Short+Sweet Theatre Dubai 2020

1. Soap and Glory

Like everyone in the support group for soap addiction, Alfie was trying to get clean - but when a mysterious object threatens his recovery, could it be a real-life plot twist? Or is it just his brain on soap?

Writer: Philip Clarke (Ireland) and Despina Clarke (Macedonia)

Director: Morna McDonald

Cast:  Mario Silva (Alfie), Anna Hamer (Dr. Harvey), Sarah Jane Savage (Sandra) and Philip Clarke (Bob).

2. Two Eggs

While getting ready for a date, a woman has to contend with a pesky neighbor with a major personality disorder.

Writer: Stephen Bittrich (USA)

Directors: Gemma Jones, Marisa Dietsche, Phil Ridley

Cast: Dorian Crone (Jane), Archie Sergeant (Kiss Ass Skip), Joon Cha (Depressed Skip), Cameron Stewart (Misogynist Cave Man Skip), Carl Myers (Barry White Skip)

3. Hang A Lampshade On It!

Two women discuss their fate when they are stranded on an empty highway. 

Writer: Gregory Crafts (USA)

ITC/Group Name: H72 Productions

Director: Monica Chatterjee

Cast: Arzoo Malhotra (Karen), Alina Islam (Abby)

4. Empty Quarter

Clementine doesn't like her name or her mom, but she does appreciate non-threatening people with a frozen backpack. A story on self-exploration, acceptance and how everything is not always as bad as it seems.

Writer:  Edwige Narbey (France/UAE)

ITC/Group Name: MacGyvers & Co.

Director: Aditi Nath

Cast: Senora Dmello (Clementine), Joanna Sequeira (Melanie), Malik Siddique (Aarav)

5. The Most Important Words of my Life

A funny, touching play about facing responsibilities. Matthew is not quite ready for the important annual awards dinner. But life brings him even bigger challenges. 

Writer: Doug Mackay (UK/UAE)

Director: Doug Mackay

Cast: Pranav Nasta (Matthew), Manas Vilas (Dad), Aradhita Basu (Mum)

6. All That You Are

A mixed-martial artist stands ready for his championship

fight, if he can deal with all the people visiting him beforehand

Writer: Justin Cipriano (USA/UAE)
Director: Justin Cipriano
Cast: Catherine Board (Zarah), Chineme Prince (Snaps), James McLean

(Cleaner), Keith Dallison (Coach), Justin Cipriano (Fighter)

7. Ring By Midnight

Does the strike of Midnight actually change someone's life? Claudia is on one such quest to see what the fortune holds for her on the New Year's eve. Will she finally get her Ring- Come and find out.

Writer:  Tabassum Gafur Inamdar (India)

Director: Tabassum Gafur Inamdar 

Cast: Sonali Aswani (Claudia), Tabassum Inamdar (Fortune teller), Sarthak Mahendroo (Xavier), Brian Magner (James), Xec Mohsin (Christopher), Sonal Bhatnagar (lady), Shriraj Sawant (man) 

8. Happy Hour

Renee is at the bar for a quick drink when she bumps into Celia who coincidentally turns out to be her schoolmate. Or was it really a coincidence?

Writer:  John Bavoso (USA)

ITC/Group Name: Xpression Art

Director: Richa Anand Nigam

Cast: Meghna Gupta (Renee), Lavina Jaswani (Celia)

9. The Best Day of my Life

Becca - a bride. What is she after all the glamour and spotlights fade?

Writer:  Pete Malicki (Australia)

Directors Name: Gabriela Porojan

Cast: Gabriela Porojan (Becca)

10. For Jeffrey

11. RAW

When Sam, a strong-minded urologist, refuses to give a family friend “The Snip,” Sam’s wife Grace tries to convince Sam to apologize. But their family dinner spirals out of control, catching ten-year-old son Alan in the crossfire.

Writer: Victoria Z. Daly (USA)

Directors Name: Lydia Medeiros

Cast: Amit Ghosh (Sam), Lydia Medeiros (Grace), Yasseen Ashri (Alan)

1. Ovary Machine

Writer: Milind Vinod

Director: Milind Vinod

Cast:

2. Pieces of Divinity

Two rats having a soulful conversation while foraging for food.

Writer: Brian L. Gray (American)

Director: Tala Nabulsi

Cast: Ramsey Khalifeh (Rat 1 & Yellow Cat), Malek Katerji (Rat 2)

3. On The Way To Mars

Writer:

Director:

Cast:

4.  Man is Black

The story is based on the black man’s life and identity that has been lost in the wind of slavery, racisms and Coding of people based on appearances and tag with labels that undermined the humanity within him.

Writer:  Xolisile W. Dolo

ITC/Group Name: Mzansi Abroad

Director: Xolisile W. Dolo

Cast: Xolisile W. Dolo

5. Caked Up!

The girls have arranged a surprise party for their friend but the traffic delays them all. As if that was not enough, their least favorite person crashes the party and ruins it for them all.

Writer: Tara Pillay (India/UAE)

Director: Ensemble
Cast: Tara Pillay (Tina), Harpreet Singh (Huma), Edwige Narby (Edna), Anu Chopra (Anahita), Anupama Jain (Angie), Nishi Singh (Nina), Rakesh Jain (Rahman), Natraj P. (Nathan), Neena Nath (Noora) & Carole Binbrek (Mama)

6. The Judgement

Witness the fall from grace of a once-great lawyer whose fate now lies in your hand

Writer: Amit Dhawan (India/UAE)
ITC/Group Name: Heriot Watt
Director: Amit Dhawan
Cast: Anchala Prem (Susan), Amit Dhawan (Richard), Amal Mehta (The Judge), Sana Hafza (Assistant Lawyer), Saad Javed(Prosecutor), Sonia Mulimani (House helper), Irfan Subair (Friend), Saumya Rao (jury vote collector), Shayne Monteiro (Security Guard)

7. Mine Too

A man will keep fighting for what is his too, as an ongoing argument over the phone will test his resolution.

Writer:  Nourah Almaiman (KSA/USA)

ITC/Group Name: Nabratuha Productions 

Directors Name:  Yousef Al Shamsi

Cast:  Nikhil Mittal (Man) 

8. Lullaby

The struggles and demands of 1st-time parenthood takes away the love and romance from even the happiest couple. Shane and Julie are trying to get adequate sleep as well. Will they ever be able to create their "PERFECT WORLD" again?

Writer: Joe Bergin (Ireland)

Director: Sonal Bhatnagar

Cast: Sonal Bhatnagar (Julie), Sandeep George (Man), Sriraj Sawant (Shane)

9. Superposition

Writer: Cliff Keen (Australia)

Director: By The Company

Cast:

10. Prometheus Shrugs

Writer: John Bavoso (USA)

Director: Maria Gregoric

Cast:

1. STATUS UPDATE

Seven teenagers express their hopes and fears online in a rousing symphony of status updates.

Writer: Bradley Hayward (Canada)

ITC/Group: American School of Dubai (ASD)

Directors: Gemma Jones, Marisa Dietsche, Phil Ridley

Cast: Alan Berzinji (James), Isabella Barham (Piper), Jamilla Abdel-Razek (Cindy), Farrah AbuAsad (Smantha), Sara Hijer (Laura), Arav Anand (Brody), Ammar Ul Haq (Vance)

2. UGGA WUGGA

3. IS THAT OKAY?

An actress with dreams of success struggles to navigate through the darker side of show business.

Writer:  Arzoo Malhotra (USA/UAE)

ITC/Group: H72 Productions

Director: Ensemble Direction

Cast: Monica Chatterjee (Unnamed/ The Actress/She)

4. CRY FOR ME

Alicia has found herself an unusual job that sees her attending a lot of funerals.  

Writer: Pete Malicki (Australia)

Director: Aradhita Basu

Cast: Aradhita Basu (Alicia)

5. ERR…??

6. KISS HER GOODBYE

7. THE SNOW ANGEL OF ANTARCTICA

Synopsis: After nearly a year of travelling the world, Jimmy and his sister Maggie have finally arrived in Antarctica. With the small matter of some human ashes hidden in his hand-luggage, Jimmy isn't ready to leave but Maggie thinks it's time to return home. A tale with a twist about sibling rivalry, Scrabble and snow angels.

Writer: Victoria Connerty (UK)

Director: Priyanka Geriya

Genre: Dark Comedy

Cast: Chintan Vora (Jimmy) and Priyanka Geriya (Maggie)

8. DATE WITH DEATH

Angela lands with a houseful of clothes at Karen’s house asking to stay overnight leaving Karen exasperated. That and the quirkiness of Angela’s dating life.  It’s just a little odd. Actually VERY odd!

Writer: Steven Hayet (USA)

ITC/Group: Xpression Art

Director: Meghna Gupta

Cast: Meghna Gupta (Karen), Senora D’Mello (Angela), Pranav Nasta (David)

9.  FELINE FELONIES

Catsanova has planned many kidnappings; however, things never always go according to plan and she found out the hard way. Did Catsanova's information betray her; or did it?

Writer: Dee Gee (India/UAE)
ITC/Group: H72 Productions

Director: Dee Gee

Cast: Tara Rautenbach (Catsanova/Jiya Malhotra), Somiya Mehta (Halle Purry/Neha Singh), Dharamveer Sood (Det. Mark Radcliffe/Fluffy Bone)

10. ROSEMARY

Dan is looking for a house. He finds one which seems more like home. Will he discover why this house seems so familiar? or discover more about the people around him?

Writer: Madhurima Ray (India/UAE)

ITC/Group: Tall Tales Production

Director: Saif Khan

Cast: Meghana Mundkur (Mary), Hussain Hadi (Robert), Muf Goulamhoussen (Dan)

11.  THIS IS SHE

A snippet of an original creative verbatim piece, based on the true stories of women from around the world.

Writer:  Vicki Galloway-Place (UK)

Director: Vicki Galloway-Place

Cast: Actors Name (Character) Leanne Cardill (Tilly 1, Acceptance), Genette Harrison (Tilly 3, A True Welsh Love Story), Jenny Moffat (Tilly 2, Iffluvious) 

1. Me?

A therapy session, harmless right? Little did Sara know what a dark turn her day was about to take.

Writer: Anushka Agarwal (India) 

Director: Anushka Agarwal

Cast: Anushka Agarwal (Sara), Naz Karadede (Mystery person), Eman Fattani (Therapist)

2. Here

He was asleep and completely unaware that he had a visitor. Who is she and why is she here?

A story about a love lost, 'Here' explores the complexities of death and denial.

Writer: Martina Murphy (Ireland)
ITC/Group: MacGyvers & Co.

Director: Saloni Mehta
Cast: Malik Siddique (Michael), Nandini Chatterjee (Jennifer)

3. THAT DAMN DUCK

If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.  

Writer: Cerise De Gelder (Australia)

ITC/GROUP: Xpression Arts

Director: Seema Kunder

Cast: Seema

4. TRUST ME, I AM A DOCTOR

Trevor never realised his dream to become a Doctor nor to date Marie. But today fate is maybe offering him a second chance at both...

Writers: John Buck (UK/UAE) & Edwige Narbey (France/UAE)

ITC/Group: Concorde

Directors: John Buck and Edwige Narbey

Cast: John Buck (Trevor Hughes), Gabrielle Meli (Jennifer), Edwige Narbey (Marie), Julie Buck (Stacey), Philipp Tachas (Doctor Schofield)

5. Club Fiya

A Journalist goes to an empty bar to escape her lie until she pays the price for the truth.

 Writer: Rik Aby (UAE)

 ITC/Group:  Studio Republik

 Director: Kholoud Abdallah

 Cast: Rik Aby (Samuels) and Kholoud Abdullah (Linda)

6. DAMIEN O’BRIEN

There is more than what meets the eye even at a mundane place like a job interview.

Writer: Amit Dhawan (India/UAE)
ITC/Group: Heriot Watt
Director: Anchala Prem.
Cast: Anchala Prem (D), Ismail Bolock (O), Amal Mehta (Damien), Sana Hafza (S), Niharika Chintakayal (B), Ashleigh Adonis (A), Sonia Mulimani (Receptionist)

7. DISCUSSION ON A RAILWAY CARRIAGE

A humorous examination of the differing perspectives of two men from widely differing social backgrounds who are travelling on a train in England. One is a very posh gentleman who, unfortunately, upsets the other man, a true working-class northerner. 

Writer: Chris McDermott (England)

Director: Chris McDermott

Cast: Greg Lunn: (Arnold Ramsbottom), Chris McDermott (Reginald Ponsonby-Smythe)

8. ROMANCE

This lighthearted comedy throws a spotlight on online dating and the not-so-subtle realities of having to meet face-to-face.  

Writers: Martinez & Srour (France)

ITC/Group: Banana Drama

Director: Justin de Casterle

Cast: Jihane Tehini (Julie), Patrick Albrecht (Frank)

9. A Brexiteer, A Migrant & A Gun

A Brexiteer and a Migrant are chained to a table as they await a deadline. The answer to the question “Which side are you?” may not be as apparent as first thought as questions of class, camaraderie, survival and who really has control arise.

Writer: Shane Colwell (Ireland/UAE)

Director: Shane Colwell

Cast: Shane Colwell, Mario Silva (Ecuador), AnthonyForester-Bennett (UK)