The Laughter Factory 30 Years of Laughs 2026 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

The Laughter Factory celebrates 30 years of stand-up in Dubai and Abu Dhabi with 30 Years of Laughs, a run of six comedy shows between Friday 6 and Saturday 14 November 2026. The anniversary line-up is led by London Comedy Store regular John Fothergill, with Valentina, Tabarak, Nicole Drinkwater and Ahmad, and the tour moves between five venues in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, from Barsha Heights and Studio City to Palm Jumeirah and Mina Sadiyat. Every show is strictly for guests aged 21 and over.

Three Decades of The Laughter Factory in Dubai

When The Laughter Factory staged its first night at the Hyatt Regency in Deira in 1996, live stand-up was virtually unheard of in the Middle East. Co-founders Gail Clough and Duncan Jones launched the club on a modest budget, with British comics Noel James, Gary Skyner and Alan Bates headlining and an early show at the British Club in Abu Dhabi.

Thirty years on, the club describes itself as the UAE’s longest-running and most awarded comedy club, with several Time Out Dubai Best Comedy Night awards to its name. Over the years its stages have hosted Russell Peters, Vir Das, Kevin Bridges, Michael McIntyre, Jason Manford, Micky Flanagan, Frankie Boyle, Jack Whitehall and Dara Ó Briain. The anniversary tour’s full title sums up the approach: still booking the comedians you want to see. The club still tours the Emirates regularly rather than settling in one room; its January 2026 run, for example, took in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah, and this November tour follows the same multi-venue pattern.

The Anniversary Line-Up

John Fothergill

The headliner is a Geordie stand-up with decades on the circuit. John Fothergill joined the Comedy Store’s respected Cutting Edge team in London in 1999, the same year he appeared on BBC One’s The Stand Up Show, and he has performed at the Adelaide International Comedy Festival, regularly at the Edinburgh Festival and in Hong Kong. He has also toured as a special guest with Little Britain Live and on Ed Byrne’s live tour, has toured Ireland and the UK university circuit, and in London he has hosted Comedy Store showcase nights for newer acts. On stage he is known for storytelling built on embarrassing revelations delivered with a disarming rural innocence.

Valentina

Italian comedian, musician and producer Valentina won Survival of the Funniest in 2023. Her material draws on motherhood, everyday life and the experience of living in Dubai.

Tabarak

A familiar name on the Dubai circuit, Tabarak has picked up wins at the Short & Sweet Comedy Festival, the Espana Comedy Games and Beat The Camel.

Nicole Drinkwater

Nicole Drinkwater has built an online audience of more than 20 million viewers with sharp, satirical comedy, and this tour is a chance to see that style performed live rather than on a phone screen.

Ahmad

UAE-based Filipino comedian Ahmad performs bilingually and appears regularly across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. His credits include performing for Forbes Middle East and hosting Abu Dhabi Comedy Week.

Six Nights Across Dubai and Abu Dhabi

The run opens on Friday 6 November at Grand Millennium Barsha Heights in Dubai, then moves to Studio One Hotel in Dubai Studio City on Saturday 7 November. On Sunday 8 November the comedians travel to The Club at Mina Sadiyat in Abu Dhabi, the only date in the capital, with an earlier 7pm start. It is a natural stop for Ahmad, who has hosted Abu Dhabi Comedy Week and performs regularly in the city. The second weekend returns to Dubai: Radisson Hotel DAMAC Hills on Friday 13 November, then a double finale on Saturday 14 November, with a 7pm show back at Studio One Hotel and a later one at Dukes The Palm on Palm Jumeirah. Apart from that early show, the Dubai dates begin at 8:30pm.

Because each night is in a different hotel or club, check which venue your ticket is for before you set off. For The Club in Abu Dhabi, the route is via Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street, and Bus 94 stops at The Club, about a minute’s walk from the door. Parking details for the Dubai venues are not listed on the ticket page, so a taxi is the simpler option.

Is the Laughter Factory Dubai Tour for You?

The shows suit anyone who likes a proper club-style comedy night: a headliner with decades of experience, backed by comics who know the UAE audience well. The bill pairs a British circuit veteran with local favourites and an online star, so the evening moves between storytelling, observational material about life in the Emirates and satire. Residents who know Valentina and Tabarak from the local circuit will find familiar faces, while visitors get a quick snapshot of the comedy scene the club helped to build. Entry is strictly 21+, so bring valid photo ID.

For more stand-up, see our guide to comedy shows in Dubai, and for the rest of your plans browse things to do in Dubai, things to do in Abu Dhabi and things to do in November.