Brighton Fringe: Ghost Light

May is just around the corner, and that means the city is about to transform for the Brighton Fringe 2026. This year, the festival runs for the entire month, kicking off on May 1st and wrapping up on May 31st. It’s always a massive undertaking, designed to stimulate, educate, and entertain, attracting audiences from far beyond the city limits. The sheer variety is impressive—from the extensive Laughing Horse comedy program, which alone features over 150 shows, to countless workshops and theatre pieces. It’s also important to remember how much of this is truly local; more than 30% of the events are organized by artistic companies based right here in Brighton & Hove. Amidst this huge cultural spread, one specific theatrical event has been highlighted: the chilling performance titled Ghost Light.

This particular show is a self-contained, 60-minute piece of theatre, categorized as a Victorian ghost story. The setting is 1865, and the plot follows Henry Webster as he investigates a rather unsettling case: the ghosts of two children who are reportedly terrified of the dark. If you are planning to see this specific production, you have two opportunities early in the festival run. The performance is scheduled for Monday, May 4th, 2026, and again on Sunday, May 10th, 2026. Both dates will be held at The Lantern Theatre Brighton.

For those considering going, the show is recommended for audiences aged 12 and older. It also comes with a specific content warning from the organizers regarding representations or references to violence, which is useful to know ahead of time. It sounds like a focused, atmospheric hour of theatre that offers a nice contrast to some of the lighter fare the Fringe is known for, and it’s a great example of the kind of diverse, high-quality programming that makes the entire month of May such a cultural highlight here in Brighton.