April 11th, 2017: A new play penned by Dr. Franziska Apprich is set to provide a light-hearted look at what happens when cultures clash, when it hits the stage at the Madinat Theatre.
‘Dubai Weddings’ is a romantic comedy that tells the story of an Emirati businessman who falls for a British teacher and faces the inevitable challenges that come with a relationship that crosses cultural boundaries.
Writer Dr. Apprich, who is a communications professor at Canadian University Dubai, explained “The Emirati businessman befriends a teacher – someone who is very different to him. Both profit from the friendship and it grows to adoration, inevitably brining challenges as the two originate from different cultures. The question is will he take her as his second wife, or will cultures clash?”
An award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker, Dr. Apprich has already produced a number of works that explore the complexities of human relationships. Her production ‘The Cat’ followed a feline character as it uncovered the flaws in an elderly couple’s seemingly loving marriage. The film went on to take a major award at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival.
Speaking about her forthcoming play, Dr. Apprich revealed, “It aims to depict couples and families in Dubai and their relationship to one another. I wanted to create something that relates to us; those who live in Dubai, who love Dubai, who meet their loved one here, who marry in Dubai, who have children here, in short, those who truly know Dubai – not only as a tourist – all wrapped in a rom/com feel.
“There have been great films and plays about Dubai but I missed the more light-hearted approach. Dubai is a melting pot of cultures, of lived tolerance and acceptance. It is an incredible city with incredible people and incredible stories.”
Dr. Apprich, who is also an award-winning musician, will be writing the score for the play, which is due to be premiered at Dubai’s Madinat Theatre and is ultimately expected to be turned into a film.
Award-winning Irish director, Padraig Downey, who has connected with Dr. Apprich on previous projects, said of her latest production, “The script has universal appeal. It paints a realistic picture of the ills which plague many a relationship in the modern age. In the quest to reach higher and aim beyond the stars, we have forgotten some of the most important elements intrinsic to human happiness: namely love and understanding.
“It highlights cultural differences, but in a way that makes them reasonable and practical. Many of the situations the characters find themselves in, we have seen with our own eyes through living in Dubai or The Middle East.”
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