Living History
William Cuffay
Revolutionary. Chartist. Black British icon — finally told as immersive theatre.
Dates
2026 season
Venue
Touring — Medway · London · Kent
Run time
Approx. 90 minutes
Language
English
Synopsis
A story
told whole.
Born in 1788 to a formerly enslaved father, William Cuffay rose to become a leader of the Chartist movement — the largest mass political movement in 19th-century Britain. He stood for working-class suffrage, fair pay and democratic reform, and was sentenced to transportation to Tasmania at sixty.
Temple of Kulture's William Cuffay is the first immersive theatre piece dedicated to telling his story in full. Audiences walk through the meetings, the marches, the courtroom and the exile — placed inside the moments that history textbooks left out.
Co-developed with historians and community researchers, the work uses XR, projection mapping and ensemble performance to return William Cuffay to the centre of the Black British story he helped write.
Inside the experience
Chapter 01
The Tailor
A young Cuffay at his workbench in 1830s London — the threads of community, craft and politics first weaving together.
Chapter 02
The Movement
Inside the Chartist meetings of 1842 — projection-mapped onto a 360° chamber, audiences become part of the rally.
Chapter 03
The Trial
An XR courtroom sequence drawn from historical record — the system on trial as much as the man.
Chapter 04
Exile & Legacy
Tasmania, the diaspora, the descendants. A choral closing sequence written with contemporary poets.
Themes
- Black British history
- Chartist movement & democracy
- Resistance & political memory
- Working-class solidarity
- Exile & return
- Untold leadership
Accessibility
- — Step-free venues prioritised across the tour
- — Captioning available at all performances
- — BSL-interpreted performances on request
- — Pre-show research notes available for educators & schools
- — Content guidance: contains references to political imprisonment
Gallery
A Temple of Kulture original commission
- Original concept by Temple of Kulture
- Historical advisors from UK & Caribbean academic institutions
- Ensemble cast from the global majority
- Co-commissioned with cultural partners (to be announced)
Step inside
Enter the story.
This production is currently in development. Register your interest and we'll get in touch the moment dates open.
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