Wael Shawky’s Drama 1882 makes its Australian premiere at @mca_austrailia, Sydney — on view 5 March through 29 June 2026.
First presented at the Egyptian Pavilion of the 2024 Venice Biennale, where it drew hours-long queues and international acclaim, this operatic film installation reimagines the Urabi Revolution (1879–1882) — a populist uprising against British imperial influence — through music, choreography and theatre. Filmed in a historic theatre in Alexandria and performed entirely in classical Arabic, the 45-minute work brings together over 150 Egyptian performers across meticulously crafted scenes of colour, movement and spectacle.
Directed, choreographed and composed by Shawky, Drama 1882 blends fact, speculation and fiction to offer new perspectives on a defining episode in Egypt‘s history. At the MCA, the artist has conceived an immersive installation evoking the atmosphere of a 19th-century Alexandrian café, accompanied by a public program of talks, performances and events.
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney
5 March – 29 June 2026
The Biennale of Sydney × Live at the MCA: Live at the MCA: Sham El-Neseem | A Night with Egyptian Australian performers, Thursday 2 April at 6 – 9 pm
