Short+Sweet Dubai theatre festival to showcase local talent

The world's largest 10-minute theatre festival is returning for its third edition to Dubai.

A rehearsal in progress during last year's festival. Courtesy Short+Sweet

This weekend, the world’s largest 10-minute theatre festival returns to Dubai for its third edition.

The Short+Sweet Dubai Theatre Festival will bring 70 10-minute plays by locally based writers, directors and actors to Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre in the Mall of the Emirates over the course of four weekends. Top local theatre groups such as Backstage, Dubai Drama Group, Third Half Theatre, Loom Ensemble, Theatrics and The Ripple Effect are all part of the extravaganza, which ends on the weekend of February 27 and 28 with a red carpet finale showcasing the best 11 plays.

Some of the plays will also be featured at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature (March 3 to 7) and at next month’s Sikka Art Fair.

Short+Sweet Dubai producer Alex Broun, who is one of the world’s leading 10-minute playwrights, and the festival director Liz Hadaway brought the first edition of Short+Sweet to Dubai in 2013. They co-founded the theatrical production and performing arts company Constellation in Dubai last year, of which Short+Sweet is now the non-profit arm.

Constellation – which has provided local casting for several major projects such as last year's Bollywood blockbuster Happy New Year, which was filmed at Dubai's Atlantis The Palm – will be on the lookout for new talent during the three-week festival.

“For many of the actors, writers and directors on show during Short+Sweet, it could be their first step to an international career,” says Hadaway.

“Short+Sweet takes place in 21 cities in seven countries around the world, and we will be searching for new names to whom we can offer professional performance opportunities.”

• Short+Sweet Dubai is at Ductac, Mall of the Emirates from February 6 until February 28. Ticket cost Dh100 (Dh80 for students). To book, visit www.ductac.org or call 04 341 4777