Artists line up to hold Abu Dhabi residents spellbound

The stage is set for a series of programmes to entertain the residents and visitors of the country during the Abu Dhabi Summer Season festival.

The festival will see its last Arab comedy show, which will feature popular comedians in the region on live in the Capital.

Titled Bader Saleh and Friends comedy show and presented by Flash Entertainment, the show will be conducted at Yas Island's du Forum stage on August 28.

Comedians Bader Saleh, Redwan Al Reemi, Osama Salmeen and Shakir Al Sharif are no strangers to Abu Dhabi live audiences but this is the first time they are going to perform live in the same show, which will be mostly in Arabic with a few English inputs.

Saleh, the Saudi Internet sensation, is the first person in the Middle East to receive "The Golden Button" from YouTube for his show EyshElly. The show will be hosted by the two oldest members of the EyshElly family, producer Moumen Afandi and the director of the third season, Jotaro.

The Bader comedy show will be followed by Mohammed Abdo live concert. Both shows are expected to attract GCC residents and visitors along with Indian and European audiences.

"This is the third year we have worked with the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA) to assemble a line-up of shows that appeal to residents and visitors of all ages. The line-up of Arabic artists and a side-splitting comedy weekend is sure to dazzle attendees during the summer months," said Alexis Djiksterhuis, vice president of strategy at Flash Entertainment.

Another major partner for TCA for this summer festival is Alchemy Project, which is bringing some of the best shows to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain this August.

Among them is The Illuminaire, considered one of the world's best light and fire shows, where dancers, acrobats, gymnasts and high altitude aerial artists are to be synergised with music, huge fire effects, liquid light effects, light effects, projection, multimedia, pyrotechnics and fireworks.

The Illuminaire will take place on August 28-29 at the Emirates Palace and August 21-22 at Al Ain Municipality Theatre.

Mummenschanz, the Musicians of Silence, will be another highlight in the festival, brought to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain by the Alchemy Project.

Founded in 1972 in Switzerland, the dance and mime group became popular for its surreal performances involving masks and unusual props, light and shadow, and subtle choreography.

Performing in Abu Dhabi for the first time, they will be on Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace stage on September 4-5 and on Al Ain Municipality Theatre's stage on August 28-29.
Source: Khaleej Times