The Elf in the Gulf | Collab Company

A Festive Friendship

and a debut in dubai

A few years ago, I observed a remarkable building being constructed in the bustling hub that is The Sustainable City. It was architecture that was noticeably different from other architectural decisions in the area and it caught my eye, holding my gaze, every time I ventured from my home into the cityscape that is Dubai. Even back then, I was fascinated! I remember driving past and thinking to myself: "What is this place?" I ruminated on the possibility that it might be a contemporary sustainable school or even a collective of sustainable start-ups, until one day I found its construction signage. It was the day that Collab Company was in the midst of leading an activity for Team AngelWolf's Wolfpack Walks and I saw that the space behind us was to be a unique venue called The SEE Institute. I remember thinking to myself: "If they have a theatre space inside, this is the type of venue I want my own company to be associated with!" And that is exactly how my love for the venue that we have the honour of calling home for our debut performance of The Elf in the Gulf first began... and it has only become stronger since then!

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by Ievgen Necheporenko

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Thank you

for (more than) the music

It was the final day of The Elf in the Gulf not so long ago. I was sitting looking out at the Mauritian ocean where, for the very first time in my entire career, I had exited stage left on a production before tech week. Those who have worked with me in an educational or professional setting will know that my seat of choice during any production I have adapted, written, directed, designed or managed is inside the tech booth, running sound and often supporting lighting cues too. This time around I was 5000kms away, basking in the sunlight after a beautiful wedding and marvelling at the sheer force of will that I was silently observing through WhatsApp group texts from the cast and crew, and every evening update from my core creative team.

The Elf in the Gulf was a project which arose directly out of the convergence of multiple pathways and multiple people. At its core, it started with me bringing up the idea of doing an effervescent Christmas show as a way to revisit the impact that theatre had had on me in my childhood. Theatre that celebrates the idea of a family attending a show together and being moved in different ways by the story being told on stage. Having just completed an intense international tour of Antigone Retold in South Africa, I was in the mood for something fun and friendly which would mean consciously electing to work with folks who needed the same. And that's where it all started... a mere two months before the final show eventually took place and we were sat together at a lunch table in The Sustainable City, discussing a concept without a script, elves without shelves, carols versus hymns, and whether the stunning venue we were to pop over to see a little later might take a chance on a show we had not even started writing yet. The rest, as they say, is showbiz history...

Of course, Collab Company is an organisation that prides itself on its ability to seek out collaborative partnerships with individuals, brands and venues who align with our ethos whilst encouraging us to evolve as a company as we aim to align with theirs. We could never have achieved what we set out to achieve on The Elf in the Gulf without the support of so many.

To Ali, Hadeel, Oussama and everyone at SEE Institute - for your willingness to journey alongside us on a show that had not even been fully conceptualised when we pitched it to you. Living up to the grandeur of your stunning venue was inspiration enough to reach new heights in our own approach to experimentation and sustainability. We cannot thank you enough for believing in us.
To Maevel and Laith - our IMMERSEE project managers who truly became part of the crew on this production, showcasing a respect for the significance of the work we aim to achieve in the theatre that I have not seen in this region from any venue of this calibre. Thank you for going the extra mile in everything you did with us.
To Laura Marino - for your abilities which transcend the human. I am now 100% certain that you are tapped into elvish magic because what you bring to others not only through your ideas but through your very being is nothing short of magical.
To Aimee Khalifa - for not only your musical direction but then stepping into the shoes of director during the toughest week of all. We are on an exciting journey, you and I... and I am so grateful for your unwavering support of my many zany ideas!
To Nickie Willoughby - we all shared a giggle when we dubbed you "the voice of the people" but, truly, I have the utmost respect for your willingness to put yourself forward on behalf of others so that they feel seen, heard and validated. You are a gem, Nix, and I am so thankful for your hugs!
To Ivana Vajman Jackson - for following me into the depths of the drama without fear or question! From the dunes of Caravanserai in Al Qudra Desert to the shores of Ballito in South Africa, you have always been my hype girl and I am beyond grateful. Thank you also to Rich, Filip and Ana for allowing us to commandeer your garden for elfie rehearsals every week.
To Cormac Fitzpatrick - what a whirlwind you've had in the UAE, Cormac, and within months of our first meeting you are an official part of the Collab Company ensemble! Thank you for the hours you spent traveling to us every time we needed you.
To Charly Rock and South View School - for your generous use of your studio space for all our full cast rehearsals and your unwavering support for everything we do at Collab Company. Tessa's innate understanding of theatre and the professionalism with which she carried herself is a testament enough of you as her mentor. Thank you for everything!
To the team at The Sustainable City - for everything you did to create such a fun, festive atmosphere for the families in your community and then, without prompting from any of us, for the way you encouraged young and young-at-heart to immerse themselves in our theatrical, magical world inside IMMERSEE as you helped kickstart Christmas 2024. Thank you!
To Brian and Mitch of MTDXB - for your generosity in lending us your headset microphones (quite literally) straight off the stage of your debut panto. Thank you for your intellectual property advice in the early stages of script development too... you were absolutely right!
To Ievgen and Sonali - for your beautiful photography of our process and performance. This was particularly special to me who was living vicariously through the images and videos being shared on social media all week. Thank you for becoming part of our Collab Company ensemble and capturing the spirit of our show so well!
To Tal, Del and James - for stepping up and offering your support in the box office and lobby (the two spaces that can get a little less Christmas and a little more Grinchmas during show week!) Thank you so much for being our hype crew too!
To the cast and crew of The Elf in the Gulf - you believed we could do it even (or perhaps most especially) in every moment we doubted we could. Your steadfastness in the face of uncertainty and your camaraderie in the face of pressures, both seen and unseen, have renewed my faith in many of the values our elves were tasked with observing in the UAE and which I have come to realise this past year are often much harder for the adults to action and achieve than the children.

We cannot wait to start writing the next few chapters of The Elf in the Gulf. New stories, new adventures, new mishaps, new songs and new elves. Three or four brand new scripts should do it, don't you think?