Wael Shawky

Wael Shawky is an Egyptian playwright, filmmaker, composer, and artist known for his use of puppetry.

Why puppets? To Shawky, they bring a sense of childlike wonder to potentially bleak stories, from lengthy historical epics to fresh contemporary anecdotes.

As a result, Shawky has staged several, puppeteered recreations of these stories. He does so with a deliberate focus on spirituality, Arab identity, and fable-like storytelling techniques. His most famous subject is the First Crusade (1095-1099), a set of religious wars initiated by the Roman Catholic Church against Muslim-controlled Jerusalem, whereupon he draws from Arab historians’ accounts. These accounts are often overlooked.

Shawky is not limited to puppetry nor medieval past, and he consistently keeps Arab identity at the forefront of his work. He has written, choreographed, and directed a musical surrounding the Urabi revolution, conducted research for a documentary of oil production in the Persian gulf, and premiered theatrical installations performed in the Arabic language. Like a journalist, he has also interviewed children and “cast” them in his works—getting critical thoughts on their changing world.

Learn More

• Instagram
• Artist Biography: Lisson Gallery
• Artist Biography: Tate Modern
• Visiting Artist Lecture
• Creating Cabaret Crusades (2012)
• FOCUS Video: Museum of Fort Worth
• Interview: Talbot Rice Gallery (2025)
• Interview: “Wael Shawky Aims to Kill Drama in His Art”
• Article: Bidoun Journal

Selected Works

• The Cabaret Crusades (2010-2015): Considered Shawky’s masterpiece of puppetry, this film trilogy depicts the frightening influence of European invasion upon religion, politics, and identity in Muslim-dominated Jerusalem. The film blends frequent humor, naivety, and violence as a “history lesson for children”.
• In the Sound of Muzdalifah (2023): Shawky recreates his journey to the Hajj and the experience of being in Muzdalifah, a site on the holy route to Mecca.
• Drama 1882 (2024): This film installation is an 8-part opera sung entirely in classical Arabic. While it depicts Egypt’s revolt against British imperialism with entertaining, expressionist sets, it also provides a potent commentary on war, drama, and historic counter-narratives.

Museum Walkthrough: Watch a clip of Cabaret Crusades: The Horror Show Files, the first film of the series, through the curator’s camera!

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Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think Shawky uses puppets in his works? In other words, what is the importance of the puppets, and how do they suit his intended audience?
2. What does Shawky’s focus on Arab identity, as seen in his depictions of The Crusades, say about current historical narratives?
   • What are they missing?
   • What do they gain from Shawky’s contributions?
3. Is it important to create “counter-narratives” of history to counter old ones? Why or why not? How do you see them play out in everyday life?

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