Badke Bhaiya

Our first play for Short+Sweet is an adaptation of a Premchand short story.

Part of Wildcards week 1, it's on at the Kilachand theatre, Ductac, Mall of the Emirates on Saturday the 8th of February, 2014. There are two shows, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The festival will run from the 5th to the 22nd of February and will feature over 60 plays. Tickets are available at time out tickets, and at the venue.

See you there!

Third Half Theatre presents..

Badke Bhaiya

Based on the short story 'Bade Bhaisahab' by Munshi Premchand

Adapted for the stage by Nihal Parashar

Directed by Sumedh Kulkarni

Cast: Yashwanth Jaggumantri, Paurav Shah

The long and the short of it..

It seems like only yesterday that we were in Delhi with 'I Am'. And here we are now, a new year, a new festival, and a new play.

Delhi was great fun. Bunking down with gracious friends who let us into their homes and hearts, tasting (and surviving) some of Delhi 's best street food, and getting to see some truly wonderful plays. It was a privilege to perform in Delhi. And 'I Am' is a play inspired by events that took place there, so it was an homecoming of sorts.

Back in Dubai, things are beginning to heat up in preparation for Short+Sweet 2014. This years line-up features over 60 plays from all over the UAE. Third Half Theatre will have three entries this year. One will be an original play, and two are plays that we saw, and loved, in Delhi.

It's shaping up to be quite a festival this year. Especially looking forward to original plays written by dear friends and colleagues from the dubai theatre fraternity; all the best folks!

'I Am' goes International!

Third Half Theatre is proud to confirm that its original short play 'I Am' will feature in Delhi's Short+Sweet Festival for 2013.

The journey with 'I Am' has been a very special one for the cast and crew. And to perform in Delhi; the place we hope the play resonates the most, is indeed a rare privilege.


The logistics of traveling with a play that has a cast of eight is, to put it mildly, a daunting task. However, credit must be given to the dedication of the team who have managed to pull it off.

So here we are, and the mood is decidedly upbeat. Bags packed, tickets booked, and ready to fly!

For those of you in Delhi, or for that matter anywhere in India with a chance to pop into Delhi for the weekend, do give us a look in at the Kamani Auditorium on the 28th and 29th of November, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available online as well at bookmyshow.

Hope to see you there!

A year, already?

Exactly a year ago we opened at the Centrepoint Theatre in DUCTAC with Michael Frayn's classic 'Noises Off'. And Third Half Theatre was born.

A year, already? Looking back it sure doesn't seem like all that much time has passed. And yet, so much has happened! An evening of three short plays later in 2012, the Short+Sweet Festival, the Emirates Litfest, and finally the Sikka Art fair in March 2013.

I suppose we can't be blamed for taking a bit of a breather right now. But rest assured, we will be back shortly with new developments.

So here's to each and everyone that has been involved in the journey of our little theatre group. The casts, the crews, the audiences, the well-wishers, supporters, sponsors, families, venue hosts, media, and friends. The journey is impossible without good company.

I will end with a quote from Oscar Wilde that inevitably finds its way in most of our brochures:

"I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being."

Theatre under the Stars

Come and enjoy some drama under a starlit sky as Third Half Theatre presents both 'I Am' and 'Garçon' at the Sikka Art Fair 2013.

Some of Dubai's best Art and Culture is on display at the Sikka Art Fair from the 14th to the 24th of March at the Bastakiya.

Our plays are on Friday the 22nd of March from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Literary Square, Al Fahidi Historic Area as part of the Emirates Litfest Open Door Programme.

The Literary square is also referred to as Courtyard A (or Court A). There are signs all over the fair but the easiest way to get there is to ask for Orient Guest House. The courtyard just outside the guesthouse is where we're at.

From Bur Dubai, you need to get creek side to get to Al Fahidi Historic Area, and then to the famous Local House restaurant. Right next to it is the Majlis Gallery. Between the two is a small gully that leads into the Bastakiya and opens straight on to the Literary square.

Looking forward to our evening of theatre under the stars. See you there..

UPDATE: The venue for the event has changed to Dar Al Adaab, House 45. This is right next to Courtyard A. You cannot miss it as the Litfest flags are streaming along the side. Just follow the flags to the entrance to Dar Al Adaab.

‘Garçon’ at The Penguin Fringe of the Emirates Litfest Dubai

All those who haven’t seen Garçon, please head on down to The Emirates Literature Festival in Dubai. Hey, we hear a good many are looking to catch it again as well.

Our play will be part of The Penguin Fringe that will showcase various performances over the weekend of the 7th through the 9th of March.  Garçon is slotted on Friday the 8th of March at 8 p.m. at Al Baraha 1A, Intercontinental Hotel, Festival City, Dubai – which is the home of the Litfest.

8th at 8 folks, easy enough to remember, eh?

For all those in Dubai who missed the premiere of Garçon back in November, this is your chance to catch the play. Entry is free, yep free, and seats are on a first come first served basis, so get there well in time.

The full schedule for the Litfest is available here, that of the Penguin Fringe here, and our event on the official site is here. They have helpfully added a link back to this blog too!

It’s been a busy time for Third Half Theatre and it only looks to get busier.  Watch this space for more news very soon. Or better still, see you before that at the play!

Congratulations to the winners of Short+Sweet Dubai 2013

Hearty congratulations to all the winners at the Short+Sweet Gala Finals.

'I Am' came third in the people's vote and was the only completely Original local production to be nominated in all the main categories; best play, best director, best script, and best actor (female). Third Half Theatre is indeed proud to be a flag-bearer for original local productions in Dubai.

A full list of winners and nominees is available here.

Short+Sweet has proven to be a great platform for local theatre and it was amazing to see so many Dubai writers participating. After this first taster, we can only expect more 'Made in Dubai' scripts in the next edition.

To that effect, many thanks are due to the festival director Alex Broun--firstly for organizing the event, and secondly for arranging a writing workshop for ten minute plays. You can find details of that here, seats are limited.

The highlight of the festival was the generosity and bonhomie shown by the participants. This was, in my experience at least, the first time that the entire Dubai Theatre community banded together. Looking forward to this wonderful  camaraderie between all the local theatre groups continuing unfettered.