Koro, a brand new production company specialising in immersive and interactive theatre, tours its critically acclaimed playable theatre piece, 1884, this autumn. The tour includes HOME Manchester
Created by a team of creatives led by award-nominated playwright, Rhianna Ilube, 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.
Taking place in a modern fictionalised setting named Wilhelm Street, 1884 isn’t a history lesson – it’s a fun, fast-paced, and thought-provoking journey where play and protest meet. Played around tables, participants form small family groups, collaborate on playful activities, and make choices about how to build their family community and make their house a home. However, as rules are gradually imposed on the groups and it becomes increasingly clear that not everything is within their control, they must decide how to respond. 1884 asks: how is history recorded, and who is left outside of the room where history is written?
Co-creator, writer and project director Rhianna Ilube commented: “1884 was inspired by the work of activists from the African diaspora in Berlin who have been raising awareness about how Germany has largely erased the memory of its role in the colonisation of Africa. I wanted to bring the story of the 1884 conference to the UK, but the nature and impact of this show has gone much further than I could’ve imagined. 1884, created over a year of debates, experimentation and playtests with Coney and amazing creative collaborators, touches on the heart of crucial questions about land ownership, memorial cultures, decolonisation, gentrification, protest and more. I’m so proud that it will be experienced – and shaped – by even more audiences across the UK and in Athens this autumn, and I am happy that Koro is taking the show forward.”
HOME Manchester
Thursday 9th and Friday 10th October
19:45 | Tickets
