The glamour & danger of Cairo’s 1920s nightlife scene

During its heyday in the roaring 20s, Cairo’s nightlife district was the place to go for a world-class night out – from glitzy variety shows in smoky clubs to Arabic operas performed to adoring audiences. Raphael Cormack, the author of Midnight in Cairo: The Female Stars of Egypt’s Roaring ‘20s, discusses this glamorous scene and some of the enterprising women who dominated it.

Raphael Cormack is the author of Midnight in Cairo: The Female Stars of Egypt’s Roaring ‘20s (Saqi, 2021)