AGENDA

DUBAI

/THEATRE/ The Accused

Based on the book The Accused by Jeffery Archer, this play gets the audience involved as the tense drama unfolds on stage. The scene: A tense courtroom. Did Dr Sherwood murder his wife? YOU need to deliver the verdict: guilty or not guilty. The play will continue based on your choice – which means you will witness one of two different possible endings (and finally uncover the truth).

June 24 to 26

a Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, timings vary. Tel: (0)4 223 1139. Thejunctiondubai.com /DIGITAL ART AND PERFORMANCE/

Being Van Gogh

During this immersive multimedia show, not only will you be surrounded by Vincent Van Gogh’s stunning works of art, but you will learn about the Dutch artist’s tragic life. It is based on the letters that Van Gogh penned to his brother, Theo, so there is no fiction involved. Expect a short play followed by more than 300 images of Van Gogh’s paintings, sketches and documentary photos in the stunning immersive show paired with classical music.

Until mid-August

a Souk Madinat Jumeirah Dubai, 12pm onwards (hourly shows). Tel: (0)4 277 4044. toda.ae

/GALLERY/

Masterpiece Fine Art LLC

Housed in one of the art galleries in Wafi city is a rarely seen full-set of 24 limited edition silver platters created by Spanish painter, sculptor and ceramicist, Pablo Picasso and eminent French silversmith and goldsmith, Francois Hugo. Other paintings by notable artists from the last 400 years are also on display. More galleries are set to open this year.

Throughout June

a Gallery 546, Wafi City, Mon to Sat 11am to 10pm, free. Tel: (0)58 613 1101. masterpieceart.co.uk/dubai

/MUSIC/

Fête de la Musique

On summer solstice day, music lovers can catch a music festival held at Alliance Française Dubai in Oud Metha. Expect a wide range of music spanning from classical to jazz and even Arabic. The event is free and open to all ages.

June 19

a Alliance Française Dubai, street 18, Oud Metha, Dubai, Tel: (0)4 335 8712. afdubai.org

SPORT + WELL-BEING + TRAVEL

PAGE 68

Maldives magic

Go on, treat yourself

The perfect evening?

The new Arabian Adventures tour has a lofty name – but is there a grain of truth in its ‘perfect’ claim?

You waft the yardstick of quality courageously high when you selfproclaim a product to be ‘The Perfect Evening’. Especially in Dubai, where there’s no shortage of competition from other evenings with six-star dining, cinematic backdrops and 24 karat opulence.

But when it’s a desert experience coming from a source as credible as Arabian Adventures – one of the UAE’s most experienced dunesummiting safari providers – it’s worth taking seriously. Which is why we felt compelled to off-road test the experience and investigate just how perfect it is.

YOUR CARRIAGE AWAITS

This may be a sophisticated soiree but the journey tackles some frontier geography, and on that basis, we need ‘a petrol camel’ as our charismatic guide Faisal suggests, opening the doors of the cherry red Jeep Wrangler, allowing us to gracelessly clamber in.

On the journey towards the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) – a private gated expanse of sand and shrub that occupies just shy of 5 per cent of the total land area of Dubai – Faisal shares pearls of local wisdom strung together over a long career of intrepid questing.