Why the 2018 Short+Sweet Comedy Festival could be the spark that comedians in Dubai need

This Diwali it is not just the festival itself being celebrated in traditional ways, but there is a specific event which has been created to light up a room with laughter just like a diya is lit during Diwali for the next three days, it is none other than the 2018 edition of the Short+Sweet Comedy Festival in Dubai.

People often complain about a lack of opportunity for performers in Dubai and the fact that the opportunity to perform is more likely to go to established artists. Here is the thing though, Dubai is a city which has a very specific kind of diversity. It is not the diversity which people are likely to find in cities like Toronto, New York City, London, Los Angeles, etc. where people of different nationalities necessarily mingle with each other for individually and collectively different reasons.

It has created a society which is diverse on the surface but really it is one where the quote, "Birds of the same feather flock together" applies, a society which is more conservative and risk averse. With the growing South Asian influence on Dubai, this is even more visible in the attitudes of people, this may not necessarily be a bad thing but it does represent something. It represents tribalism.

Note, how I used the word tribalism, instead of community. A community is created when different people show a willingness to interact with people who have different ideas and foster positive relationships with one another. A tribe is created when people who have similar ideas stick to one another and are more likely to reject different ideas of other people and even shun them, whether it is socially or professionally.

There are over 100+ comedians who have registered for Short+Sweet Comedy 2018. It is enough proof that Dubai is a breeding ground for artists, whether they are actors, comedians, musical theatre performers, singers, dancers, models, instrument players, etc.

It is also enough proof that people are willing to embrace art, whether their desires are open or suppressed due to cultural influences.

The fact that 100+ comedians are performing at this festival in Dubai is only the tip of the iceberg. It represents a deeper message.

The message is that it is an opportunity for different people of different nationalities to share different perspectives about life, with minimum judgement or fear. It is a platform to create that kind of environment through the usage of humour, which is a very effective way to create dialogue and share different perspectives. It also represents a shift in attitude towards a less risk averse culture because at the time you are performing an act on stage, letting go of the fear of failure at that moment is very liberating.

I hope everyone who is performing at this festival does well and I hope that they remember that this is their opportunity to be a part of something bigger. Also I wish everyone a very Happy Diwali.