Review: Dalin Oliver's STUCK IN DUBAI at Artscape Theatre

South African comedian Dalin Oliver found himself in an unexpectedly extraordinary situation during a routine layover in Dubai as missiles began to fall. With explosions going off overhead, Oliver's reaction was truly South African: first, he panicked – then he found a way to laugh about it. Now he's bringing his story back home to South Africa and beyond with his new comedy show STUCK IN DUBAI. 

As an accomplished multi-award-winning performer, Oliver is used to being in the spotlight, but he found himself the centre of an entirely different kind of attention after posting a video about his situation online. Wishes of safety and a swift resolution flooded in from strangers all over the world, along with multiple interview requests from major news outlets. With flights cancelled and airspace closed, info coming into and going out of Dubai was extremely scarce. And so, as Oliver puts it, he became 'South Africa's official unofficial international news correspondent'. 

It seems apt that a travel mishap of such a grand scale has now resulted in Oliver's most expansive tour ever, spanning South African cities both big and small. He's also taking his tale abroad with international stops in London, UK and Stockholm, Sweden. 

The STUCK IN DUBAI tour kicked off with two weeks of packed shows in Cape Town's Baxter Theatre, which brought in a steady stream of rave reviews. He's moved on to his next stop, but comedy lovers in cities like Johannesburg, Durban, and Bloemfontein will soon have their turn to see the funny man in action. Audiences in and around the Cape will also get another chance toward the end of the tour, as the final show wraps up in Stellenbosch.

If you've managed to snag tickets for one of the remaining dates, you can expect at least an hour of non-stop belly-ache-inducing laughter. The material is fantastic, but Oliver's well-timed delivery and his instant, easy rapport with the audience seal the deal. The show feels like catching up with an old friend – a hilarious one at that.

Check out the remaining tour dates below to catch Dalin Oliver in action performing STUCK IN DUBAI. Tickets can be purchased at www.dalinoliver.com.

2026 National Tour Dates

7–9 August: Hilton Arts Festival, KZN

14–16 August: Bitesize Festival, Riverside Studios, London (5 performances)

26–30 August: Stockholm Fringe, Sweden (performances on 27 and 28 August)

11 September: Kimberley

12 September: Bloemfontein

18 September: St Francis Bay

19 September: Knysna

20 September: Sedgefield

25–26 September: Paarl

3–4 October: Durban

14–18 October: Johannesburg

24 October: Strand

31 October: KuGompo City

6 November: Gqeberha

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