Dark Noon

The Brighton Festival is reaching its 60th edition in 2026, a year that marks a bit of a turning point for the local arts scene. With Lucy Davies now leading as executive director, the festival is leaning into what is being described as a 'new era' for the city's cultural calendar. One of the central pieces in this year’s programme is Dark Noon, a production by the company fix+foxy. It’s being staged at the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange, a venue that has recently been through a significant restoration and is now being used as a primary hub for the festival’s more ambitious theatrical works. The show is scheduled to run for a short period in late spring, specifically from 21 to 24 May.

The production itself is a reimagining of the birth of modern America, but it is told through a very specific lens. The entire cast is South African, which brings a different perspective to the historical and social themes usually associated with the American West. It is a piece of contemporary theatre that focuses on political history and international performance, moving away from traditional storytelling to explore how the foundations of a country look when viewed from a South African viewpoint. For those who follow the festival regularly, this fits into the broader tradition of bringing global voices to Brighton, though the scale of the production in the restored Corn Exchange is a notable part of this year's specific line-up.

In terms of the practical side of things, the logistics are already moving. As of today, 19 February, tickets have gone on sale for festival members. If you aren't a member, the general sale opens up on 26 February. The performances themselves are set to begin on 21 May 2026. It is a ticketed event, and given the interest in the festival’s 60th anniversary and the curiosity around the new leadership’s direction, it is one of those dates in the calendar that people interested in the local theatre scene are likely already tracking. The show aims to engage an audience interested in how history and stagecraft intersect when told from a non-Western perspective.