Khalid Abdalla brings 'anti-biography' Nowhere about grief and the Arab Spring to Sydney Festival
Khalid Abdalla is keenly aware of the charged political climate he's stepping into. As an Egyptian-British actor and activist, he's in Sydney, Australia, a city still reeling from the traumatic Bondi Beach terrorist attack that claimed 15 lives. This attack, which occurred in December, has left an indelible mark on the community.
Abdalla's arrival coincides with another contentious issue in the arts community. The dis-invitation of Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from Adelaide Writers' Week (AWW) by the Adelaide Festival board has sparked a censorship controversy. This decision led to a cascade of events, including the withdrawal of over 180 participants, the resignation of the board and festival director Louise Adler, and ultimately, the cancellation of the 2026 AWW event.
Abdalla's performance of his one-man show, 'Nowhere,' at the Sydney Festival, is a poignant exploration of grief and the Arab Spring. The show combines deeply personal storytelling about the death of his friend, artist, and activist Aalam Wassef, with his experiences on the front lines of the Arab Spring in Egypt. It also incorporates song, dance, and social history, creating a 90-minute journey that is both tender and confronting.
The show has already sparked meaningful conversations with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, from those directly impacted by the Bondi attack to pro-Palestine activists and First Nations peoples. Abdalla's performance has resonated with audiences who carry intergenerational traumas, including descendants of Holocaust survivors and Palestinians who have recently left Gaza.
Abdalla invites everyone to bring their traumas and complex histories into the shared space of the theater, emphasizing the collective need to process and articulate the feelings and interpretations of the unfolding genocide in Palestine.
'Nowhere' is a gesture of healing or an invitation towards it, according to Abdalla. The show is a testament to his personal journey, which began with self-doubt and a sense of lost possibility during the Egyptian Crisis in 2014. The election of General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as president, a year after he led a military coup against Mohamed Morsi, further deepened Abdalla's sense of disillusionment.
Two years later, Abdalla moved back to London after the Brexit vote. It was in 2020 that the rise of the far-right, the pandemic, and the murder of George Floyd compelled him to start writing, initially to make sense of his experiences in Egypt.
The story he was telling changed when Wassef was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2022. The play became a portrait of grief not only for the horrors of the world, past and present, but also for the loss of his friend, who died in February 2023. Abdalla's writing process was deeply intertwined with Wassef's passing, challenging his own approach to life and activism.
Wassef encouraged Abdalla to find joy and humor in life, even in the face of adversity. In 'Nowhere,' Abdalla dances to 'The Rhythm of the Night' alongside a video of his younger self, Wassef, and friends in his hospital room. He also switches his accent from polished English to rough Scottish, eliciting shocked laughter from the audience.
These moments provide a welcome release from the intensity of the play, which addresses heavy topics like colonization in Egypt and Australia, the death toll in Gaza, and the arrests of his grandfather, father, Wassef, and himself. Abdalla's use of humor and audience participation, such as drawing self-portraits, helps to ease tension and create a safe space for difficult conversations.
The release of tension through humor is as important for Abdalla as a performer as it is for the audience. He believes that laughter allows people to explore their grief more deeply and feel safe in their emotions. However, Abdalla is still learning how to live in the present, as Wassef did, despite the challenges and uncertainties of the world.
'Nowhere' is currently playing at the Roslyn Packer Theatre as part of the Sydney Festival until January 17th.
