1884

An anticolonial game-theatre show

Welcome to Wilhelm Street. Make yourself at home...

As you settle in with your new family, you won’t only pick out furniture – you’ll forge new traditions and memories that you hope will last a lifetime. Somewhere nearby, though, there’s a meeting going on. A very important meeting. Run by very important people. Making very important decisions about your lives. But you and your family are not allowed inside…

About the show

1884 is an immersive game-theatre show inspired by the legacy of the 1884 Berlin Conference, an often-overlooked historical turning point for the African continent and the world. It was created by Rhianna Ilube and Coney, in collaboration with a group of artists, historians, activists and game-makers.

‍1884 isn’t a history lesson – it’s a fun, fast-paced, and thought-provoking journey where play and protest meet. ‍Over the course of two and a half hours, you’ll join with friends and strangers to form small family groups, collaborating on playful activities and making choices to build your community and make your house a home. But when rules begin to be imposed, it’s up to you how to respond…

The show explores colonial legacies, collective memory, and what it means to be part of the story… or pushed out of it.

Touring dates

1884 premiered at Shoreditch Town Hall and Brighton Festival in April-May 2024 and will tour in autumn 2025.
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- 9 & 10 October 2025 - Manchester - HOME: TICKETS

- 14 & 15 October 2025 - Coventry - Warwick Arts Centre: TICKETS

- 16-18 October 2025 - Norwich - Carrow House as part of Norwich Theatre Beyond: TICKETS

- 22-25 October 2025 - London - Wellcome Collection: tickets on sale on 11 September: INFO

- 27-30 November 2025 - Athens - MIR Festival: Venue to be announced in August

‍★ ★ ★ ★
‘Fun, clever and beautifully crafted, this interactive show is a biting satire on the Scramble for Africa’ Time Out

★★★★
‘The most unique piece of theatre I have ever seen’ Arts Dispatch

★★★★★
‘A marvel of production, both on a technical and an intellectual level’ North West End

★★★★
‘Theatre-making with a strong and effective political purpose’ Reviews Hub

Creative team

1884 was created by Rhianna Ilube & Coney and produced by Koro.
‍
Writer & project director: Rhianna Ilube
Performance director: Tatenda Shamiso
Creative producer & game-maker: Marie Klimis
Writer & game-maker: Tsitsi Mareika Chirikure
Writer & game-maker: Chloe Mashiter
Set designer: Jacob Wu
Sound designer: Mwen
Costume designer: Bolu Dairo
Lighting designer: Cheng Keng
‍Cast: Mohamed Bangura, Shakeel Haakim and Michelle Kelly
Company stage manager: Ruby Sevink-Johnston
Production writer & Assistant stage manager: Eliza Cass
Carpentry: Gaetan Martin & Ian Pilditch
‍
Previous collaborators: Shirley Ahura, Chusi Amoros, Zoe Callow, Munotida Chinyanga, Magnus Copps, Ewa Dina, Rachel Leah-Hosker, Jyuddah Jaymes, Jacob V Joyce, Toby Peach, malakaï sargeant, Khai Shaw, Tassos Stevens, Becky-Dee Trevenen, Brent Tan

1884

Trailer

About the show

Touring dates

Creative team

Project partners