Looking for a raw, intimate cultural experience this weekend?
Head over to Deira as Filipino-led theater and performance group +63Kolektib, in partnership with and generously supported by Bayt AlMamzar and Off The Grid (OTG), takes over the historic arts space for “The Kolektibols: Fresh & Unstaged Pocket Theatre Plays,” running today and tomorrow, October 3 and 4.
Conceived as the culminating showcase of an intensive summer performance residency hosted at Bayt AlMamzar, the two-day event puts a spotlight on cross-cultural collaboration, diaspora experiences, and grassroots storytelling. With free admission across all shows, the showcase pairs six emerging playwrights with six early- to mid-career directors to stage original 30-minute pocket plays and staged readings that explore friendship, marriage, family memories, migration, and the multifaceted meaning of “home.”
Two Days of Intimate, Diverse Storytelling
The schedule runs across two packed evenings:
Saturday, October 3:
6:00 PM – An Indecent Art Exhibition (Playwright: Raj Rangwani | Director: Rissy McGrath) — A couple confronts fragile truths as public art collides with private intimacy.
7:00 PM – Limn (Playwright: Jared Maxilom | Director: Gino Estole) — A nuanced exploration of camaraderie, youth culture, gaming, and music.
8:00 PM – Home Is in Our Past (Playwright: Ghazal Etehadi | Director: Trixie Danielle) — A blind grandmother and her distant granddaughter reconnect through memory and music.
Sunday, October 4:
5:00 PM – Crows, Leaving Home (Stage Reading) (Playwright: Sreerag Jyothish | Director: Sahaj Oberoi) — A post-colonial allegory about displacement and inherited magic.
6:00 PM & 8:00 PM – American Kitchen (Playwright: Faiz Hassan | Director: Haneena P.A.) — Tensions boil over as an intimate studio gathering reveals hidden truths behind a marriage.
7:00 PM – Veedu (Stage Reading) (Playwright: Malavika Rajesh | Director: Gabriella Francesca Ciambrone) — A couple in the UAE for 35 years grapples with the fate of their ancestral home in Kerala.
Championing Expat Voices in UAE Theatre
For +63Kolektib—a Filipino-led collective that champions expatriate narratives—partnering with institutional allies like Bayt AlMamzar and OTG represents a milestone for migrant-driven arts in the Emirates. By shifting away from massive commercial spectacles in favor of pocket-sized, community-rooted theatre, the initiative gives community creatives an accessible platform to hone their craft and share real, resonant stories.
Event Details:
When: Today & Tomorrow (October 3 & 4) | Shows start from 5:00 PM onwards
Where: Bayt AlMamzar (House 2, 26 Street, Al Mamzar, Deira, Dubai)
Admission: Free entry (slots per play are limited and require advance RSVP)
Don’t miss the chance to support grassroots community theatre live on stage this weekend.
