Wynn Al Marjan Island, the UAE's first gaming resort, has unveiled another of its headline attractions ahead of its 2027 opening, announcing an exclusive partnership with the immersive theatre company behind the global hit Sleep No More.
The Ras Al Khaimah resort will host theatre company Punchdrunk's first production in the Middle East and North Africa, with the original show created exclusively for Wynn by the British company's founder and artistic director Felix Barrett.
Inspired by classic Las Vegas revue-style productions, the show will combine live music, dance and immersive theatre, allowing audiences to choose between a traditional seated performance and a free-roaming backstage experience that reveals a parallel version of the story.
Guests booking tickets will be able to watch the production from the auditorium or explore hidden spaces beneath and behind the stage, where performers and storylines unfold from a different perspective.
The purpose-built theatre has been designed as a contemporary interpretation of a classic performance venue, featuring Art Deco-inspired interiors, grand drapery and spaces intended to immerse visitors from the moment they arrive.
Punchdrunk has become one of the world's most influential immersive theatre companies since it was founded in 2000. Its best-known production, Sleep No More, reimagined Shakespeare's Macbeth as a free-roaming theatrical experience and ran in New York for 14 years, with more than 5,000 performances. The production continues in Seoul and is preparing to open a new version in Shenzhen after a decade-long run in Shanghai.
-
An artist illustration of Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. Photos: Wynn Resorts -
The $5.1 billion resort secured the country's first gaming licence from UAE authorities in 2024. -
A French-American steakhouse by Alain Ducasse is among the first restaurants announced for the Wynn Al Marjan Island. Photo: Wynn Resorts -
Popular supper club Delilah will also open at Wynn Al Marjan Island. The outpost will be the first international opening of the 1950s-themed venue. Photo: Wynn Resorts -
The resort will have 1,530 rooms, 22 restaurants, a nightclub, salon, spa, designer boutiques, an events centre, several pools and a marina. -
The main hotel lobby at dusk at Wynn Al Marjan Island. -
Ras Al Khaimah recorded 1.28 million overnight visitors in 2024. -
The emirate is aiming to boost its visitor numbers to 3.5 million by 2030. -
Ras Al Khaimah is expanding its hospitality portfolio of about 56 hotels and resorts, with 8,000 rooms. -
The emirate aims to triple the size of its tourism economy by 2030 and position itself as one of the top 10 fastest-growing global destinations.
“Among the dozens of unique and transportive guest experiences we offer in our resorts, entertainment has always been an essential element,” said Craig Billings, chief executive of Wynn Resorts.
“With Punchdrunk, we are creating something entirely original for Wynn Al Marjan Island, a theatrical world that reflects the craft and dedication to artistry at the heart of the brand.”
Barett said the partnership would mark a new chapter for the company's work. “I'm thrilled that Punchdrunk is partnering with Craig S Billings and his brilliant team at Wynn Resorts to create a brand-new show for the extraordinary theatre at Wynn Al Marjan Island,” he said.
“We hope the production will deliver a spectacular theatrical experience, both for audiences seeking world-class entertainment and for those in search of something unexpected.”
Wynn Las Vegas is famed for its on-stage entertainment – with the Lake of Dreams and Awakening among its long-term productions and frequent guest shows.
Todd-Avery Lenahan, president and chief creative officer at Wynn Design and Development, told The National in December that productions at Wynn Al Marjan Island will also be at the forefront of entertainment.
There will be an “intimately sized” theatre at the resort, which will open with a show that is “quite unlike anything we have done before”, he teased.
Like its sister resort, the Ras Al Khaimah property will put on a Sea of Dreams show. The water, animation and light performance will be visible from the majority of the 22 restaurants and lounges at the resort, Lenahan said.
The announcement is the latest glimpse inside Wynn Al Marjan Island, which is under construction in Ras Al Khaimah's Al Marjan Island and is set to become the UAE's first integrated resort to feature regulated gaming.
Scheduled to open in 2027, the multibillion-dollar development will include more than 1,500 rooms, suites and villas, dozens of restaurants and bars, luxury shopping, a marina, convention facilities, a spa and one of the country's largest entertainment venues.
This year, Wynn confirmed the project had passed the 60 per cent construction mark after work accelerated following a brief delay linked to the regional conflict. The resort is being developed by Wynn Resorts in partnership with Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding.
