NEXT CABARET
CABARET: The Dancing Djinn - Pride Edition
Monday, August 4, 2026 · Cabaret Lion d'Or, Montréal
SHOW DESCRIPTION
A Lebanese & Queer MUSICAL THEATRE Cabaret, reminiscent of the classic Parisian 1920's cabarets.
Presented in English by Lebanese drag artists Nikotine (live vocalist) and Samara (bellydancer), with music in English and Arabic.
As Nikotine sets out into the desert, the DJINN in her lamp breaks free and seduces her: Samara - the exiled Queen of Queerabia. Full of secrets, she whispers legends of Queerabia and leads Nikotine to an oasis far away.
An anti-colonial Aladdin, The Dancing Djinn fuses original live music (Arabic and English), dramatic monologues, comedy, crowd participation, and Baladi dance (bellydance, jazz, burlesque) in a dazzling two-person extravaganza.
At its heart: the secret legacy of the Mukhannathun - the gender-nonconforming performers who held celebrated roles in medieval Arab and Andalusian courts before being erased by colonialism and religious repression.
"We wanted to tell the story truly how it is. What we lived through, inspired by the past, that was wiped out by colonialism, crusaders, religion and politics."
The show has sold out venues across Canada since its January 2025 debut, attracting audiences from around the country. All profits from every performance are donated to displaced families in Beirut and humanitarian relief in Gaza.
LENGTH: 1.5 HOURS (20 min intermission)
GENRE: Cabaret, musical theatre, drag, live music, baladi (bellydance), comedy/drama
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.thedancingdjinn.com
VIDEO GALLERY
Lamma Bada Yatathanna · لمّا بدا يتثنّى
One of the oldest surviving songs in the Arabic musical canon - a 13th-century Andalusian muwashshah from the courts where the Mukhannathun performed. In Nikotine and Samara's hands, it becomes a reclamation: ancient, queer, and entirely alive.
Live from Toronto, 2025.
SWAY
Michael Bublé sang it in a tuxedo. Nikotine sings it to Samara, who makes her bend like a flower in the breeze.
Live from Montreal, 2026.
Can't Take My Eyes Off You
The Frankie Valli classic - reimagined in Arabic and English on a Canadian stage. Beirut.com described the performance as giving the song "a completely new life" after going viral.
Live from Toronto, 2026.
PAST SHOWS
The Dancing Djinn has sold out multiple venues across Canada.
February 2026, Cabaret Lion d'Or - Montréal, QC
September 2025 - Lula Lounge - Toronto, ON
August 2025 - Café Cléopâtre - Montréal, QC
January 2025 - Kawalees - Montréal, QC
BOOKING
For THE DANCING DJINN bookings and performance enquiries:
thedancingdjinn@gmail.com
For NIKOTINE bookings and performance enquiries:
nikotinemusiccontact@gmail.com