The Happiest Octopus Puppet Show 2026 in Dubai

The Happiest Octopus is a Russian-language puppet show with live animation for children aged 4 to 8, playing at the Playhouse Studio in the New Covent Garden Theatre at Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, on Saturday 14 November 2026. Its original title is «Самый счастливый осьминог», and the English name used here is a faithful translation.

The show runs for 45 to 50 minutes, with doors opening 30 minutes before each performance. It is performed in Russian and designed for family viewing.

The storyteller: Ruslan Volfson

The Happiest Octopus is written, directed and performed by Ruslan Volfson, an actor, puppeteer and director who creates his own one-man shows. From 2006 to 2014 he worked with the S. V. Obraztsov Puppet Theatre in Moscow, one of the best-known puppet theatres in the Russian-speaking world, founded in 1931 and named after the great puppeteer Sergey Obraztsov, who led it for decades.

The production has been shown at Russian theatre festivals and picked up professional awards along the way, including the Grand Prix at the Troubadour festival and a prize for innovation in puppet theatre at the Baltic Kukolvorot festival. That innovation prize reflects what makes the show unusual: the way it combines traditional puppetry with animation created live.

How the live animation works

A storyteller stands in front of a screen, and as he tells the tale, an underwater world appears on it. Puppets, everyday objects and even his own hands slip into the picture and become part of the scene on the screen. Nothing is pre-filmed and there is no ready-made animation. Everything children see on the screen is being made in front of them, in real time.

That gives young audiences two shows at once. They can follow the story on the screen and, at the same time, watch how the effect is created on stage. For curious children who always want to know how things work, it is a gentle introduction to the craft of theatre.

The story of the seven-legged octopus

The hero is a little octopus with seven legs instead of eight. His brothers and sisters tease him for being different, and he wishes more than anything to be like everyone else. Then he meets a fairy who offers to grant him three wishes.

From there, the tale turns into a story about accepting yourself, being kind and caring for others, even when life is not easy. It is a simple message pitched at the right level for four to eight year olds, and it gives parents a natural starting point for a conversation afterwards.

Octopus facts along the way

The show also slips in some real marine biology. Children find out why octopuses are sometimes called the primates of the sea, just how clever they are, and whether it is true that they have three hearts.

Interactive from start to finish

Volfson talks with the audience throughout and brings children into the story. After the finale, he shares a few theatre secrets and lets young viewers try controlling the characters themselves, which for many children will be the highlight of the morning.

The venue: Playhouse Studio at New Covent Garden

New Covent Garden is the arts hub that Majid Al Futtaim opened at Mall of the Emirates in October 2025, created with performers Lisa Scott-Lee and Johnny Shentall-Lee. Alongside a 600-seat main theatre, it has smaller performance spaces, rehearsal and dance studios and a café. The Playhouse Studio is one of its intimate rooms, which suits a puppet show where children need to be close enough to see the detail.

To find it, enter the theatre from the parking side on Level 2 of Mall of the Emirates, near rows A5 and A6.

Who it suits

This show is made for Russian-speaking families with children aged 4 to 8. Younger siblings may enjoy the visuals, but the story and the conversation with the performer work best for children old enough to follow a short tale in Russian. It is a good choice for a calm weekend morning, a first theatre trip or a small birthday outing, and with the show inside Mall of the Emirates, lunch or a play area afterwards is easy to add.

If your plans change after booking, tickets can be exchanged with another buyer through Platinumlist.

Getting there

By car, take Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) and exit towards Umm Suqeim Street, then follow the signs for Mall of the Emirates; a navigation app helps with the final turns. Bus 84 stops at Mall of the Emirates 2-1, about five minutes’ walk away. On the Metro, take the Red Line to Mall of the Emirates station, about a 17-minute walk to the theatre.

For more family ideas, see our kids’ events in Dubai, browse shows and theatre or check things to do in November.