Abu Dhabi Summer Season from July 31

Shows and performances of the Abu Dhabi Summer Season will resume at the end of Eid Al Fitr after a month-long break during Ramadan.

For the first time this year, Flash Entertainment and Emirates Palace joined Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (ADTCA) in putting together the annual summer festival at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).

The concept and the name of the festival changed this year, with it predominantly being a series of shows and concerts taking place both at the Adnec and Emirates Palace, in addition to other locations in the emirate.

“2014 is set to witness one of the biggest and most diverse summer schedules of entertainment ever seen in the UAE,” said John Lickrish, CEO of Flash Entertainment. “From comedy to illusion, live music to stage shows, there is truly something for everyone and we are immensely proud to be giving entertainment fans a world-class line-up to look forward to.”

The festival began on June 6 with the Royal Moscow Ballet performing Cinderella at the Adnec for 10 days and, after the Ramadan break, it will resume on July 31 with a Freej theatre show titled “Abood’s Dream”.

Freej is one of the most popular Emirati cartoons, usually seen on TV during Ramadan, revolving around the hilarious antics of its main character, Abood.

According to Flash Entertainment representatives, the one-and-a-half hour theatrical show is created by Invent production company, using real, UAE-based actors disguised in Freej character costumes.

Abood, his grandmother and her friends, Um Saeed, Um Saloom, Um Allawi and Um Khammas are all in the play.

“Abood’s Dream” will be staged at Emirates Palace with several shows daily until August 2. Some shows will be in Arabic, and some in English. On August 7-8, the show will be in Madinat Zayed’s Culture, Youth and Community Development, and on August 11-13 it will be performed at the Al Ain Municipality theatre.

Tickets for Emirates Palace shows cost anywhere between Dh100 ando Dh 400, while in Madinat Zayed and Al Ain, they cost Dh75 each.

silvia@khaleejtimes.com