Al Habtoor City · Dubai
In a 270-degree theatre in Dubai, the stage floods with water and acrobats fly high above it.
Ninety minutes, no interval, and you won't want one.
Worth it? Right for children?
Worth it for anyone after a large-scale stage spectacle rather than a plot to follow. La Perle is a ticketed aqua-acrobatic show in a purpose-built Dubai theatre, and the operator says performers jump from 25 metres into a pool of 2.7 million litres. A Gulf News review at the launch called it a run of vignettes, so go for the stunts. It suits teenagers and adults best. Children from two can attend with their own ticket and ID; under-twos are not admitted.
A resident show in the theatre at Al Habtoor City, on the Dubai Water Canal. The Dragone company made it, and Wikipedia says the show opened in 2017 as the first Las Vegas style permanent show of this scale in the UAE. The seating wraps 270 degrees around the stage. It runs about 90 minutes with no interval, and the dress code is smart casual.
Not a dinner show, not a short stop and not a plot you can read in advance. The operator advises arriving at Al Habtoor City 45 to 60 minutes before the show, and latecomers are admitted only during a suitable break. If you want a free outdoor spectacle instead, the Dubai Fountain on Burj Lake is the usual alternative.
Every child needs a ticket and must come with a paying adult. Children must be present at ticket collection with a passport or Emirates ID, and unaccompanied minors are not allowed. Children under 2 are not admitted. Ninety minutes with no interval is a long sit for small children, so judge by your child's patience, not only by the age limit.
The evening in four facts
The show in six parts
Reports on La Perle keep returning to the same few things. Here they are as the operator and the press describe them. Casts and acts change over the years, so treat this as the kind of show it is, not tonight's running order.
Acts and scenes change. Nothing here promises a particular act, performer or scene on the night you go.
The operator says the theatre holds 2.7 million litres of water and that the stage changes from dry to wet in an instant. Gulf News, in a 2017 piece, wrote that the pool is cleaned by a separate system around the clock and is never emptied.
The operator says artists dive 25 metres into the on-stage pool. Gulf News said performers would jump from a height of 25 metres while performing aerial feats on the way down. It added that scuba divers stay in the water throughout, for the performers' safety.
The National's preview described acrobats, athletes and aerial performers, with male acrobats stepping into the pool before an aerial routine. Wikipedia describes Le Rêve, an earlier Dragone water show, as combining diving, swimming and stunts.
Gulf News's launch review described five men on motorbikes in a Globe of Death sequence. Wikipedia explains the act: riders race motorcycles inside a mesh sphere and can loop over the top as well as circling its sides.
Gulf News reported waterfalls and rain inside the auditorium, and the operator says every surface becomes a screen, with projections on the walls, the floor and a giant cyclorama. The operator also says high-definition speakers sit behind every seat.
Gulf News's review described a series of vignettes about a young woman who is chased, with a pearl and a golden puppet along the way. The reviewer found the story esoteric. Both reviews date from the launch period, so the stunts are the safer reason to book.
Theatre show or fountain
Your evening, step by step
Five stages, from the calendar to the curtain. Details tied to your date, such as the start time and meeting point, come with your confirmation.
The calendar shows the dates and options on offer. Certain options come with extras like lounge access or drinks and snacks, so check what yours includes. You can reserve through GetYourGuide without paying straight away, and cancelling a day before the start brings a full refund.
Tickets can be collected 30 to 60 minutes before the show. Anyone collecting in person needs the card used for the booking and a photo ID, the operator says. Children must be present at collection with a passport or Emirates ID.
The operator recommends arriving at Al Habtoor City 45 to 60 minutes before the show, because traffic varies. Latecomers are admitted only during a suitable break and may be seated elsewhere.
It runs about 90 minutes with no interval, so settle in before it starts. The dress code is smart casual. Children under 2 are not admitted.
Al Habtoor City sits along the Dubai Water Canal, which Wikipedia says runs 3.2 kilometres from Business Bay toward the Persian Gulf. A short walk by the water is an easy way to end the evening.
The ticket in seven lines
Seven things to know about the show ticket and what it leaves to you.
Pictures to set the scene
The Dubai Water Canal at night and Burj Lake with its fountain, then a diver in mid-air, a motorbike globe, aerial silks under a spotlight and Dubai Marina after dark.
Make a whole evening of it
First the show itself, then the fountain lake ride that rivals it for an evening, then a marina cruise and a daytime landmark for the rest of a Dubai stay.
A ticket to the ninety-minute show in a purpose-built Dubai theatre: a stage that floods, dives and aerial work, and no interval.
A ride of about half an hour in a traditional abra boat on Burj Lake, timed to a Dubai Fountain performance.
A cruise of about an hour and a half from Dubai Marina, with a sunset or dinner option and live music.
Entry to the Dubai Frame in Zabeel Park, with a deck that looks over old and new Dubai.
More to book in Dubai
Practical notes
Keep reading
FAQ
Yes, if you want a large stage spectacle. It is a ninety-minute aqua-acrobatic show with a stage that floods, dives and aerial work. A Gulf News launch review found the story esoteric, so book for the stunts.
Children aged 2 and up are welcome with their own ticket; under-twos are not admitted. Children need a passport or Emirates ID at collection and must come with a paying adult. The show runs about 90 minutes with no interval.
About 90 minutes, with no interval. The operator advises arriving at Al Habtoor City 45 to 60 minutes beforehand, and latecomers are admitted only during a suitable break.
Dress smart casual. The operator suggests chinos with a casual shirt or a fitted suit for men, and a tailored jumpsuit or an eye-catching dress for women.
Yes. Children must be present at ticket collection with a passport or Emirates ID, and every child needs a ticket. Unaccompanied minors are not allowed.
At Al Habtoor City, along the Dubai Water Canal in Business Bay. Your booking confirmation gives the meeting point.
Yes, the show is listed as wheelchair accessible. The operator also holds designated seats for guests with special needs and their companions.
No. This site is an independent guide, run apart from the theatre, its producers and its performers, and none of them is affiliated with it. Bookings go through GetYourGuide.
It is a different kind of evening. The fountain is free to watch from the lakeside, while the show is a ticketed theatre performance. Many visitors do both on separate evenings.
The calendar lists every price in your chosen currency, taxes and fees included.