What if the only thing standing between you and success was your face? From the team that brought the unique play Ice Hole and hilarious French play Au Bout Du Fil to Dubai comes an adaptation of Marius von Mayenburg’s The Ugly One, directed by Gillian Rhodes.
The play follows the journey of Lette, a perfectly average joe who is shocked to learn the brutal truth that he’s unbearably ugly. Devastated and desperate, he turns to plastic surgery for salvation. But when the bandages come off, Lette isn’t just handsome; he’s perfect. Suddenly, the world can’t get enough of him. Fame, fortune, and admiration follow… but so do obsession, imitation, and identity crises.
The Ugly One is a scalpel-sharp satire on beauty, self-worth, and the terrifying cost of perfection. Under director Gillian Rhodes’ hands, the play is at turns hilarious and disturbingly relevant, where wealth, fame, and beauty are a high stakes game. The play asks the question “In a world that worships appearance, who are you when your face is no longer your own?”
“The script is both incredibly funny and incredibly profound, and I wanted to honor that by creating a version that is lively, full of music and fun, but also hits at the deeper questions of identity and beauty,” Rhodes said about her interpretation.
“Patrick and I have always wanted to push the theatre industry in Dubai by bringing strong, high-quality plays to the stage. We’re very excited to work with Gillian and explore this script with our wonderful cast,” said Sadiq Saboowala, co-Founder of Ice&Spice Theatre and the actor playing Lette.
He is joined by Patrick Albrecht as Scheffler, Cate Broad as Fanny, and Keenan McFadzean as Karlmann.
Join us at The Junction in Dubai next weekend, October 24-26, 2025, to witness this extraordinary production.
Event Details:
Come and witness the true magic of theatre in this touching and reflective tale. Get your tickets today and prepare to be enchanted by the art of theatre and storytelling!
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