david@khaleejtimes.com Filed on May 16, 2021 As Christian Talbot once stated: “Words can’t express how much I hate World Emoji Day,” and this week I am equally tongue-tied at the extent I’ve missed live comics telling jokes on stage. For longer than I’d care to remember, the smell of the crowd and the roar of the greasepaint has eluded many, either through choice or reduced capacity resulting in tickets being sold out. However, as the Dubai Comedy Festival gathers pace this week, with a host of diverse shows being put on an almost every day until May 22, there’s no excuse not to get up for stand-up. Over the weekend we saw the return of the Laughter Factory at the Movenpick JBR to light the fuse on the wave of witticisms. Three comedians, one microphone and a socially-distanced room full of people; the recipe sounds so simple, though the effect was mesmeric. Perhaps down to the Agostino Zoida, George Zach and Ari Matti trio, or maybe the combination of solid routines and a communal laughter experience, the spectacle was a triumph and instigated a resolution to support more live gigs with my attendance.