Cinderella Pantomime at Dubai's Mall of Emirates: Dates and tickets

In the fairy tale, the magic runs out at midnight. In Dubai this year, it runs out on Christmas Eve.

From Saturday 5 to Thursday 24 December, Cinderella takes over New Covent Garden Theatre at Mall of the Emirates. It's a full musical pantomime brought to the city by Live Nation Middle East, New Covent Garden Theatre and Patter Productions. That gives families just under three weeks to catch the glass slipper before the clock strikes twelve and the season is gone.

The story is a tale as old as time: A young woman stuck among the cinders dreams of something more, meets her Prince Charming and finds that courage and kindness, plus a bit of theatrical magic, can change everything. This promises to be loud, silly and musical, and it's built for audiences who are willing to join in. Children get to be part of the show instead of sitting quietly in their seats, and adults get the jokes that go over the children's heads..December in the UAE can feel festive in its own sunny way, but some traditions are hard to recreate far from home. A trip to the panto is one of the easier ones to keep, and for families new to the genre it's a fun first introduction.

The practical bitsThe show runs for two hours, including an interval, so it's a manageable length for younger children. Doors open 30 minutes before curtain up, which leaves time for snacks and settling in.

Tickets start from Dh150 and are available through Platinumlist. A buy now, pay later option lets you split the cost into three interest-free payments, which helps when you're booking for the whole family.

For the best seats, book early. December weekends tend to sell out first.