The UAE theatre community has mourned the passing of veteran actor and educator Eric Richard Dury, also known as Roslee Abdullah, a much-loved and highly respected figure in the country’s performing arts community.
A former professor at the University of Sharjah and Zayed University, Eric combined a distinguished career in education with a lifelong passion for performance. For more than 25 years in the UAE, he was a familiar presence on local stages and an enthusiastic supporter of the artists, companies and venues that helped shape the country’s independent theatre scene.
Eric’s theatrical life began long before his arrival in the Emirates. He spent many years in Malaysia, where he was active in amateur theatre while also undertaking television and semi-professional stage work. His performing career also took him to festivals in Edinburgh, Singapore and Perth.
After moving to the UAE in 1999, Eric became deeply involved in the local theatre community, principally with Dubai Drama Group (DDG). Among his many roles were Dr Chasuble in The Importance of Being Earnest, Max in Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming, the Player in Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, and Polonius, the Player and the Gravedigger in Hamlet: 5 Acts, 5 Actors. He also appeared as the Father of the Bride in Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite and Fleshcreep in Jack & the Beanstalk, all with Dubai Drama Group.
His work with other UAE theatre companies included Count De Guiche in Raw Theatre’s Cyrano de Bergerac, the Arms Dealer in Danú Dubai Theatre’s The Al-Hamlet Summit, Steve in the highly acclaimed locally written Tall Tales production Just Like That, and the Father in Bark at a Crow Productions’ online production of Ashputtel.
Association with Short+Sweet Dubai
Eric also developed a particularly strong association with Short+Sweet Dubai. He performed in the festival from 2014 to 2017 before returning as a judge in 2018 and 2019 and most recently 2026. In 2016, his performance as Mr Hollins in New Year’s Eve earned him the Short+Sweet Best Actor Award, and the following year he was runner-up for Best Actor for his performance as Eddie in The Coming Out.
His contribution to UAE theatre went far beyond the roles he played. Eric was part of the fabric of the community: an actor who continued to perform across decades, an educator who shared his knowledge with generations of students, and a committed supporter of theatre and the people who make it.
In 2025, Eric was honoured with the UAE Theatre Awards Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating a remarkable theatrical life spanning numerous countries and decades.
For the many people who shared a stage, rehearsal room, classroom or theatre foyer with him, however, Eric will be remembered for far more than his extensive list of credits and awards. He was a distinctive and unforgettable personality, a passionate theatre-maker and a generous presence within a community to which he devoted so much of his life.
Eric Dury was one of a kind. His passing leaves a significant void in UAE theatre, and he will be very sadly missed.
“Our deepest condolences go to Eric’s family, friends, former students and colleagues, and to the many actors, directors and theatre-makers who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. Eric is survived by his wife Shereen and daughter Tash.”
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
