Hickson Road Stars for Sydney Festival
The high-energy adrenalin of a film set came to Hickson Road on Saturday night with Sydney Festival’s presentation of Effectos Especiales.
The Festival’s 2026 program made a stunning launch with a range of international works at the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, including the colourful Korean dance piece Post-Orientalist Express and Argentina’s Effectos Especiales.
Walsh Bay Arts Precinct is known for producing great art, theatre, dance and music – and now we can add live movies to that list. Hundreds of Festival-goers enjoyed the streetscape as never before. Audiences were left buzzing after becoming part of the action, helping create a series of three short movies, each filmed in one shot along the length of the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct.
With the camera mounted on dolly tracks and a cracking soundtrack of music on the loudspeakers (including The Ramones and Depeche Mode), audiences ran, skipped, grooved and, if they chose, lay down for a short stint in the middle of Hickson Road with familiar landmarks in the background.
Director Alejo Moguillansky and choreographer Luciana Acuña gave instructions with a megaphone and the unique, real-time cinematic dance sequence was captured in three separate takes. For each take, an alternative dancer led the crowd through a series of obstacles including fireworks, rain (from a giant hose) and even ‘snow’. Each dancer brought their own memorable and at times explosive interpretation of being chased by unknown forces through a city street.
The crowd experienced a heady adrenaline rush as they pursued the dancer along the street and at the end of filming, watched the end-product as a triptych on large outdoor screens. Part of the fun was spotting yourself on screen and observing how your fellow ‘performers’ reacted, some flaunting their moves, others disobeying the instruction to avoid looking at the camera.
The event, part of Sydney Festival’s Live On Hickson Road activation, showcased the precinct in an exciting light. Sydney Theatre Company’s recently-opened Folio Bar opened a bistro-style street dining area directly outside its Rosyln Packer Theatre home. DJs kept the mood buoyant and guests enjoyed a range of food and drinks on offer, with balmy weather enhancing the vibe.
As night fell, Hickson Road became a space for congregation, celebration and joyous communal spirit.
Sydney Festival Director Kris Nelson said “Live on Hickson Road: Efectos Espeicales showed just how vibrant Walsh Bay can be. It was a thrill to bring artists and audiences together for this daring performance where Sydneysiders witnessed and participated in the filming of an action movie, chasing the action down the street, dancing under rain truck and crawling in the 'snow.' This celebration of dance, filmmaking and community was one for the books. We came together for our opening weekend, bringing our harbourfront hub at Walsh Bay to life, creating a space full of energy and community."
After acclaimed seasons in Santiago, Valencia and Cádiz, this free, large-scale performance was a brilliant way to start the Sydney Festival’s 2026 season.
Story by Pip Sprott. Article updated 20 January 2026.
About Sydney Festival
Sydney Festival runs 8-25 January 2026. With over 75 free and ticketed events across the city, there’s something for everyone.
Visit https://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/ to plan your festival.