Today we are speaking to the company Early Doors Productions that is touring their horror thriller show Lighthouse around the United Kingdom starting in Worcestershire on the 30th March up until the end of August where they will celebrate it at the Edinburgh Fringe. Today we find out all about it.
Hello! Tell us about yourself ?
We are an Essex based Production Company, co-founded in the early part of 2010 with the sole aim of producing the best in non-professional theatre.
Tell us a bit about the show
LIGHTHOUSE is an original thriller/horror set off the coast of Angus in the North Sea just after WW1. The story follows two keepers and their training of a third before things start to question their loyalty, friendship and ultimately, their sanity. LIGHTHOUSE is a gripping twist of a piece that delves into the human psyche of trust, paranoia and greed. With stylish, well-placed humour, jeopardy, suspense and a stellar cast, LIGHTHOUSE will take you on a 55 minute journey to hell and back like no other.
How are rehearsals going?
The focus in rehearsals is on building trust and specificity, rather than a backstory overload. We spend time discussing who these people were before the story begins – shared routines, unspoken hierarchies, and small habits that come from working together in isolation. Not all of that needs to appear on the stage, but it gives the actors a common emotional language to draw from, so their interactions feel lived-in from the first moment. Rehearsals centre on restraint.
I encourage the cast to play professionalism and familiarity rather than tension, allowing warmth, humour, and efficiency to surface naturally. That groundwork makes the breakdown possible within such a short runtime: when the structure starts to crack, the audience feels the loss of something real. I try to avoid pushing the conflict too early, and by protecting that sense of normalcy and mutual reliance at the start, the dismantling of their relationship becomes sharper, faster, and hopefully more believable within the 55-minute arc.
What can you tell us about the stage set?
The piece is a black box. A simplistic offering of kitchen table, chairs and a sink. We create the depth of the set with the intimacy of each venue, which fundamentally reshapes how the audience experiences the lighthouse and, by extension, the characters’ confinement. In smaller, more enclosed spaces, the audience shares the same lack of distance as the characters—they can hear every breath, every shift in posture, and every silence. That proximity heightens the claustrophobia, making the setting feel less like something observed and more like something endured alongside the characters.In
In larger venues, the layout allows for a different kind of tension. The scale creates a visual contrast between the vastness of the space and the characters’ psychological imprisonment, which can amplify the sense of isolation. Sightlines, seating angles, and the physical distance between audience and stage become tools: some viewers may feel like silent witnesses, others like trapped occupants. By adapting blocking, sound design, and pacing to each venue, the relationship between audience and the piece remains active, ensuring the claustrophobic atmosphere is felt regardless of scale, but always in a slightly different, site-specific way.
Tell us a little bit about the rest of the cast
LAMDA trained Justin Cartledge (MORGAN) is a multi-award winning actor, writer and director. His versatility has seen him perform in a wide range of roles from musical theatre to Shakespeare, from comedy to drama. His acting credits include the titular roles in Alfie and Macbeth, Renton in ‘Trainspotting’, Nathan Detroit in ‘Guys and Dolls’, Mason in ‘Journeys End’, Ichabod Crane in ‘Sleepy Hollow’, and The Mad Hatter in EDP’s original Wonderland saga. His film credits include ‘The Devil and I’, ‘One Way’ and ‘Moral Conflict’. Adverts include ‘BT Sports’ and ‘Fix Radio’. His writing credits include ‘Porcelain’, The Wonderland Saga, ‘Frankenstein’, ‘Blue Morpho’, ‘False Flag’, ‘Lighthouse’, ‘Raft’ and the PANIC award winner ‘If They’re Human’.
Darren Matthews (MAC) has worked with EDP since the role of Phileas Fogg in Jules Verne’s ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ in 2013. His previous roles with EDP have included John Proctor in ‘The Crucible’, the Creature in ‘Frankenstein’, Dr Henry Jekyll in ‘Jekyll & Hyde’, Winston Smith in ‘1984’, Francis Begbie in ‘Trainspotting’, and Dexter Haven in ‘The Philadelphia Story’. Other theatre credits include Joe Pirelli in the ‘Roxy Krasner’ series, MacDuff in ‘Macbeth’, Stanley in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, Brian in ‘A Day in the Death of Joe Egg’, Mickey in ‘Blood Brothers’, Max de Winter in ‘Rebecca’, and Prospero in ‘The Tempest’. Darren has also worked as a piano accompanist and musical director for a wide variety of productions, including EDP’s original musicals, ‘FREAKSHOW’, ‘Raft’, ‘Blue Morpho’ and ‘If They’re Human’.
Richard Orchard-Rowe (JAMES) returned to the stage in 2018 when he joined the cast of ‘Spamalot’ as Sir Bedevere. He transitioned to Early Doors Productions as a droog in ‘A Clockwork Orange’. His theatre credits include Tilney in ‘Shakespeare in Love’, Pat Pancake in the final instalment of their Wonderland saga ‘Looking Glass’, Killian in ‘Sleepy Hollow’, Corporal Stick in ‘If They’re Human’ and Horris in ‘There Never Was’. In 2022 Richard began penning his own original plays. Directional credits include Aaron Sorkin’s ‘A Few Good Men’, ‘Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles’ and ‘Sherlock Holms: The Vampire of Sussex’.
What is the most challenging thing about doing the show?
It is a gradual tonal and visual shift throughout the piece, almost imperceptible at first, so the audience feels it happen rather than watches it happen. Visually, the early stages are marked by order and routine: composed stage-framing, regular movement, controlled colour that reflects discipline and normality. As the characters begin to unravel, the visuals subtly shift – scenes become tighter, movement less predictable, and shadows start to dominate the stage. Lighting grows harsher and more contrast-heavy, mirroring how their world narrows as their perceptions distort.Tonally
Tonally, I wanted to express erosion rather than sudden transformation. Familiar and friendly dialogue slowly give way to repetition, fixation, and emotional leakage. The silences become heavier, and the small sounds – wind, waves, breathing – take on an oppressive quality. Greed and paranoia aren’t presented as external forces but as pressures born from isolation, fear, and vulnerability. By letting those elements seep into the character choices, the descent feels inevitable, as if the environment itself is pushing the characters away from themselves and toward an unequivocal obsession.
The best thing about touring the show?
Aside from the incredible talent I have secured, there has been a bond develop between the keepers that I could only have ever dreamt of. There is a tension that is often overlooked with the aftermath of WW1. The war was a constant, looming presence rather than a series of battles, and was not only fought in trenches and on the front lines, but also in remote, quiet places where individuals lived with prolonged uncertainty, fear, and moral ambiguity.That
That atmosphere of waiting and psychological strain is what the cast are extraordinary at delivering. A North Sea lighthouse offered the perfect physical expression of that tension. Its isolation, surrounded by darkness, cold, and relentless water, mirrors the emotional and mental confinement of those stationed there. A lighthouse is meant to guide and protect, yet during wartime, it becomes a strategic vulnerability, turning something symbolic of safety into a source of danger.
That contradiction fascinated me, as it allowed me to reflect the themes of duty, paranoia, and survival that defined the period, and the bleak years that followed.
What have been some of the best highlights since doing the show?
Being listed by The Herald as one of the Top 20 Must-See Shows of EdFringe 2022, and the review received from the Scotsman at the time:
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What is the best reaction you have had from an audience member?
Quotes from audience members so far, as follows:
“The cast delivered powerhouse performances that added depth to an already gripping narrative.”
“Absolutely mind-blowing! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! The suspense, the drama, it was an unforgettable experience.”
“A masterclass in psychological manipulation; the plot twists and turns kept me guessing until the final, shocking curtain call.”
“Bone-chilling and intense, this production is a must-watch for anyone who loves a taut, well-crafted thriller.”
“The atmosphere was eerie and uncomfortable in the best way possible, leaving us breathless and completely immersed.”
If people want to follow you on social media where can they find you?
@DoorsEarly (X)
doors.early (instagram)
https://www.facebook.com/early.doors/
Finally in three words why should people come to your show?
Gripping | Unforgettable | Bone-Chilling
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