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The Tower of Light

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This spectacular signature production has been touring the world for 25 years – and counting…

Celebrating Britain’s lighthouse-keeping heritage, our magnificent tower has wowed thousands at 44 shows in eight countries – and it continues to thrill.

Britain’s last manned lighthouse succumbed to automation in 1998, sending the last of our nation’s lighthouse keepers ashore for the final time. To mark the moment and celebrate all those souls who kept sailors safe for centuries, Tate Liverpool commissioned us to build this magnificent tower. Some 25 years later, it’s still one of our most popular spectacles.

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What’s The Tower of Light?

The Tower of Light is a choreographed piece of outdoor theatre, centred on a giant lighthouse and its three hapless lighthouse keepers who keep the tower animated with light, fire and stunning special effects.

The Tower of Light, Tall Ships Hartlepool, 2023 Videography and editing: Ian Paine

The Tower of Light and Tall Ships Hartlepool

We’ve been honoured to bring the Tower to Hartlepool, home to the world’s first lighthouse fully powered by electricity, as part of the annual Tall Ships Hartlepool event – transforming the quayside with music, performance and pyrotechnics.

Contact us to learn how we can bring The Tower of Light to you.

'Tower of Light was a fantastic show to launch the weekend of the Tall Ships programme in Hartlepool. It was a real spectacle and the audience reaction was incredible. 

We were thrilled to be able to include a brand new soundscape to start the performance featuring local voices and created by a local composer and poet, really rooting the performance in Hartlepool.'

Maddie Maughan, Creative Producer Tall Ships Races Hartlepool 2023

'The Tower of Light was a triumph. We have never had crowds like that at a Festival event, and the feedback has been phenomenal.'

Claudia Woolgar, Director, Kilkenny Art Festival, 2003

The Tower of Light, Tall Ships Hartlepool 2023, Paul Norris

‘The Tower of Light celebrates a unique part of our maritime history: the role of the lighthouse and its keepers. Their dedication to keeping ships and sailors safe through the centuries inspired this playful nautical spectacular, featuring three lighthouse keepers dancing hornpipes in a shower of silver rain.’

John Wassell, Creative Producer of The Tower of Light

The Tower of Light and torch-lit procession in Hull, 2024

Presented by Hull City Council and Hull Maritime, we produced a 450-strong, torch-lit procession led by hundreds of Hull’s Hey! Volunteering - a volunteer programme that began in 2016 to support Hull’s incredible year as UK City of Culture - followed by a performance of The Tower of Light to an audience of 7,000, to celebrate Hull's maritime heritage. The event included several semaphore performances with local semaphore flag teams, engaging audiences as they watched the warm light of the procession pass by.

A lighthouse structure at night, with a light beaming out at an audience of thousands, at night.

The Tower of Light, Hull, 2024

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