A Russian family theatre troupe from Saint Petersburg is bringing a New Year themed production, “Кот тут главный” – translated as “The Cat Is in Charge” or “Cat Is the Boss” – to Dubai’s independent stage The Junction at Alserkal Avenue for one weekend only from Friday 28 November to Sunday 30 November 2025. The play is based on the popular children’s book “Kot i Novyy God” by author Kristina Kretova and follows a mother, a teenager and a life changing cat through a warm, emotional story about love, acceptance and the small frictions of modern family life. The production comes from “Teatralny Proekt 27,” a Saint Petersburg company that has collected several major Russian awards for children’s theatre, which helps explain why this show is marketed as a high quality family experience rather than a simple seasonal pantomime. The tone mixes light humour with more serious moments about communication and growing up, so adults should find enough depth while children enjoy the festive atmosphere and the cat driven mischief. The performance is staged entirely in Russian, which is important for non Russian speakers to note.
Dates, show times and ticket prices
According to current listings, “The Cat Is in Charge” runs at The Junction from Friday 28 November to Sunday 30 November 2025, with multiple show blocks scheduled across the weekend so that families can choose a convenient time. On Friday 28 November, doors open at 18:00 and the evening show starts at 19:00, while on Saturday 29 November and Sunday 30 November there are daytime and early evening performances, with doors typically opening from 13:00 or 11:00 and shows starting at 14:00, 18:00, 12:00 and 16:00 depending on the day. Ticket information on the main ticketing platforms currently lists prices starting from approximately 350 AED per person, so families will need to budget accordingly, especially if they are buying several seats together. You should plan to spend at least two to three hours at the venue for arrival, the performance, possible intervals and post show photos, even if the core play runs for a more compact duration within each time block. Seats are limited and prices from approximately 350 AED mean early booking is strongly recommended (children/family friendly).
Atmosphere, staging and audience experience
The creative team presents the play as a modern New Year fairy tale that avoids cliché, focusing instead on realistic relationships inside a family apartment where programming, gadgets and everyday stress collide with the timeless magic of a cat and the festive season. Because the show is aimed at a family audience, expect a visually clear staging with strong character work, accessible humour and enough physical comedy to keep younger children attentive even if some themes about acceptance and communication resonate more with teenagers and parents. The critics’ notes and troupe descriptions emphasise that the production balances jokes with more touching scenes, meaning it should suit both adults seeking thoughtful theatre and children who simply want to laugh and follow a charming storyline. Seating at The Junction is usually unnumbered or allocated in blocks depending on the ticket category, and the room itself is intimate, so even seats toward the back will still feel close to the stage. Families who appreciate Russian language theatre and seasonal stories will likely find this a warm shared experience (children/family friendly).
Venue and practical location details
The play is hosted at The Junction, one of Dubai’s most established independent theatres, located in Unit H72, Alserkal Avenue, 17 Street corner 8 Street in the Al Quoz district. Alserkal Avenue is a creative hub made up of converted warehouses, so visitors will find galleries, cafés and concept spaces surrounding the theatre, which can turn a single performance into a longer outing with pre show snacks or post show conversations in the courtyard. The venue is completely indoors and air conditioned, so the performance itself is unaffected by outside temperatures, although guests will still need to walk between the parking areas and the theatre entrance. Because Alserkal Avenue can host multiple openings and cultural events on the same evening, especially over a late November weekend, the internal roads and parking areas can feel busy. Arrive at least 45 minutes before your chosen show time, because parking capacity is limited when several events overlap (children/family friendly, solo, suitable for couples).
Getting there by car or public transport
Most visitors from within Dubai will probably arrive by car, using Sheikh Zayed Road and turning off toward Al Quoz industrial area, then following the local signs for Alserkal Avenue once they leave the main highway. When driving from central Dubai or Dubai Marina on a Friday evening, traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road and the approach roads around Al Quoz can be heavy, particularly between 17:00 and 19:00 when people are leaving work and heading to weekend events. For those who prefer public transport, the closest Dubai Metro station on the Red Line is now Onpassive station, previously known as Noor Bank, from which visitors can continue by short taxi ride to Alserkal Avenue. Guests staying near other Red Line stations such as Business Bay, Mall of the Emirates or Discovery Gardens can plan a simple train plus taxi combination, which often avoids the stress of parking in busy periods. If you choose the metro and taxi option, allow extra time for Friday evening traffic around Al Quoz so you do not miss the opening scenes (children/family friendly, solo).
Planning your visit from other Emirates
Families and theatre lovers traveling from Sharjah, Ajman or even Abu Dhabi will need to factor in additional time for inter emirate traffic, especially on Friday 28 November and Saturday 29 November 2025. From Sharjah and Ajman, one practical route is to leave in the early afternoon, cross into Dubai before the heaviest evening congestion and then head directly to Al Quoz, perhaps planning a short early dinner at a mall or service stop on the way. From Abu Dhabi, the drive to Alserkal Avenue via Sheikh Zayed Road typically takes about 90 minutes without delays, so visitors may want to target the Saturday 14:00 or 18:00 shows rather than the Friday evening slot to reduce risk of arriving late. Because many families from across the UAE could choose the same weekend performances, travel times can stretch unpredictably on both outward and return journeys. If you are driving from another emirate, build generous buffer time into your schedule, since late arrivals can be disruptive in a compact theatre (children/family friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
Age suitability and audience comfort
Current information presents “The Cat Is in Charge” as a family production suitable for a broad age range, but with particular resonance for school age children, teenagers and their parents rather than toddlers. Younger children who understand Russian should still enjoy the cat character, the New Year setting and the overall stage movement, yet parents may want to choose earlier daytime shows for them, especially on Saturday and Sunday when options at 14:00 and 12:00 are available. Teenagers might connect strongly with the storyline around independence, communication and feeling misunderstood, so the later 18:00 or 19:00 shows can double as a special evening out for older kids and adults. As with most theatre experiences, very small children who are not used to sitting quietly might find the full performance length challenging, so caregivers should consider this when selecting seats and show times. There is no strict age rating advertised, but for comfort many families will bring children from roughly six years upwards (children/family friendly).
Weather, clothing, traffic and last minute tips
For the performance weekend from Friday 28 November to Sunday 30 November 2025, current Dubai forecasts indicate hazy sunshine with daytime highs around 28 to 29 degrees Celsius and evening lows near 20 degrees Celsius, with no significant rain or storm warnings at the moment. Even though the play is indoors, light breathable clothing with a thin extra layer is sensible, because theatre air conditioning can feel cool for children who sit still for the whole show. Traffic around Al Quoz and Sheikh Zayed Road usually peaks on Friday evenings and early Saturday evenings, so leaving well ahead of your show time remains one of the simplest ways to make the evening feel relaxed rather than rushed. Parking lots in and around Alserkal Avenue can fill quickly when multiple exhibitions and performances overlap, which is another reason to arrive early and, if needed, accept a short walk from slightly further spaces. Public transport is a reasonable alternative, especially using the Red Line to Onpassive station combined with a short taxi hop to the venue, although you should still allow time for potential road congestion near Al Quoz. Make your reservation before it is too late, and remember that ticket prices and on the door availability can change and remain approximately priced in AED depending on demand (children/family friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
In recent coverage, editors at platforms such as www.few.ae have highlighted how compact, story driven events like this Russian language family play can offer a refreshing contrast to the city’s massive festivals, so you may wish to follow similar editorial insights when deciding whether “The Cat Is in Charge” deserves a place in your own Dubai cultural calendar.
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