An unexpected travel disaster, a little encouragement from his wife and a whole lot of South African humour have turned comedian Dalin Oliver’s Stuck in Dubai into an international award-winning production. Now, he’s bringing the story to Gqeberha.
By ELEANOR DOUGLAS-MEYERS
There are probably easier ways to develop an award-winning comedy show than getting stranded in a foreign country, but for South African comedian Dalin Oliver, an experience he’d rather not repeat has become one of the biggest highlights of his career.
Fresh from earning an Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda, winning Best Comedy Show at London’s Bitesize Festival and receiving a Best Comedy Show nomination at Stockholm Fringe Festival, Oliver is bringing Stuck in Dubai to Centrestage@Baywest in Gqeberha on Friday, 6 November 2026.
The show forms part of his biggest national tour to date, but behind the international recognition is a rather unexpected story involving travel chaos, uncertainty and a wife who recognised the potential for comedy long before her husband did.
Sometimes your wife knows best
Speaking to 041Online ahead of his Gqeberha performance, Oliver revealed that turning his Dubai experience into a comedy show was the furthest thing from his mind while he was actually living through it.
Between 28 February and 4 March, his attention was firmly on getting out of the country safely, making it to the Adelaide Fringe Festival and eventually returning home.
It was only in May that his wife, singer Maxine Oliver, suggested he turn the ordeal into a production. Initially hesitant about whether he had enough material, he eventually took her advice, and Stuck in Dubai was born.
“There’s something about having your partner believe in you that makes you feel like you can do anything,” he told 041Online, joking that in South Africa, that kind of confidence could even convince someone to apply for a job they’re not qualified for and end up as the Minister of Arts and Culture.
The resulting production has resonated with audiences far beyond South Africa, something Oliver attributes to the universal experiences woven into what initially appears to be a very personal story.
Although being stranded overseas isn’t something everyone can relate to, uncertainty, unexpected setbacks and the feeling of having absolutely no control over a situation certainly are.
For Oliver, the international recognition means more than adding awards to his collection. He sees it as another reminder that South African and African stories have a place on the world’s stages.
From the classroom to the comedy stage
Interestingly, Oliver’s original career path had very little to do with comedy. After studying Politics and History at the University of Cape Town, followed by postgraduate qualifications in History and Education, he qualified as a high school Mathematics and History teacher.
His mother, herself a longtime teacher, had encouraged the profession, highlighting the school holidays and opportunities for sports tours as particularly attractive benefits.
Comedy, however, had other plans.
Oliver remembers sitting down to study for university examinations when he found himself writing random comedic observations instead. The following morning, he announced to his parents that he wanted to become a comedian.
Their response was considerably less enthusiastic than he might have hoped: “Go study and do your work!”
After graduating, he asked his parents for two years to pursue comedy while continuing to work and play cricket. His first stand-up performance followed on 26 November 2010, and by the time he attended the National Arts Festival with Kurt Schoonraad in 2013, he knew he had found his calling.
Although he spent only a few months teaching, his educational background has proved surprisingly useful in an industry where independent performers often find themselves juggling the responsibilities of producer, writer, financial adviser, travel coordinator and marketing manager.
And despite the awards and international performances, Oliver admits there’s another activity he’s recently become rather enthusiastic about: Pilates.
He jokes that his newfound interest in stretching and looking after his “boop”, his affectionate name for his dad-bod tummy, makes him sound like a 60-year-old uncle.
Making South African humour travel
Having performed in 11 countries and more than 26 international cities, Oliver has learnt that a joke that brings the house down in Cape Town might not receive quite the same response in London, Stockholm or even another South African city.
Rather than seeing those moments as failures, he considers them part of developing his craft.
Every audience comes with different cultural, religious and social influences, and understanding those differences has helped him become a more adaptable performer.
He also believes growing up in South Africa, with its extraordinary mix of cultures, communities and languages, provides a particularly valuable foundation for connecting with people around the world.
While international audiences may not always be familiar with South African references, the human experiences behind the jokes are often remarkably similar.
For someone who doesn’t consider himself to have a massive online following, arriving in an unfamiliar city and convincing strangers to spend an evening watching his show remains one of the most rewarding aspects of his career.
The dream isn’t necessarily fame
For all his professional achievements, Oliver’s ambitions are refreshingly grounded.
Married to Maxine for three years, he says much of his focus is on building a meaningful life together, growing their family in the future and continuing to make a living from the creative work they love.
He also hopes to become more involved in initiatives supporting young people through education, sport and the arts, having previously spent approximately a decade coaching cricket at St Augustine’s Cricket Club.
His ultimate measure of success isn’t a particular award, television appearance or financial milestone, but the opportunity to continue performing, support his family and feel fulfilled by his work.
Of course, he adds, should a billionaire happen to be listening and feel like funding his future community projects, he’s more than happy to get started tomorrow.
Gqeberha, prepare for a true story
As for what local audiences can expect from Stuck in Dubai, Oliver promises a proudly South African production with enough unexpected twists to leave audiences questioning whether everything they’re hearing could possibly be true.
The answer, he insists, is yes.
He’s also particularly excited about returning to Gqeberha, a city where he says audiences have consistently shown him love and support.
With its blend of travel misadventures, relatable observations and the kind of storytelling that has already earned recognition across three countries, Stuck in Dubai offers local comedy lovers the opportunity to experience one of Oliver’s most successful productions yet.
And perhaps the next time life throws him an unexpected disaster, he’ll be a little quicker to recognise the potential for a good punchline.
Event details
Show: Dalin Oliver – Stuck in Dubai
Date: Friday, 6 November 2026
Venue: Centrestage@Baywest, Gqeberha
Tickets: From R180
Bookings: Quicket – Stuck in Dubai
For more information, visit dalinoliver.com.
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