The Act’s new dinner show Rocker Girlz is silly, delicious fun

The Rocker Girlz show at The Act in the Shangri La Hotel, Dubai. Courtesy The Act, Dubai

Dubai venue The Act, on the 42nd floor of the Shangri La Hotel, has launched its new live dinner-and-theatre show Rocker Girlz – Who Says Boyz Get to Make All the Noize?

The rock musical tells the story of Ce Ce, a young rocker who is devastated when her aspiring rock-star boyfriend breaks up with her to focus on his music career. Following the traditional period of mourning in her pyjamas, a chance meeting with a mysterious stranger – who it transpires was something of a pop Svengali during the punk era – sets Ce Ce and her friends on the road to three-chord chart domination. They start their own band, eventually ending up in a bitter showdown with Ce Ce’s ex and his bandmates on a TV talent show.

The ensemble cast put all of their combined talents to good use, so as well as the expected singing, dancing and general rocking out, we get to enjoy aerial and floor acrobatics, gymnastics and hula hooping. The soundtrack features rock and punk classics from the likes of ZZ Top and The Ramones, while the rare opportunity to hear Tom Waites played in a Dubai venue is worth the price of admission alone.

The venue itself – which claims to be “The World’s Highest Theatre Club” – is a breath of fresh air. In a city full of gleaming, modernist five-star restaurants, The Act has taken a more earthy approach to decor. Its chintzy chandeliers, red velvet and screen dividers bring to mind images of 19th century Montmartre rather than 21st-century Dubai.

As for the food, diners can enjoy the show over Peruvian-themed dishes courtesy of head chef Roberto Segura. A selection of set menus are available, starting from Dh320, and an emphasis on light sharer plates means it’s easy enough to nibble the night away with your friends while keeping an eye on the action, which is divided into three acts to keep service-based disruption to a minimum.

Ceviches and carpaccio are a speciality, while we’d definitely recommend the crispy quinoa-coated tiger prawns and oven-roasted duck in orange sauce. The cheesecake shouldn’t be missed either.

All in all, it’s a great evening out that offers something a little different to the usual dining experience.

The show, devised in-house under the watchful eye of creative director David Ley, is basically an old-fashioned slice of fairy-tale silliness.

If you’re looking for Tony Award-winning fare, you might want to keep saving those air miles for a trip to New York. But for a fun night out that offers something an alternative to the latest glitzy restaurant on Dubai’s ever-changing “must see” scene, The Act is a great place to be.

* The Act’s dinner show is available Monday to Wednesday every week, from 8.30pm-1am. Packages start from Dh320