The Hive Theatre Festival, Dubai’s largest free theatre festival for children, has returned to Al Quoz for another edition at @play. Featuring hundreds of young performers across multiple weekends, the event is supported by a team of 20 full-time staff and 40 teen volunteers and freelancers.
The festival features more than 60 productions, with every costume handmade, sets specially designed, and performances refined through five months of rehearsals. According to Malavika Varadan, the unique, live nature of theatre offers a refreshing break from today's screen-dominated world.
The 2026 festival celebrates the power of storytelling, featuring four productions — Alivebrary, Matilda, Overthrow a Student Government and The Seussification of a Midsummer Night’s Dream — with multiple showtimes throughout the event.
