Dubai’s National Day week arts calendar gains a surreal, family friendly highlight on Monday 1 December 2025, when the Russian musical play “The Lost Mirror” (“Потерянное зеркальце”) takes over Zabeel Theatre on Palm Jumeirah for an evening show. The production arrives as a one night engagement, staged in Russian with rich visuals and live music that appeal to both adults and children. Audience guides describe a whimsical story about a magical mirror that twists reality, fulfils strange desires and invites the characters to look honestly at themselves. The tone mixes humour, nostalgia and quiet melancholy, so it feels more like an art house movie brought to the stage than a conventional children’s show. This Russian language musical runs for one evening only on Monday 1 December 2025, making early planning especially important. (family-friendly, suitable for couples and solo theatre fans)
Cast led by Alexander Gudkov and SBPCH musicians
“The Lost Mirror” brings together a cast drawn from contemporary Russian comedy, cinema and indie music. The show features well known performer and television personality Alexander Gudkov alongside musicians from the acclaimed indie band SBPCH (Samoye Bolshoye Prostoye Chislo), including Evgeniya Borzykh, Kirill Ivanov and Stanislav Astakhov. They are joined by actors Marina Vasilyeva, Dominik Mara and Serafima Goschanskaya, creating an ensemble that can switch quickly between songs, spoken scenes and choreographed movement. The script and imagery draw on the works of writer and artist Pavel Pepperstein, while SBPCH provide the original score that gives the evening its distinctive sound. The cast combines well known Russian performers with indie musicians from SBPCH, so the show feels fresh and contemporary even as it plays with fairy tale themes. (family-friendly, especially appealing to Russian speaking adults and teens)
Show time, structure and language on Monday
On Monday 1 December 2025, “The Lost Mirror” is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM at Zabeel Theatre, with most listings describing it simply as an evening performance. In this kind of theatre setting, doors usually open around one hour before, so audiences can expect access from approximately 6:00 PM subject to the organiser’s final arrangements. The production typically runs for around two hours including a short interval, which keeps the evening manageable for children while still giving adults a complete theatrical experience. The performance language is Russian, but much of the storytelling relies on music, visuals and physical comedy, so non fluent guests who understand the general outline can still follow the emotional arc. The performance begins at 7:00 PM on Monday 1 December 2025, so planning to arrive well before that time will help you avoid missing the opening scenes. (family-friendly, suitable for school age children and adults)
Ticket prices and family age guidance
Event information from regional listings puts standard tickets for “The Lost Mirror” in Dubai in the approximately 300 AED to 700 AED range, depending on category and distance from the stage. Some ticketing platforms highlight 450 AED as a common price point for mid range seats, while premium rows and boxes naturally sit at the upper end of the scale. Because this is a one night show with a star cast, family groups are likely to reserve blocks of seats, which can cause the most popular central rows to sell out first. Organisers describe the production as suitable for adults and children aged six and above, reflecting both the running time and the layered themes. Ticket prices currently sit at approximately 300–700 AED, and the show is recommended for audiences aged six years and older. (family-friendly, suitable for couples, extended families and solo theatre lovers)
Inside Zabeel Theatre on Palm Jumeirah
Zabeel Theatre sits within the five star Jumeirah Zabeel Saray hotel on the West Crescent of Palm Jumeirah, giving theatre goers a backdrop of Ottoman inspired interiors even before they enter the auditorium. The theatre itself offers around 650 tiered seats, with a classic proscenium stage and a decorative ceiling that feels both intimate and grand. Seating is designed so that even mid priced categories retain clear sightlines, which is important for a visually rich production that uses projections and stylised movement. Before and after the show, guests can make use of the hotel’s cafés and lounges, which turns the evening into a fuller night out rather than a quick in and out. Zabeel Theatre’s roughly 650 seat layout means every part of the auditorium feels close to the stage, which works beautifully for a detailed, visually layered musical like “The Lost Mirror”. (family-friendly, suitable for date nights and small groups)
Reaching the venue and parking options
Drivers reach Jumeirah Zabeel Saray by following signs to Palm Jumeirah, crossing the trunk and continuing through the tunnel before turning onto the West Crescent and following the road until they see the hotel entrance on the seaward side. Valet and on site parking are available, but spaces closest to the theatre lobby can fill quickly on busy evenings, especially during National Day week when multiple events compete for the same bays. Guests who prefer to plan ahead can call the hotel switchboard on +971 4 453 0000 to confirm parking arrangements or to ask about valet timing on performance nights. Taxi and ride hailing services also work smoothly for this location, since drivers are generally familiar with the hotel and can drop passengers close to the theatre foyer. Parking capacity immediately around the hotel entrance is limited at peak times, so arriving early or using a taxi can significantly reduce stress on the night. (family-friendly, suitable for visitors from across Dubai)
Travelling from other Emirates for the show
If you are travelling from Sharjah, the usual route takes you along Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road or Al Ittihad Road, then onto Sheikh Zayed Road toward Dubai Marina before branching toward Palm Jumeirah; traffic here can build steadily on National Day week evenings. Visitors from Ajman or Umm Al Quwain generally follow the same corridor and should expect similar or slightly longer travel times depending on when they depart. Guests driving from Abu Dhabi typically follow Sheikh Zayed Road all the way to the Palm Jumeirah exit, then cross the trunk and continue through the tunnel to the West Crescent, which can take around one hour and thirty minutes or more in heavier conditions. Because the performance starts at 7:00 PM, it comfortably fits into a same day round trip if you add a generous buffer. Visitors from other Emirates should factor in at least thirty to forty extra minutes for traffic and parking so they can enjoy a calm arrival. (family-friendly, suitable for organised family outings and groups of friends)
Who will enjoy The Lost Mirror story
“The Lost Mirror” will appeal most to audiences who enjoy imaginative, visually striking theatre that balances humour with emotional depth. Russian speakers will naturally catch every nuance of the dialogue, yet the strong musical score, surreal costumes and inventive staging also keep non fluent guests engaged if they know the basic premise. Families with children over six can treat the evening as both a festive outing and a chance to experience contemporary Russian art and music in a high quality Dubai venue. Meanwhile, adults who follow the work of Alexander Gudkov or SBPCH will appreciate hearing familiar voices in a new dramatic context. The Lost Mirror suits anyone who enjoys inventive staging, live music and stories that blend fantasy, introspection and understated comedy. (family-friendly, suitable for culture lovers, couples and solo theatregoers)
Weather, clothing and practical closing tips for 1 December
Across the long weekend from Friday 28 November through Monday 1 December 2025, Dubai’s forecast points to hazy sunshine during the day and comfortable evenings, with daytime highs around 29 degrees Celsius and overnight lows close to 19–20 degrees, and no significant rain expected. Light, breathable clothes will feel comfortable while travelling, but the air conditioning inside Zabeel Theatre and the hotel can feel cool during a two hour performance, so bringing a thin jumper, cardigan or shawl is sensible for adults and children. Traffic toward Palm Jumeirah and its crescent hotels generally peaks from late afternoon into early evening on National Day week nights, so aiming to reach the hotel by around 6:00 PM should make valet queues and security checks easier. Metro users can ride the Red Line to stations such as Dubai Internet City or Al Khail, then complete the journey with a taxi or ride hailing car across the trunk and along the crescent. According to recent theatre coverage shared by editors at www.few.ae, ticket prices and seat categories for major National Day week shows can shift slightly as demand changes, so all figures should be treated as approximately until your booking is confirmed. Make your reservation before it is too late and plan your journey carefully, so you can relax into your seat at Zabeel Theatre and enjoy “The Lost Mirror” on Monday 1 December without last minute complications. (family-friendly, suitable for anyone who wants a smooth, well prepared theatre evening in Dubai)
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