Montreux Comedy Festival brings international comedians to the UAE for an unforgettable night of laughter

Montreux Comedy Festival brings international comedians to the UAE for an unforgettable night of laughter

2017 edition of most popular French-language comedy festival to feature shows in English for the first time ever

The people of the UAE are set to be treated to an unforgettable night of laughter with the arrival of the Montreux Comedy Festival, the biggest French-language comedy festival in the world bringing the most talented comedians from across the globe. The highly-anticipated event is now on its 28th year and is making a comeback for its second edition in the UAE--offering residents a crazy and loud night of laughter therapy.

The shows for this year’s festival have been slated for March 14, 2017 at the Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi and on March 15 and 16, 2017 at the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre (DUCTAC), Mall of Emirates, in Dubai. This will be the first time that the International Comedy Gala, co-produced by Culture Emulsion, will be hosting comedy shows in the English language as well. Abu Dhabi will feature the opening French speaking show while the Dubai leg will have a showcase in English & French.

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Swiss citizen Grégoire Furrer, President and Founder of the Montreux Comedy Festival, said: “Laughter has always been a universal language that brings people together and we are excited to hold our 2017 edition of the festival in the UAE. This is our second time in the country and we have always received a warm welcome among the people who have thoroughly enjoyed the unique entertainment that we offer. Humor plays an important role in this part of the world, and I think that the audiences will be delighted with the amazing line up that we have. For the first time ever, we will also be featuring shows in English to reach a wider network of people.”

Agreeing with the Swiss festival Organizer, the Ambassador of Switzerland in the United Arab Emirates, Her Excellency Maya Tissafi said, “Montreux is a very symbolic region for Switzerland when it comes to humor, as it hosted Charlie Chaplin at a time when European countries were laughing at the idea of value-sharing. 40 years after the actor’s death, the Montreux comedy happily reminds us that it is now time to share laughs and values with our francophone family and Emirati friends.”

The French-speaking line-up for the Montreux Comedy @UAE 2017 includes Kominek from Switzerland, PE from Belgium, Mike Ward from Canada and Sebastian Marx from the USA. The show will be presented by PE from Belgium. The English-speaking line-up includes Ali Al Sayed from the UAE, Sebastian Marx from the USA and Mike Ward from Canada. The show will be presented by Loyiso Madinga from South Africa.

Jacques Barakat, Head of Global Sales in Swissquote Bank, added, “The Montreux Comedy Festival has become a benchmark in its field by combining expertise, quality and diversity. The Festival and Swissquote Bank share the same objective of promoting innovative ideas internationally and striving for excellence. We are glad to support the Montreux Comedy Festival and we look forward to a successful edition in the United Arab Emirates.”

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“We at Culture Emulsion, are eager to provide our support for this initiative. The French culture has always been popular world-wide and comedy breaks many social barriers. The talented individuals the festival will offer will certainly appeal to audiences. We were very happy with the initial response of the UAE audiences in the first edition, and we believe that the wonderful feedback we received showcase how people have a demand for this unique kind of entertainment. It is always a pleasure to see people enjoy themselves during the shows and we believe that the wide variety this upcoming festival has to offer will delight many audiences,” concluded Cecile Herman, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Culture Emulsion.

Founded in Switzerland in 1989, the Montreux Comedy Festival is set to feature a wide range of notable performers from across the USA, Canada, Switzerland, South Africa, and Belgium. The shows have found a significant international following its previous shows which were held in notable countries around the world including Busan, Singapore and Johannesburg, before coming to the UAE.