What's Hot: What everyone is talking about

The latest happenings around town

Trevor Noah in Da house!
As part of Dubai's inaugural Comedy Festival from October 15-24, the city is going to be playing host to some pretty big names in the biz. International comedy icon Dave Chappelle and the new host of Comedy Central's The Daily Show Trevor Noah will headline the 10-day programme of events by local, regional and international comedians, for what is set to be the region's largest comedy festival.
The festival will be set up in the Dubai Marina district, with a purpose-built 4,500 seat venue at Skydive Dubai as the stage for the main gigs, which will include an opening night of Arabic comedy as well as a closing weekend that will see Dave Chappelle take the stage on October 22 and 23, and Trevor Noah on October 24. Local funny man Ali Al Sayed, Saudi Arabian YouTube star Bader Saleh and American comedy magician Mac King will also feature during the festival. Other highlights include a Comedy Strip, which will host a number of unique and hilarious Comedy Nights, and free daily street performances. Tickets are already up for grabs at www.dubaicomedyfest.ae, and backstage passes are on sale.
Comedy encore
The Siddhus of Upper Juhu, an English play by well-known Indian theatre group Rage, will be on stage at the Dubai Comedy Festival, on October 15-16 at 8pm. Directed by Rahul da Cunha, with a talented cast including Bollywood actors Rajit Kapur and Shernaz Patel, this the first international outing for the group that has already won accolades for its sharp and witty dialogues and a down-to-earth, realistic storyline. The play is a window into the life of an ordinary family of Mumbai, where people find laughter and comic relief in the most depressing of situations. For tickets and information, call 04-3414777 or visit www.ductac.etixdubai.com 

 Calling all numismatists
To mark its 20th season celebrations, Global Village, in cooperation with the UAE Central Bank, has announced the release of a limited edition commemorative one dirham coin. The face of the coin depicts the Global Village logo with the 20th season celebrations in text. The coin will be available first for Global Village's loyal customers as a souvenir with VIP packs. The packs will be on sale as of October 10. And in case you're wondering, yes, the family fair will be back for its 20th season starting November 3.

A day at the stables
If you love all things equestrian, you'll love what the Meydan Hotel is offering its visitors. Get an inside look into the workings of world-class horse racing with a tour of the Meydan Stables, Grandstand and Racecourse. Every Tuesday and Wednesday morning, guests can enjoy a five-star buffet-style breakfast at Farriers Restaurant, and watch the racehorses during their morning track work sessions. Then take a tour of the stables where the horses are groomed and conditioned, and learn how they are trained and prepared for race day. Also, as part of the tour, guests can see the horses exercise in the equine swimming pool and gain exclusive access to the Jockeys' Room, Saddling Paddock and Parade Ring.
The breakfast and tour takes place from 7.30-11.30am. The stable tour commences at 8.15am. The tours are Dh275 per adult and Dh150 per child (aged 4-12). All guests will receive an exclusive 10 per cent discount for Meydan's 2015-2016 race season. For bookings and information, contact 04-381 3405 or visit www.meydanhotels.com.

Meet the man behind the 737 Challenge
What does it take to be an extreme athlete? And do you have what it takes to scale the seven highest peaks on three continents in seven months (hence, the 737 Challenge)? On October 17, at 8pm at the Dubai International Writers' Centre (DIWC) at Al Shindagha Historical Neighbourhood, Bur Dubai, meet the man behind this extreme challenge and hear his tale of redemption and endurance. Part of the Emirates Literature Foundation, DIWC will be hosting Richard Parks, who will share his story of going from a successful rugby career for Wales to losing it all after a devastating shoulder injury and eventually discovering a passion for extreme environment athletics. Also learn about the 737 Challenge he created and embarked on, despite never having climbed a mountain before.
The talk will be followed by a question and answer session and a book signing by the man himself. Book your tickets at www.diwc.ae/en/events/event/richard-parks-my-journey.

 Seventh art heaven
While the Louvre takes shape, Abu Dhabi is giving residents of the UAE some serious art love. Beginning October 11, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and Image Nation Abu Dhabi will begin The 7th Art, a new screening series that will explore the history of film and its relationship with other art forms. The series will take place at 7.30pm every other Sunday at Manarat Al Saadiyat. All films will be subtitled in Arabic and English. Special additional "7th Art Discovery" screenings will occasionally be presented in different venues, to show how film screenings can transform new places.
The programme's title is drawn from a manifesto written in 1911, less than 20 years after movies were invented. Ricciotto Canudo, an Italian theoretician, explained that film is a synthesis of dance, music and poetry (the three temporal arts) and architecture, painting and sculpture (the three spatial arts). Therefore, he concluded, cinema is the '7th Art'.
The series will kick off on Sunday, October 11, with the first two episodes of The Story of Film: An Odyssey, the acclaimed 15-chapter documentary by the UK's Mark Cousins, exploring the history of filmmaking around the world and how it has evolved.