Mona Khashoggi brings ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ to life on the London stage

Mona Khashoggi brings ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ to life on the London stage
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The family-friendly dance show was a vibrant reinterpretation of the legendary seafarer’s adventures, inspired by tales from “One Thousand and One Nights” and set in eighth-century Mesopotamia. (Supplied)
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Updated 16 July 2025
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Mona Khashoggi brings ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ to life on the London stage

Mona Khashoggi brings ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ to life on the London stage

DUBAI: Saudi writer and producer Mona Khashoggi’s latest production, “Sinbad the Sailor,” was staged on Tuesday at London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre, blending traditional Arab storytelling with contemporary performance. 

The family-friendly dance show was a vibrant reinterpretation of the legendary seafarer’s adventures, inspired by tales from “One Thousand and One Nights” and set in eighth-century Mesopotamia.




Khashoggi is a long-time advocate for reviving Arab arts through international collaborations. (Supplied)

The musical tells the story of Sinbad, who loses his fortune in a card game and goes on a journey to find new treasures. Along the way he faces sea monsters, wild adventures and magical caves. He meets a kind girl and together they find friendship, love and a way back home to Baghdad, where Sinbad inspires a young boy with his stories.

Khashoggi, a long-time advocate for reviving Arab arts through international collaborations, emphasized her decision to work with a global cast. “Because this is a dance show … I wanted the best ballet and contemporary dancers. My dancers are all professional from the Mathew Bourne school, English National Ballet and West End Musicals,” she told Arab News. 




Staging Sinbad in London is part of Khashoggi’s broader mission to spotlight Arab culture for international audiences. (Supplied)

“My lead Mark Samaras is in ‘Moulin Rouge.’ My creatives are from the West End with awards. I wanted to push the bar high and introduce an Arab story,” she added. “Mona Khash Productions is a British production. I always work and produce my shows in London before we tour internationally. London and the West End shows are the center and capital of theater in the world.”

Staging Sinbad in London is part of Khashoggi’s broader mission to spotlight Arab culture for international audiences. 




Traditional songs were gathered from Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria, with the audience enjoying original compositions by Emirati composer Ihab Darwish. (Supplied)

“My work and passion is to revive our culture and bring it to a wider audience and international audience. My shows are educational and cultural. The dance and costumes are inspired by stories from ‘1001 Nights,’ set in Mesopotamia in the 8th century, during the era of Haroun El-Rashid and Queen Zubaida,” she said. 

Traditional songs were gathered from Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria, with the audience enjoying original compositions by Emirati composer Ihab Darwish.

Director and choreographer Anjali Mehra, whose credits include “Jesus Christ Superstar” and "Lord of the Rings,” said: “The Middle East offers so many exciting social and celebratory dances.

“I was inspired by certain steps, foot rhythms, arm movements and stage patterns. With a mixed heritage cast, we were able to combine modern storytelling dance with classical technique and Arabic steps to bring ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ to life,” Mehra added.


Top trends for Fall/Winter 2025 

Top trends for Fall/Winter 2025 
Updated 22 August 2025
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Top trends for Fall/Winter 2025 

Top trends for Fall/Winter 2025 
  • From leopard skin to lace, here’s what you need in your wardrobe for the rest of the year 

Faux fur 

Elie Saab's designs. (Getty Images)

Designers from across the spectrum all seemed to agree that the big winter trend this year will be faux fur, whether in those classic symbols of luxury, fur coats, or in embellishments to jackets, bra tops, and even handbags. Elie Saab offered numerous examples in a Fall/Winter collection (pictured) that was, according to the label’s Instagram, “modern, feminine and tactile … high-altitude style for effortless living.” Elsewhere, brands including Valentino and Chloé combined it with another of the season’s major trends: boho fashion.  

Lace 

Bella Hadid walking for Saint Laurent. (Getty Images)

Vintage-inspired lace was prominent in the Fall/Winter collections of several major designers. For Saint Laurent, Bella Hadid (pictured) walked in this blue lace coordinated set with power shoulders (another Fall 2025 trend). Colored lace — especially green or yellow — was popular elsewhere too (Gucci even went neon), alongside the classic white or black. 

Browns 

Michael Kors. (Getty Images)

Staving off competition from purple and green, brown seems set to once again be the dominant color this coming season, continuing a streak that goes back over 18 months now. Michael Kors’ collection (pictured) featured this chocolate-brown sequined co-ord — a color Stella McCartney also used to great effect on a strapless gown. But browns of all shades and in all materials were ubiquitous on the Fall/Winter catwalks.  

Pencil skirts 

Gucci. (Getty Images)

Once a staple of women’s wardrobes, the mid-length fitted pencil skirt made a notable return on the F/W catwalks this year across all cities: in Calvin Klein’s minimalist collection, in Sarah Burton’s first collection for Givenchy, and in the pastel-hued co-ords of Fendi and Gucci (pictured). Many designers paired the skirt with oversized or flow-y tops — whether blouses or knitwear. 

Animal print 

Nina Ricci. (Getty Images) 

While the fashion press seems divided on exactly which animal print will be the hottest, there’s no debate that an animal print of some kind is a must-have for your Fall wardrobe. Leopard print has been a strong favorite for a while now — and was spotted (see?) on dresses, skirt suits, and accessories at numerous F/W shows. But zebra stripes — as used by Nina Ricci (pictured) — are also going to be big. 

Capes and drapes 

Balmain. (Getty Images)

Any self-respecting 2025 winter wardrobe is going to include outerwear that is either cape-inspired or an actual cape. Layering or draping was a feature of coats from Michael Kors and Calvin Klein to Altuzarra and Balmain (pictured). It’s a look that works for both casual and more-formal affairs — and a built-in hood is always welcome if you’re travelling to chillier climes over the winter months. 

Old-school tailoring 

Tom Ford. (Getty Images)

Power shoulders, frills, and trimming is all well and good, but sometimes all that’s needed to lift an outfit to ‘must-have’ status is great tailoring. Structured silhouettes were a major feature of Sarah Burton’s first Givenchy collection — creating that classic ‘hourglass figure’ look. Immaculate, if unflashier, cuts were also evident in the collections of Valentino and Tom Ford (pictured), whose suits will suit business meetings and social get-togethers equally well.  


Recipes for Success: Chef Saleh Aljabali offers advice and a matazeez recipe

Recipes for Success: Chef Saleh Aljabali offers advice and a matazeez recipe
Updated 22 August 2025
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Recipes for Success: Chef Saleh Aljabali offers advice and a matazeez recipe

Recipes for Success: Chef Saleh Aljabali offers advice and a matazeez recipe
  • The head chef of Najdi Signature Restaurant in Diriyah offers advice and a matazeez recipe 

DIRIYAH: For Chef Saleh Aljabali, his culinary passion was fired as early as kindergarten. “The earliest memory would be when I was three, four years,” he tells Arab News. “At the kindergarten, we were taught to make French toast. And I got excited about it. That was the spark.” 

From experimenting at home with family and friends to pursuing the craft alongside his engineering studies, he soon realized cooking was his calling. “This is my passion and this is what I prefer to do,” he says. 

Today, that passion has found its home at Najdi Signature Restaurant in Bab Samhan Hotel, a Luxury Collection Property in Diriyah. “It’s the first Najdi cuisine restaurant in a five-star hotel in the region, if not in the world,” Saleh explains. “The idea is to serve authentic Najdi dishes, presented with a modern twist.” 

When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made? 

Not trusting the ingredients enough. I would over-season and overcomplicate, or try to impress with too many techniques in one dish. But I learned that restraint is a skill in itself, and sometimes the best thing you can do is to let the ingredients speak for themselves. Another mistake was rushing the process — especially with traditional dishes that require time and patience. Najdi cuisine, for example, is all about slow cooking. You cannot rush it and expect authenticity. 

 What’s your top tip for amateur chefs? 

Taste as you go. It sounds simple, but it’s the most important habit — adjusting seasoning, acidity and texture throughout the process makes a huge difference. On a practical level, invest in a good knife and keep it sharp. It makes prep faster, safer and more enjoyable. 

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish and why? 

I’d choose lemon. A splash of acidity can brighten flavors, balance richness, and add complexity. It’s a game changer, for sure. 

When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food? Or are you able to switch off? 

I can’t really escape my invisible chef’s hat. Not necessarily for critiquing, just out of interest for what the presentation, taste and service is like. It’s automatic. 

What’s the most common issue you find in other restaurants? 

Inconsistent seasoning — either too bland or unevenly distributed. It’s a small thing, but it affects the entire experience.  

What’s your favorite cuisine to eat? 

I’m always drawn to street food, because of the simplicity of it. Especially when I’m traveling. There’s something incredibly touching about the food and the people and how they interpret themselves through the food. Everybody is intentional about the balance and the flavor. It’s inspiring. 

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?  

A grilled chicken sandwich with fresh rustic bread. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, garlic, a touch of cumin, a squeeze of lemon juice… that’s it. I recommend avocado with it too. And crisp lettuce, tomato, and chili mayo.  

What customer behavior most frustrates you?  

When guests ask for major changes to a dish without understanding the idea behind it. Like, removing key ingredients that actually define the dish and its purpose. 

What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right? 

Gursan, a traditional Najdi dish made of a thin wheat bread soaked in rich vegetable and meat stock — sometimes tomato sauce as well — is tricky. The difficulty lies in getting the texture right, because the bread must absorb the broth and the flavors without becoming too soggy. It’s a delicate balance which depends on timing, temperature and the consistency of the sauce. Because it’s such a beloved dish with deep cultural roots, there’s a lots of pressure in getting it right and honoring its authenticity while presenting it in a refined way. It’s a dish that demands respect, patience and precision. 

As a head chef, what are you like? Are you a disciplinarian, or are you more laid back? 

Sometimes I’m actually too friendly. That’s not always a good thing, but I believe and leading with respect and consistency.  A kitchen is a high-pressure environment, for sure, but that doesn’t mean it has to be hostile. I’m not someone who shouts often. I mean, when firmness is needed, then it’s needed, but it’s not a style of leading. I prefer to communicate clearly, set high standards and support my team in reaching them. I always remind my team we’re not just cooking, we’re creating an experience. That requires passion, precision and, most definitely, teamwork. 

Chef Saleh’s pigeon-stuffed matazeez with seasonal vegetables 

INGREDIENTS: 

3 tomatoes; 2 carrots; 1 pumpkin; 2 zucchini; 3 onions; afilla cress, 1 bunch; 1 whole pigeon; 50g truffle; 500g whole wheat flour; 100g ghee; 1tbsp bizar seasoning; 3 bay leaves; 5 pieces of cardamom; 5 black pepper corns; 1tbsp lomi powder; tap water (as needed) 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. In a pot Sautee 1 pc. of onion with whole pigeon, cardamom and bay leaves. 

2. Add a cup of water and let it simmer for 1 hour 

3. In a mixing bowl add the flour, salt, water and mix the dough. 

4. Rest it for half an hour, then sheet it and cut it with 2-inch ring cutter and keep it covered in the chiller. 

5. Strain the pigeon, keep the sock on the side and pull the meat of the pigeon. 

6. Cut carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, local truffle, the rest of the onions, and the tomato. 

7. Sautee onion, tomato then add bizar spices, strained stock and let it cook. 

8. In a small pan add the ghee and chopped onion and cook it slowly then add Bizar spices and Lomi powder for the kishna. 

9. Fill the pigeon meat inside the dough and shape it as per the picture. 

10. Boil matazeez in the stock along with the vegetables. 

11. Arrange it in the plate as round shape 5 pcs of matazeez then add the vegetables and kishna in between. 

12. Reduce and strain the stock and add in a sauce bowl.  

13. Garnish the plate with some Affilla cress. 


Highlights from ‘Wavering Hope’ at Dubai’s Ayyam Gallery

Highlights from ‘Wavering Hope’ at Dubai’s Ayyam Gallery
Updated 22 August 2025
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Highlights from ‘Wavering Hope’ at Dubai’s Ayyam Gallery

Highlights from ‘Wavering Hope’ at Dubai’s Ayyam Gallery
  • Here are three highlights from the group exhibition ‘Wavering Hope’ at Dubai’s Ayyam Gallery running until Sept. 5

Othman Moussa 

‘The Terror Group’ 

The Damascus-based Syrian artist is known for his realist still-life paintings. As the Syrian conflict began over a decade ago, its impact began to materialize in Moussa’s works, such as this one — “turning everyday objects into subjects of war,” the gallery’s website states. “Something as simple as food is now transformed into a weapon, reflecting the presence of violence in the most minor details of life.” 

Yasmine Al-Awa  

‘Dirty Laundry’ 

The UAE-based Syrian artist’s most recent body of work, including this piece, created this year, “shifts focus from the human figure to the realm of inanimate objects and interiors, inspired by memories from her early life in Syria and recent visits to her homeland,” the gallery says. “Drawing on the notion of fragmented memory, Al Awa brings everyday objects into the forefront of her work, transforming them into reflections of identity and longing.” 

Tammam Azzam 

‘Bon Voyage: New York’ 

Azzam’s “Bon Voyage” series is partly inspired by Pixar’s 2009 film “Up,” in which a widower ties balloons to his home and floats away. Instead of a quintessential US suburban home, Azzam uses a devastated Syrian apartment block, set against famous landmarks. “This image is about the evil and imbalance in our world,” Azzam told Arab News in 2021. “Every life is important, whether American or Syrian, and it’s right that 9/11 is commemorated, but who is commemorating the Syrian casualties?” 


Where We Are Going Today: Chinwa in Riyadh

Where We Are Going Today: Chinwa in Riyadh
Updated 22 August 2025
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Where We Are Going Today: Chinwa in Riyadh

Where We Are Going Today: Chinwa in Riyadh

Chinwa is a Chinese restaurant in Riyadh which delivers a mix of authentic, aromatic, and sometimes challenging flavors. The undisputed star is the kimchi — a fiery, fermented, punchy delight bursting with complex tang and lingering heat, showcasing masterful balance.

Among the mains, the volcano spicy karaage chicken offers immediate satisfying, umami-rich comfort. The savory, creamy, slightly unctuous broth envelopes tender noodles and crisp veg, and is topped with a soft-boiled egg.

The chicken’s initial crispy, golden coating is irresistible, but the steamy container transforms it into soggy, spongy pieces far too quickly. It is a dish demanding immediate consumption.

The crab roll is a refreshing, light triumph. Its translucent rice paper reveals vibrant fillings: cool cucumber, lusciously sweet mango, mild crab sticks, and crisp lettuce. Dipped in the nutty, slightly sweet peanut sauce, it offers a texturally playful, bright, balanced bite.

The shrimp dumplings are similarly excellent — delicate, thin-skinned steamed parcels revealing plump, succulent, fresh shrimp enhanced by aromatic, well-spiced flavors. Each bite confirms a skilled hand with dim sum.

The main letdown is the black pepper beef. While the glossy, sweet-savory sauce and fragrant peppers hold promise, the beef itself is unpleasantly chewy, gristly, and overly fatty, lacking any redeeming tenderness.

For night cravings, Chinwa offers vibrant highs like the robust kimchi, bright crab rolls, and succulent dumplings. The flavorful karaage chicken suffers from a decline in texture en route, and skip the tough beef. Focus on fresh, well-executed starters and dumplings for reliable satisfaction and save broth dishes for dine-in freshness.

 

 


Middle Eastern art takes center stage in Sotheby’s London exhibition

Middle Eastern art takes center stage in Sotheby’s London exhibition
Updated 21 August 2025
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Middle Eastern art takes center stage in Sotheby’s London exhibition

Middle Eastern art takes center stage in Sotheby’s London exhibition

DUBAI: Highlights from Sotheby’s exhibition of highlights from its upcoming Modern & Contemporary Middle East and Arts of the Islamic World & India auctions.

Abdulhalim Radwi 

‘Untitled (Desert Scene)’ 

The late Abdulhalim Radwi is one of the most significant Saudi artists of all time. He studied in Italy in the 1960s and his work has drawn comparisons to that of the great French impressionist Paul Cézanne and the Dutch master Vincent Van Gogh. “Radwi’s ability to merge popular culture and sentiments with newly acquired artistic techniques serves as a precursor to contemporary Saudi art today,” an old Sotheby’s catalogue states. At first, however, his style was met with confusion in his homeland, where local artistic sensibilities “very much remained grounded in more realistic artistic renderings.” Discussing his first local exhibition in 1964, Radwi said: “My works were shot down in exoticism, irony and surprise, while the people’s visual imagination in that era was held by representation and copying from reality.” The Sotheby’s catalogue continues: “He was driven by the conviction that art has a cerebral function in an environment that considered it as ornamental. According to Radwi, the very essence of a piece lies not in its physicality but in the emotions it triggers.” This piece — a mix of oil paint and sand on canvas — was created in 1975, and is expected to fetch between £40,000 and £60,000 (SAR 203k-305k) in October’s auction.  

 

Ahmed Mater 

‘X-ray Painting 5’ 

This work from arguably Saudi Arabia’s most important contemporary artist comes from the series that established him as a pioneer of the Kingdom’s art scene back in 2004, when he was featured alongside Abdulnasser Gharem and Sahraf Fayadh in a Jeddah exhibition. It combines his two occupations: medicine and art. “In these works, the first synthesis of art and science, faith and medicine can be seen,” Mater writes on his website.  

“Ahmed Mater demonstrates the very special ability to speak in a universal voice but from a personal perspective,” Linda Komaroff of the LA Country Museum of Art wrote in a 2010 essay in which she also noted of the artist’s “X-ray” series: “What could be more intimate and personal than literally to see inside another individual? … The skeletal images suggest some elemental form of humanity, stripped of the skin, hair, eyes, and clothes that differentiate as well as separate us.” 

 

Paul Guiragossian 

‘Portefaix en Chomage’ 

This depiction of unemployed porters is typical of the acclaimed Jerusalem-born Lebanese-Armenian artist’s work, in terms of both subject matter and style. “Guiragossian was primarily a painter of clustered people: elongated figures, huddled close together, hunched or squatting. They crowd the canvas, never over-spilling its edges. Togetherness usually feels threatened, somehow, but also a spell that might ward against loss,” the art writer and curator Sam Thorne wrote in 2014. Speaking to Selections, the art website, in 2019, one of Guiragossian’s daughters said: “He would say he was like a reporter of his environment. When he was unemployed, he painted the street porters who were unemployed and hungry. When he got married … (and) had children, he painted families. I would say his objective in the early stages was portraying marginalized people based on his own life.” 

 

Fahrelnissa Zeid 

‘Untitled (Flowers)’ 

Zeid was an extraordinary artist who lived an extraordinary life, which included seeing her brother convicted of the murder of their father, marrying an Iraqi prince, and becoming the first woman to have a solo exhibition at London’s Institute for Contemporary Arts (in 1954). “Her practice underwent transformations ranging from a figurative expressionism to the abstract sublime,” an old Sotheby’s catalogue states. “Untitled (Flowers)” dates from the late 1940s, a time when Zeid’s artistic style was in the midst of that transition from figurative artwork to a more complex abstraction, and bridges those two worlds. It is expected to fetch between £40,000 and £60,000 at auction.     

 

Hassan Hajjaj 

‘BB Stance’ 

This work from 2000 is a classic example of the Moroccan filmmaker, designer and photographer’s signature style — vibrant colors, stylized poses, and a border of that puts a twist on Andy Warhol’s “Campbell’s Soup Cans” by using products local to the Moroccan market (in this case, beef mortadella). “His frames are at once a nod to the twentieth-century avant garde concept of the readymade, as well as to his childhood in Morocco, where recycling was an everyday part of his life,” an entry on Sotheby’s website reads. “Hajjaj’s inclination to such materials is prompted by their immediacy and multifaced nature; in another act of recovery, the repeated patterns also make reference to Moroccan zellige tiles.” This particular image also references another of Hajjaj’s major influences — hip-hop. 

 

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian  

‘A Drawing (Variations on a Hexagram)’ 

Arguably Iran’s best-known female artist, Farmanfarmaian crafted her own definitive style over the course of her six-decade career, mixing classical Iranian culture and Islamic geometry with avant garde ideas often inspired by her time in New York in the 1940s and 1950s — and again in the Seventies and Eighties. She is perhaps most well-known for her mirror mosaics, but drawings such as this one clearly show her fascination with geometry and the principles of Islamic art, which was the cornerstone of those famed mosaics.