Song and dance from Bollywood
‘The Merchants of Bollywood’ makes for an exciting escape. The musical is written and directed by Toby Gough and based loosely on the shared histories of Hiralalji Merchant and his grand-daughter, Vaibhavi Merchant – two notable Indian choreographers. The spectacle follows a slim storyline, but then Bollywood, or the Indian movie industry based in Mumbai, has never been particularly known for its substantial story-telling. The Australian-produced musical captures the drama, melodrama, vibrancy of song and dance sheer over-the-top extravagance of Bollywood. Choreographed by award-winning choreographer, Vaibhavi Merchant and with music by acclaimed duo, Salim-Sulaiman, the show is dazzling in its energy and colour. So far, the show has been seen by thousands of patrons across Australia, UK, Europe and America. In Dubai, the extravaganza was staged in January, at the Palladium, Dubai’s newest concert and performance venue. Based on the true story of Ayesha Merchant, the musical tells the tale of a girl (the stunning dancer, Carol Furtado) who abandons her home (and her grandfather’s wishes) for Mumbai, where she hopes to make it big in Bollywood.
Defending the Caveman: We have been to the Moon, solved the theory of relativity, but one problem remains – why are men and women so different? That’s what Mark Little sets out to answer in the Olivier Award-winning production Defending the Caveman - the longest running solo play in Broadway history. Translated into 30 languages and seen in over 45 countries, Defending the Caveman has toured the world successfully since 1991 and is making its next stop in Dubai.