What Women Want Play 2026 in Dubai

What Women Want, staged under its Russian title «Чего хотят женщины» (Chego khotyat zhenshchiny), is a theatre performance at Dubai Performing Arts Academy in Jumeirah Park on Saturday 21 November 2026. The play takes a journey through the ages to ask one question that never quite gets a simple answer: what does a woman really want?

Doors open at 7:30pm and the performance starts at 8pm. It runs for two hours including one intermission, and it is suitable for ages 10 and over.

The question at the heart of the play

The listing sets out the idea in a few short lines. In every era, women have pursued their goals, but those goals have never been the same. Some wanted love. Some wanted power. Some wanted to be heard. And some simply wanted to survive.

Those four desires give the play its shape. Rather than following a single heroine through a single plot, it moves across history, looking at what women have reached for in very different circumstances and how those wants have changed, or not, over time. The title question is left open for the audience to answer, which makes it an easy play to keep discussing over dinner afterwards.

The English title will remind some people of the 2000 Hollywood comedy with Mel Gibson, but there is no sign of a link: this is a stage piece built around women’s stories across the centuries, not a man who can suddenly hear women’s thoughts.

Format and running time

At two hours with an interval, this is a full evening of theatre. The break comes roughly halfway, giving you a chance to stretch your legs and compare first impressions before the second half. With an 8pm start you should be out at around 10pm.

The listing does not name a cast, director, playwright or theatre company, and it does not say which language the play is performed in. The page is published in Russian and the show is aimed at Dubai’s Russian-speaking theatre audience, so check before booking if you need it in another language.

Seating

There are three ticket tiers, Gold, Platinum and VIP, and seating is unreserved within each one. That means it is first come, first served inside your tier, so arriving when doors open at 7:30pm gives you the best pick. If you are going as a group, buy your tickets together and arrive together to sit side by side.

The venue: Dubai Performing Arts Academy

The performance takes place at Dubai Performing Arts Academy, 5 E6 Street, Jumeirah Park, a small venue in a residential neighbourhood of villas. The ticket page suggests following the local road signs if you drive and says most taxi drivers know the venue. Note that the page also describes the location as The Lakes, which does not match the street address, so enter the full address into your navigation app.

Who it suits

What Women Want suits Russian-speaking theatre lovers, couples and groups of friends who enjoy a play with a question at its centre. It is a natural choice for a night out with girlfriends, and the 10+ age rating means older children can come along too. If your plans change, you can exchange your ticket with another fan.

For more stage shows, browse our shows and theatre in Dubai, explore the art and culture calendar, check things to do in November, or explore more things to do in Dubai.