Some things in Dubai have changed beyond recognition over the past 30 years. The Laughter Factory, thankfully, has remained very good at one thing: putting brilliant comedians in front of a live audience. When the club staged its first comedy night at the Hyatt Regency Deira, professional stand-up was still something of a novelty in the Middle East. Fast- forward 30 years and comedy is firmly part of the region's entertainment scene — with The Laughter Factory still packing out rooms across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. And if you've been going to Laughter Factory shows over the years, you'll know the appeal. It's not just about watching a comedian perform. It's the atmosphere of a proper comedy night: a room full of people laughing together, comedians feeding off the audience and the occasional moment that could never have happened anywhere other than live. Over the years, the club has brought an extraordinary roll call of comedians to the Gulf, from Russell Peters, Vir Das and Kevin Bridges to Michael McIntyre, Jason Manford, Micky Flanagan, Frankie Boyle, Jack Whitehall and Dara Ó Briain. Some arrived already well known. Others were on their way up. The common denominator was simple: they were comedians worth seeing. That remains the case today.