1884 at Wellcome Collection

Immersive theatre games aren’t for the shy, and 1884 (by playwright Rhianna Ilube, gamemakers Coney and producers Koro) is no different: prepare to make friends and get up out of your seat. But if you’re willing to get involved, 1884 is an example of the best of the genre – a brilliantly crafted blend of theatre, game and historical education that delivers a powerful message.

Named after the 1884 Berlin conference, which saw European powers convene to plot their continued occupation of Africa, the theatre game groups participants into households on the pleasant (and fictionalised) Wilhelm Street. Housemates are invited to build a community for themselves, naming their houses, creating traditions and making friends with the neighbours. Of course, it’s not all rosy for long, as mysterious government broadcasts start issuing increasingly authoritarian edicts.

The danger with immersive experiences is that they can be gimmicky – is the immersion adding to the core narrative, or just tacked on for added flair? In the case of 1884, it’s definitely the former. What Ilube, Coney and Koro have done is extraordinarily clever, creating a game that’s not only enjoyable to play but uses the immersion to tell a very powerful educational story about historic wrongs. The household tasks unfold gradually, allowing participants time to get friendly with their housemates and feel a real sense of ownership over their fictional home. When the bureaucrats start homogenising the town, it feels personal. This sense only grows during the wonderfully inventive second act; this can’t be discussed in detail for the avoidance of spoilers, but suffice it to say that it’s a theatrical magic trick that does enormous credit to the writers and backstage team.

Like any group project, 1884 might be tricky to endure if you get allocated a dud team. But it’s probably a decent bet that anyone who’s signed up to a free immersive theatre show will be pretty game, and in this writer’s performance, the crowd certainly gave it their all. They were helped along by the talented cast, who showed a great knack for improvising along with the audience’s input. It’s also worth recognising the gorgeousness of the prop design, which further helped the audience’s sense of immersion and connection to their fictional community.

All in all, 1884 is a faultless execution of a truly innovative idea.

Maggie O’Shea
Photos: Paul Husband

1884 is at Wellcome Collection from 22^nd until 25^th October 2025. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.

Watch the trailer for 1884 at Wellcome Collection here: