, who is more accustomed to performing in comedies, Dinner with Friends will require her to find a different note. To my mind, Beth is the key player – the catalyst for the drama. "This is about [Carine] flipping that comedy switch off and making her performance extremely subtle and relatable," says Mundkur. "She's doing a tremendous job of that, so hats off to her."

Get it right and Dinner with Friends will not only be a theatrical triumph, it might also persuade those who see it to think a little more about those closest to them. How are they really doing? As Margulies's play illustrates, we should never assume the answer to that question.

Dinner with Friends is at The Junction, Alserkal Avenue on Saturday, November 2 and Sunday, November 3. More information and tickets are available at www.thejunctiondubai.com  

Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'

Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.

Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.

"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.

"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.

"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT

Started: July 2016

Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori

Based: Bangalore, India

Sector: Health & wellness

Size: 500 employees

Investment: $250 million

Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)

The Details

Kabir Singh

Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series

Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga

Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa

Rating: 2.5/5 

LOVE%20AGAIN
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Infobox

Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August

Results

UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets

Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets

Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets

Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs

Monday fixtures

UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain

Best Foreign Language Film nominees

Capernaum (Lebanon)

Cold War (Poland)

Never Look Away (Germany)

Roma (Mexico)

Shoplifters (Japan)

Squad for first two ODIs

Kohli (c), Rohit, Dhawan, Rayudu, Pandey, Dhoni (wk), Pant, Jadeja, Chahal, Kuldeep, Khaleel, Shami, Thakur, Rahul.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

3%20Body%20Problem
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High profile Al Shabab attacks
  • 2010: A restaurant attack in Kampala Uganda kills 74 people watching a Fifa World Cup final football match.
  • 2013: The Westgate shopping mall attack, 62 civilians, five Kenyan soldiers and four gunmen are killed.
  • 2014: A series of bombings and shootings across Kenya sees scores of civilians killed.
  • 2015: Four gunmen attack Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya and take over 700 students hostage, killing those who identified as Christian; 148 die and 79 more are injured.
  • 2016: An attack on a Kenyan military base in El Adde Somalia kills 180 soldiers.
  • 2017: A suicide truck bombing outside the Safari Hotel in Mogadishu kills 587 people and destroys several city blocks, making it the deadliest attack by the group and the worst in Somalia’s history.
RESULTS
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ANALYSTS’ TOP PICKS OF SAUDI BANKS IN 2019

Analyst: Aqib Mehboob of Saudi Fransi Capital

Top pick: National Commercial Bank

Reason: It will be at the forefront of project financing for government-led projects

 

Analyst: Shabbir Malik of EFG-Hermes

Top pick: Al Rajhi Bank

Reason: Defensive balance sheet, well positioned in retail segment and positively geared for rising rates

 

Analyst: Chiradeep Ghosh of Sico Bank

Top pick: Arab National Bank

Reason: Attractive valuation and good growth potential in terms of both balance sheet and dividends

Squads

Sri Lanka Tharanga (c), Mathews, Dickwella (wk), Gunathilaka, Mendis, Kapugedera, Siriwardana, Pushpakumara, Dananjaya, Sandakan, Perera, Hasaranga, Malinga, Chameera, Fernando.

India Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rohit, Rahul, Pandey, Rahane, Jadhav, Dhoni (wk), Pandya, Axar, Kuldeep, Chahal, Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar, Thakur.

Results

2.30pm: Park Avenue – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 2,000m; Winner: Rb Seqondtonone, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)

3.05pm: Al Furjan – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Bosphorus, Dane O’Neill, Bhupat Seemar

3.40pm: Mina – Rated Condition (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Royal Mews, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar

4.15pm: Aliyah – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,900m; Winner: Ursa Minor, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash

4.50pm: Riviera Beach – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 2,200m; Winner: Woodditton, Saif Al Balushi, Ahmad bin Harmash

5.25pm: Riviera – Handicap (TB) Dh2,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Al Madhar, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

6pm: Creek Views – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Al Salt, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy

Zidane's managerial achievements

La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017

ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA

Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi

Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser

Rating: 4.5/5

Emirates exiles

Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.

Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.

Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.

Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.

Student Of The Year 2

Director: Punit Malhotra

Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal 

1.5 stars

Tips%20for%20holiday%20homeowners
%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20several%20factors%20for%20landlords%20to%20consider%20when%20preparing%20to%20establish%20a%20holiday%20home%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3ERevenue%20potential%20of%20the%20unit%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20location%2C%20view%20and%20size%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EDesign%3A%20furnished%20or%20unfurnished.%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Is%20the%20design%20up%20to%20standard%2C%20while%20being%20catchy%20at%20the%20same%20time%3F%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EBusiness%20model%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20will%20it%20be%20managed%20by%20a%20professional%20operator%20or%20directly%20by%20the%20owner%2C%20how%20often%20does%20the%20owner%20wants%20to%20use%20it%20for%20personal%20reasons%3F%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuality%20of%20the%20operator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20guest%20reviews%2C%20customer%20experience%20management%2C%20application%20of%20technology%2C%20average%20utilisation%2C%20scope%20of%20services%20rendered%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20Adam%20Nowak%2C%20managing%20director%20of%20Ultimate%20Stay%20Vacation%20Homes%20Rental%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE squad to face Ireland

Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind

Types of fraud

Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.

Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.

Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.

SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.

Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.

Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.

* Nada El Sawy

Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters

The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.

 Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.

A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.

The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.

The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.

Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.

Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment

But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.

Brief scoreline:

Toss: South Africa, elected to bowl first

England (311-8): Stokes 89, Morgan 57, Roy 54, Root 51; Ngidi 3-66

South Africa (207): De Kock 68, Van der Dussen 50; Archer 3-27, Stokes 2-12

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE