Short+Sweet Dubai 2026 in Dubai

Out of 68 live performances across 3 weekends, these 12 crowd favourites are back. 

3 of the 10-minute plays from this showcase will move on to the Gala Finals (2 decided by your audience votes, and 1 by our judges). 

Get your tickets, enjoy the stories, and have your say!

Show Running Order for 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM show

• Disaster (Sixteen souls in a warehouse night … is it fate…or is it destiny…?) - Genre - Comedy

• Twist in a Lift (A job interview and a marriage proposal collide)  - Genre - Comedy

• The Bookstore (A young adult action novel appears on the shelves, mischief ensues) - Genre - Comedy

• Serveurs De La Resistance (“Long Live The Fly” One act play blending improv and theatre) – GENRE - Comedy

• Kyun? (HindiLanguage) (A police commissioner is found dead. The search is not for the killer .. it's for the WHY?) – Genre - Drama

• Power Pose – (A woman chasing corporate success faces some tough questions) – Genre - Comedy

Interval

• Leila (A young woman (Leila) traces the scars left by life) – Genre - Drama

• A Place for My Feet (Two people at the end of something sit with what they cannot say) – Genre - Drama

• The Essence of Nothingness (What can one do with something priceless) – Genre – Comedy

• Strange Addictions (Got a Strange Addiction? Don’t worry we won’t judge) – Genre - Comedy

• No Signal. Know Signal (Hindi Language) (A play about spies, and the signals we miss until it's too late) – Genre - Comedy

• The Stuttering Messenger (The world is ending, and everyone is running out of time) – Genre – Theatre of the Absurd

Out of 68 live performances across 3 weekends, 12 critically lauded plays are back. 

3 of the 10-minute plays from this showcase will move on to the Gala Finals (2 decided by judges’ scores, and 1 by audience votes). 

Get your tickets, enjoy the stories, and have your say!

Show Running Order for 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM show

• Check (The gap between who we perform for others and who we are within) - Genre – Movement/Drama

• Death of a Comic (A jester in a dungeon debates his future) - Genre – Dramatic Monologue

• Rooftop Nonsense (Arabic Language) (Not everyone standing on the edge wants to fall) - Genre - Comedy

• The Artist’s Muse (Battle between the Artist and his Muse) – Genre – Absurdity/Nihilism

• Which Draft is it Anyway? (A director cannot decide on the final draft until cast intervenes) – Genre - Comedy

• The Guest – (A couple deals with a Guest that does not seem to leave) – Genre – Comedy

Interval 

• So Who? (A post modern play exploring historical trauma and contemporary conflict) – Genre - Drama

• That Night (ARABIC LANGUAGE) (A confrontation between two strangers that changes everything) – Genre - Drama

• Quantum Entanglements (Mr & Mrs. Schrodinger get couple’s counseling) – Genre – Comedy

• Ghosting (2 burglar brothers break into a house that seems haunted) – Genre - Comedy

• Institute of Normalcy (Colette just wants to fit in and be Normal) – Genre - Comedy

• Ava’s Song (Ava is a silent clown and magician who expresses only through song) – Genre – Musical

• The best of Dubai’s emerging and established talent

• A dynamic mix of comedy, drama, and bold storytelling

• Audience voting that helps decide who makes it to the final
• All plays performed in English

Each session features 12 outstanding 10-minute plays performed back-to-back in one unforgettable show, delivering fast-paced, high-quality theatre where every moment counts. 

Semi-Finals Dates: May 16 & 17

Whether you’ve followed the journey from the heats or are jumping in for the first time, the Semi-Finals of Short+Sweet Dubai are where the competition intensifies and the future winners are revealed.

Everyone’s Welcome. Every show matters. Every vote counts. See you at Short+Sweet!

By car: There are many ways to reach your destination including heading toward Sheikh Zayed Road, merging onto E11, and taking the exit for Umm Suqeim Street. Continuing toward the Mall of the Emirates ramp, keeping left, and making the final left turns will lead you to your destination. GPS navigation is highly advised.

By public transportation: For the shortest walking distance, take bus 84 to the Mall of the Emirates 2-1 bus stop followed by a five-minute walk. You can also easily reach your destination by taking the MRed Lines to the Mall of the Emirates Metro Station followed by a 17-minute walk.