You know that moment on a Thursday afternoon when your work buddy asks what you’re doing this weekend and your mind goes blank? Well worry no more, friends, because What’s On has the perfect solution, whatever mood you are in.

ENTERTAINMENT

Check out the latest movie trailers and cinema listings of films being release in Dubai this weekend. Click here.

THE IMAGINEER
Part circus, part theatre, part film, The Imagineer is one of the more unusual stage shows to come to the UAE in recent years and will probably have you scratching your head in a mixture of wonder and bewilderment. A highly-skilled cast of acrobats, dancers, choreographers and contortionists, some of them from the Las Vegas run of the show, collaborate to produce a surreal 70-minute trip inside the mind of the lead character. The Imagineer was created by Le Petit Cirque (‘the little circus’), an experimental acrobat and theatre group based in Las Vegas, and is suitable for all ages.

Hear from the star of the show right here.

April 17 to 19
Meydan IMAX Theatre, Dubai, Thur 8pm, Fri and Sat 5pm and 8pm, Dhs150. platinumlist.net

SAND SCULPTURE LESSONS
The JBR sand sculptures have had tongues wagging since they appeared in front of The Beach shopping district earlier this year, with the public gawping at the sheer brilliance of the creations.

The woman behind it, an Australian named Jenny Rossen, has gained a cult following as a result. And now she has decided to pass on some of the tricks of the trade to those who want to know how to make a better sandcastle; it is the weather for it, after all.

Sand Art at The Beach with Jenny the Sandcastle Girl is running everyday until April 19 from 9am to noon, and is free. All you have to do is register at info@thebeach.ae with your preferred date and time, along with your contact information.

To see the original creations in all their glory, click here.

LAND A JUMBO JET
Emirates Airline has launched their ‘Emirates A380 Experience’ at Dubai Mall that allows guests to try landing the jumbo jet at 12 of the world’s busiest airports in a variety of weather conditions.

The flying simulator, which is the first of its kind to be made available to the public in the Middle East, has previously been installed at Dubai International Airport and used by a number of celebrities and sports star, including Arsenal footballers Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs. The Emirates Aviation Experience has been available in London since 2013. Cities that feature in the simulator experience include Paris, Amsterdam and Hong Kong.

For more information, click here.

VISIT A POP-UP MUSEUM
The temporary National Football Museum exhibition at Harvey Nichols in Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates welcomes former England and Liverpool star John Barnes for a meet-and-greet this week as part of the two-month long campaign that showcases British football and fashion to the UAE public, titled ‘Sport is Great’. Currently on display at the pop-up exhibition are priceless relics including a shirt worn by World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore, a life-sized mannequin of Pele and the FA Cup trophy, all on show until May 20.

WIZARD OF OZ – Last chance
Time to dust off those ruby slippers – The Wizard Of Oz, one of the world’s best-loved musicals, is coming to the Madinat Theatre from Thursday April 3. Featuring a cast of stars from London’s West End, the show includes classic songs Somewhere Over The Rainbow and Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead.

You can read an interview with actress Elizabeth Carter, who plays Dorothy, right here.

Madinat Theatre, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, no shows on April 6 or 13, 7.30pm, matinee April 4, 11 and 18, 2.30pm, April 5 and 12, 1pm and 6pm, Dhs200. Tel: (04) 3666546. Taxi: Souk Madinat Jumeirah. wizardofozlive.com

IPL
Dubai is hosting IPL cricket matches for two weeks from April 16. The Indian Premier League, which is regarded as the most exciting form of cricket and regularly features the best players in the world, will take place across the UAE – including Abu Dhabi and Sharjah – between April 16 and 30. Players like Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen and Shane Warne have all played in previous tournaments. The concept sees teams bid for leading names from around the world to play in a special 20-over form of the game.

Check out ticket information and the full fixture list right here.

LIONEL RICHIE
A simple “Hello” from Lionel Richie is all it will take to have the crowd on its feet when he performs live in Dubai on April 17 month. The 1984 track – and the accompanying so-cheesy-it’s-cool video – remains among the star’s best-loved hits, although there are rich pickings among a back catalogue that began in his Commodores days in the late 1960s. From Three Times A Lady to Endless Love, via All Night Long and Dancing On The Ceiling, pop fans can look forward to classic ballads and smooth grooves familiar from every wedding reception you’ve ever been to.

Read more from the man himself right here.

Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, Dubai Media City, Dubai, 7pm, Dhs295. Metro: Nakheel. platinumlist.net. 

KELIS
The Act Dubai has lined up a very special guest for it’s first birthday party on April 17 – award-winning musician Kelis. After rocketing to stardom in 1999 with Caught Out There, her explicit anthem for scorned women, Kelis has maintained a foothold in the charts for 15 years with hits like Trick Me and Milkshake. Having made her name in hip-hop, Kelis has explored more eclectic musical territory in recent years. She scored a US number one with the David Guetta-produced Acapella, and lent her vocals to Calvin Harris’ monster hit Bounce in 2011.

Shangri-La Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, April 17, 8.30pm, booking required. Tel: (052) 8119900. Taxi: Shangri-La Hotel. facebok.com/TheActDubai

CLEAN CUT
“The best DJ ever,” according to A-Trak, Jazzy Jeff is heading back to Dubai for a set at Cirque Le Soir’s Hip Hop Chic night. The American turntablist, producer and sometime actor’s hip hop career is pretty much peerless, particularly his scratching and mixing skills. “We’re talking about 25 years of being at the top of his craft,” admired A-Trak. “He’s a world champion, and still one of the cleanest scratchers you can hope to find. Jazzy Jeff is an amazing party DJ who can adapt to any setting.” See what mad skills he pulls off for the Dubai crowd on his second trip to the region this year.

Fairmont Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Monday, April 21, 10pm to 3am, free. Metro: World Trade Centre. Tel: (04) 3324900. cirquelesoir.com/dubai 

MORE TEA?
Think of a Tea Dance and you’ll likely imagine a bunch of pensioners shuffling around. But forget all that – a Dubai party of the same name promises a much more raucous affair. Cologne-based DJ, producer and label boss Sharam Jey drops in to Tea Dance Dubai on Friday armed with hot crumpet house tunes and nudisco dazzlers. The Bunny Tiger label boss has more than 100 releases to his name and has remixed for Moby, Faithless and Diplo amongst others. He’ll be joined by Tea Dance residents, The Toyboys. It’s a members-only affair but you can sign up for membership at byganz.com.

Ahead of the gig, we got The Toyboys top 10 tracks, and you can listen to all of them right here.

The Address Montgomerie, Emirates Hills, Friday, 5pm to midnight, members only. Taxi: The Address Montgomerie. Tel: (055) 1148893. platinumlist.ae

GROOVE ON THE GRASS
The story of Tale Of Us could have been very different. But various things conspired in a short period of time to set Matteo Milleri and Karm Conte on the journey that has since taken them around the world as hugely in-demand producers and performers. Those things include Visionquest starting a new label, both lads dropping out of business and law school within weeks of each other, and Seth Troxler being typically warm and friendly at a gig in Italy. Without these things, there would likely have been no underground electronic pop revolution and no Tale Of Us.

Read more from the guys right here as they prepare to play in Dubai on April 18.

Groove On The Grass, Emirates Golf Club, Dubai.  Friday, 7pm to 3am. Dhs160 in advance, Dhs200 on the door. Metro: Nakheel

DAVE SEAMAN
While Naughty Forest, his track with Funkagenda, picks up props from the likes of Nic Fancuilli and Stephan Bodzin, Dave Seaman – one of the first British DJs to start touring the world – brings his impressive house heritage to Dubai.

Hear from the man himself right here.

Project 360°, 360°, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah. Thursday, 5pm to 3am. Free entry. Tel: (056) 6826617. Taxi: Jumeirah Beach Hotel

ART SPECIAL
THE REPLACEMENT
In 2003, a storage container was discovered in an unknown location in the Middle East. Inside were reams of political campaign material from the 1980s, featuring an unknown man. An American art collector bought the pieces, but was forbidden from displaying it publicly. Until now. The collector enlisted the help of Iraqi-Canadian artist Mahmoud Obaidi, who has reinterpreted the propaganda in prints, silkscreen, sculpture and video art. Who is this noble figure asking for our love, our respect, our vote?

Until May 1
Meem Gallery, Umm Suqeim Road, Dubai, free. Tel: (04) 3477883. Taxi: Near LuLu Supermarket. meemartgallery.com

PTSD
Yes, the title of this exhibition does indeed refer to post-traumatic stress disorder, the devastating condition suffered by those who have been involved in warfare. It’s a nod by artist Shahpour Pouyan, not just to his continuing artistic investigation into ‘the enduring patriarchal structure of society in the Middle East’, but also to the use of his material of choice for this body of work – ceramics – and the role it plays in therapeutic counselling for those suffering from the condition. Less contrived than it might sound, this is in fact a quiet thoughtful meditation on some of the world’s ‘big’ subjects. Well worth a visit.

Until April 22
Lawrie Shabibi, Unit 21, Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, free. Tel: (04) 3469906. Taxi: Al Serkal Avenue. lawrishabibi.com

LUMA – ART IN FILM
Following on from its innovative exhibition of sound art last year, Ductac’s aptly named Gallery Of Light is host to this intriguing collection of some of the art world’s finest moving image-makers. Featuring a rolling display of films from such luminaries as Man Ray and Hans Richter, there’s also a chance to catch Iranian filmmaker Rouzbeh Rashidi’s HSP: There Is No Escape From The Terrors Of The Mind.

Ductac, Gallery Of Light, Mall Of The Emirates, Sheik Zayed Road, Dubai, free. Tel: (04) 3414777. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. ductac.org

ANDRE BUTZER 
German artist Andre Butzer presents his second solo UAE show with a series of largely abstract, monochrome paintings – at first glance at least. As ever with Butzer, things are not that straightforward. What this apparent simplicity displays is in fact an abundance of colour and form so dense that this – flat surfaces of black and white – is all that’s left. To use a metaphor that alludes to the show’s outer-space theme: think ‘tiny’ black holes and the whole universes they contain. Fascinating.

Until April 30
Carbon 12, Unit D37, Street 8, Al Serkel Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, free. Tel: (04) 3406016. Taxi: Al Serkal Avenue. carbon12dubai.com

EAT
BOOK A SEAT WITH CLAUDIO
A classic Italian dish, honed by talented chefs over hundreds of years, is a hard thing to improve upon. But two Michelin star chef Claudio Sadler attempts to do just this at his restaurants in his hometown of Milan, Italy. And from April 21 to 23 he will take over BiCE, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Resort, The Walk, JBR.

Read an interview with Claudio right here.

April 21 to 23
BiCe, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Resort, The Walk, JBR. To make a reservation call (04) 3182520. facebook.com/hiltondubai

ROAST DINNERS SPECIAL

Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Branching out beyond the steaks that made it famous, Ruth’s Chris has launched a Saturday roast dinner. Choose a huge portion of either prime rib of beef or stuffed chicken, both of which come served with traditional trimmings including parsnips and mini Yorkshires. You’ll also get a choice of two desserts – the apple crumble gets the thumbs up from us.

Address Dubai Marina, Dubai, Sat 4pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 4549538. Metro: Dubai Marina. ruthschris.ae 

Nelson’s
It’s designed with an English pub in mind, so naturally Nelson’s has roast dinners on the menu. On Sundays you can take your pick from beef or lamb with all the trimmings for Dhs85 between noon and 11pm. The offer conveniently overlaps with happy hour from noon to 8pm – so you can wash down your roast with selected beverages for just Dhs33 each.

Media Rotana, Tecom, Dubai, Sun noon to 11pm. Tel: (04) 43050201. Metro: Internet City. rotanatimes.com/mediarotana  

The D Upstairs at McGettigan’s
A hearty appetite is always helpful when it comes to a roast dinner, especially at this cosy brunch upstairs from the main McGettigan’s bar. In addition to hefty portions of roast beef from the buffet, enormous Yorkshire puddings and buttery parsnips, you can also tuck into oysters and lobster from the seafood bar. For eccentric eaters, why not mix it up with a dish from the a la carte breakfast menu. A roast with a side of French toast? Sounds good to us.

World Trade Centre, Dubai, Fri 2pm to 5.30pm. Tel: (04) 3780808. Metro: World Trade Centre. mcgettigansdubai.com 

Reform Social And Grill
Our favourite thing about a Reform roast – aside from Yorkshires that taste like the ones your granny used to make – is rounding it off with one of their traditional British puddings and custard. If that doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, the lakeside gastropub is also home to an old-school ice cream shop, where you can get a scoop of mint choc chip topped with crushed Kit Kats, or even a bag of retro sweets.

The Lakes, Emirates Hills, Dubai, Sat and Sun 7am to midnight. Tel: (04) 4542638. Taxi: Reform Social And Grill. facebook.com/reformdubai  

Nineteen
A cross between a traditional roast dinner and a chilled-out brunch, Saturdays at Nineteen require a tactical approach. While you may be tempted to tuck into the seafood buffet, we suggest you save yourself for the platters of roast lamb, beef and chicken with piping hot roasties, Yorkshire pudding and veg. A post-roast visit to the dessert station is, of course, encouraged.

The Address Montgomerie, Emirates Hills, Dubai, Sat noon to 3.30pm. Tel: (04) 8883444. Taxi: The Address Montgomerie. theaddress.com

Table 9 by Darren Velvick
You won’t find any plain old sage and onion at Table 9. Here, your roast chicken comes stuffed with foie gras. The corn-fed chicken is served with leeks and potatoes and is big enough for two to share. The Dhs230 dish is a new addition to the menu since the restaurant – previously Table 9 by Nick and Scott – was taken over by Brit Velvick, who worked with the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing in the UK.

Hilton Dubai Creek, Baniyas Street, Dubai, Sun to Fri 7pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 2127551. Taxi: Hilton Dubai Creek. table9dubai.com 

Rivington Grill
Be sure to skip breakfast if you’re heading to the Rivi for your roast dinner. The roast beef special, available on Saturday, comes with tangy red cabbage, creamy horseradish on the side, and the biggest Yorkshire pudding we’ve seen in Dubai.

Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai, Sat noon to 10.30pm. Tel: (04) 4230903. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. rivingtongrill.ae 

The Ivy
This is a roast dinner done right: meltingly tender rib of beef served with Yorkshire pudding, perfectly crisp roast potatoes and gravy on the side. The choice of sides includes creamy cauliflower gratin and sweet honey-roasted parsnips. You will inevitably clear your plate, but try to squeeze in dessert – the apple and blackberry crumble with crème anglaise is delicious.

The Boulevard, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai, Sat 11am to 9pm. Tel: (04) 3198767. Metro: Emirates Towers. theivy.ae 

Rhodes Twenty10
If you prefer your roast dinner after the sun goes down, Rhodes Twenty10 starts serving at 7pm. The meat is exceptional, but the real trump card is the Yorkshire pudding, which comes with gravy inside. Cut it open and you’ve got yourself a mini volcano of goodness. Rhodes could be a tad more generous with the meat, but the sides – priced between Dhs25 and Dhs40 – are more than adequate.

Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa, Al Sufouh Road, Dubai, Sat and Sun 7pm. Tel: (04) 3165550. Taxi: Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa. rhodestwenty10.com 

Arboretum
Its speciality is Arabic food, but Sunday nights at this restaurant in the lavish Al Qasr Hotel are all about traditional British roasts. You’ll find a range of meats, all accompanied by roast potatoes, stuffing, veg and gravy, plus Yorkshire puddings that are crunchy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside.

Al Qasr, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, Sun 7pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 3666730. Taxi: Al Qasr. jumeirah.com