that's not entertainment

Where has all of the famous DSF Family entertainment gone?

During my time here in Dubai one of the highlights of the year for our friends and family has always been visiting the public parks during the Shopping Festival.

We have seen some wonderful shows in the parks over the years including Casper, Aladdin, Pinocchio, Jungle Book and Treasure Island to name but a few!


These shows used to cost us just 10 Dirhams to go and see and so were an affordable way for many of Dubai's residents to see quality professional entertainment that would other wise have been out of their reach.

This year, not only is the Global Village charging its visitors to browse round the market stalls but the public parks have no entertainment shows on offer.Is it a sign of the times in Dubai, that the Snow White pantomime that was staged in the Madinat theatre over the Festive season had tickets priced at 135 Durhams compered to the DSF Snow White show in Safa Park a few years ago that cost just AED 10 to go and see.....?

The average cost of the Quidam tickets, the Cirque Du Soleil show , is AED 375; completely pricing out around 80% of Dubai's population.

Ali Baba, a show being staged in the (laughingly entitled) "Community Theatre" has an average ticket price of 265 Dirhams.

This is London West End prices for a community theatre audience.


Dubai used to have a slogan "The City That Cares"; Come on Dubai Municipality; show us you still care!