The Ugly One 2026 in Dubai

The Ugly One 2026 in Dubai returns to The Junction at Alserkal Avenue for one final weekend, bringing back the dark comedy that opened there in October 2025 and went on to earn seven nominations at the Junction Awards 2026. Directed by Gillian Rhodes and performed in English, it opens with a question that is easy to ask and much harder to answer: how far would you go to become the person everyone wants to see?

What The Ugly One is about

At its heart, The Ugly One is a play about appearances and approval. It looks at the pressure to meet society’s expectations, and at what happens, often unexpectedly, when someone changes the way other people see them. The production’s own tagline invites you to question the pursuit of perfection, and the story does that through humour that bites rather than soothes.

As the play goes on, appearance moves to the centre of everything, and the lines between individuality, acceptance and transformation begin to blur. Along the way it asks how much of our confidence really belongs to us, and how much depends on what other people think. Those are questions that land differently in a city where image, social media and first impressions carry real weight.

The cast and director

The production is directed by Gillian Rhodes, and the four-strong cast brings back:

• Audrey Jegu
• Keenan McFadzean
• Patrick Albrecht
• Sadiq Saboowala

With a small cast in an intimate venue, every performance carries a lot of weight, and dark comedy depends on timing. Seeing a company return to material it has already performed, refined and been recognised for is one of the better reasons to catch a remount rather than a premiere.

Awards and why it is back

After its October 2025 performances, The Ugly One picked up seven nominations at the Junction Awards 2026 and won one of them: Best Set Design. That win is worth keeping in mind when you take your seat, because the staging is part of how the story about looks and perception is told.

This weekend is billed as the final return of the production, so if you missed it the first time or want to see it again with the awards in mind, this is the run to book.

Who it suits

The age limit is 12 and over. The themes of image, self-worth and outside approval make it a good choice for teenagers and adults, and especially for anyone who likes theatre that leaves a conversation hanging on the way home. It suits fans of contemporary drama and dark comedy, and audiences who follow Dubai’s independent theatre scene.

Performance times are not listed on the main event page, so choose your slot when booking and check your confirmation. If plans change, Platinumlist notes that tickets can be passed on to another fan.

The Junction at Alserkal Avenue

The Junction is at Unit H72 in Alserkal Avenue, on the corner of 17th Street and 8th Street in Al Quoz. The official directions by car are to leave Sheikh Zayed Road at the Al Manara exit (exit 43), turn right on to Al Manara Street, continue to the first intersection and turn right on to 8th Street, then take the second exit at the roundabout on to 17th Street, where Alserkal Avenue is on your left. By Metro, take the Red Line to Noor Bank Station and then a short taxi or bus ride. Taxis can reach Alserkal Avenue from anywhere in the city.

For more plays and performances, see our shows and theatre guide and the art and culture listings, or browse things to do in November.