Billionaire Dubai: A nocturnal arty adventure

Dubai - Devour grandeur, skill and opulence at its best at this just-opened show in Dubai

Yeah, breakfast at Tiffany's and bottles of bubbles,

Girls with tattoos who like getting in trouble,

Lashes and diamonds, ATM machines,

Buy myself all of my favourite things (yeah)…

Just a few metres away from our table, a troupe of dancers are performing to 7 Rings by Ariana Grande. The troupe is decked up in flamboyant attires and go about their business of entertaining, as diners around them indulge in lavish three-course meals. If Nick Carraway (Gatsby’s neighbour) was on this table at Billionaire Dubai, Taj Hotel, he would have described this dine-in-show as elegant and opulent, much like the ambience of Gatsby’s parties. We bought ourselves a ticket to the just-opened show and, as we sat back, the nocturnal adventure titled The Billionaire Grand Show came alive around us.

Performing amidst the clinking of glasses, serving up of meals, and a lot of conversation is always a task — just as watching it is. So, what’s the approach for a dine-in show so that guests can romance both a meal and show? "The show develops and unfolds in the same way as the service, the food and the music do throughout the evening. The audience mood and attention is captured by the rhythm of the show, which increases both in the tempo of the act and in the intensity between acts,” said Montserrat Moré, the show’s artistic production director.

Moré, formerly of Cirque Du Soleil, has put together a cast of 12 artists (singers, dancers and acrobats) from different nationalities, ranging from Spain, Argentina, Poland, Ukraine, Dominican Republic and Portugal. At one point, a male and female acrobat take over the stage, and we’re left dumb-founded as they perform to Rise Up by Andra Day. Their skill, agility and co-ordination remind us of a scene from La La Land, with twinkling stars in the backdrop and a bench used as a prop.

“Cirque will always be a reference and an inspiration — both on stage to deliver the emotion, and backstage to cast and manage the talents. Casting the best, like our acrobats, who can engage and astound the audience, as well as creating shows around incredible talents, not single stars, are two key elements I learnt at Cirque,” added Moré.

Billionaire Dubai is part of Billionaire Life, a curator of luxury dining, entertainment experiences and indulgent living, founded in Porto Cervo, Italy in 1998 by F1 legend Flavio Briatore. As the luxe red stage curtains open up, we found ourselves in the world of performing arts (including solo singing and Flamengo, which we loved). A few enthusiastic staff members and servers join in the party, applauding rhythmically, and we had to resist the urge to get up and dance along. The only thing holding us to our seats was the home-made pasta, super-fresh sushi, selection of caviar, and more.

purva@khaleejtimes.com

• Food and Dining
• Dubai