The Signalman
15 Oct - 8 Nov 2026

THE SIGNALMAN

Theatre includes: And Then There Were None (Royal & Derngate, Northampton); The Play That Goes Wrong (Mischief Theatre); Man Down, Much Ado About Nothing (Exploding Whale); The Fall, Beat (National Youth Theatre). 

Screen includes:Flatmates, Overshadowed, Doctors (BBC).

THE VISITOR

Theatre includes: Henry VIII, Great Expectations (RSC); Richard II,  Machine Wreckers (National Theatre); Midsummer Night’s Dream, Golden Ass (Globe); 55 Days and Death Of Cool (Hampstead); Andorra (Young Vic); Little Baby Nothing (Bush); Serious Money (Royal Court); The Sea (Haymarket); The Birds (Gate): Mohicans(Donmar; A Month In The Country (Chichester); The Hook (Northampton); Much Ado About Nothing (Liverpool Everyman); Antigone, Metamorphosis, Heart Of A Dog (Bristol Old Vic); All My Sons, Musik (Plymouth); Recruiting Officer (Salisbury); The Tempest (A and BC).

Screen includes; Blitz (Apple); Andor (Disney+);Game Of Thrones (HBO); Doctor Who, Call The Midwife. Da Vinci’s Demons, Eastenders, The Chief, Maisie Raine, My Week with Marilyn (BBC); The Royal Kill List (Sky); Judge John Deed (Channel 4); Of Pure Blood (Warner Brothers); Bloodyminded (Blast Theory).

STAGE MANAGER

Emma is a Technical Stage Manager and Senior AV Engineer with over 20 years of technical production experience across live events, theatre, touring, and bespoke commercial installations. Currently serving as Lead Technician at MG Event and Sound, her background spans key roles such as Chief Technician at the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich, resident technician at Chichester Festival Theatre, and stage crew at the Edinburgh Fringe. An expert in stagecraft, lighting, and rigging, Emma has served as Technical Stage Manager for acclaimed UK tours including My Mother Said I Never Should (Fingersmiths), Made In India, and My Name Is... (Tamasha Theatre Company). Her portfolio also features extensive seasonal pantomimes for Spillers—as Production Manager, Flyman, and Stage Crew—alongside high-profile cathedral installations. She is delighted to be working with Hydrocracker Productions on this production of The Signalman, bringing her passion for seamless technical execution.

DIRECTOR

Nathan is Co-Director for Hydrocracker, a Trustee for disability-led company Graeae. 

Directing includes: The Walrus Has a Rich to Adventure; A Monster Calls (Liverpool Everyman);The Trails (Storyhouse); WHO CARES 2032 (Hydrocracker); Romeo and Juliet (Orange Tree); Richard II; Much Ado About Nothing (LAMDA), Tender Crush (Donmar Warehouse, Take the Stage), The Voyage Out after Virginia Woolf (Northern School of Contemporary Dance Research Commission); Hurricane Protest Songs (Graeae), 140bpm (National Theatre Learning); Before it Rains (National Youth Theatre); Fire in the Youth, My Story, Dreamscape (National Theatre Wales, as lyricism associate); 20 Stories of Home (20 Stories High). 

Associate Directing includes: Rite by Hear (Southbank Centre); Operation Black Antler (Blast Theory & Hydrocracker); Strangers on a Train Set (Lipservice National Tour).

Film and audio includes: MISH + GRAHAM, Before the Flame Goes Out (Hydrocracker); Half Blue (Audible); Bloodyminded (as Second AD, Blast Theory); A Place Free Of Judgement (as Floor Manager, Blast Theory).

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Paul Dungworth is a Brighton-based freelance Production Manager and creative. His career began at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, followed by work with West Yorkshire Playhouse, Anagram, Fabrica and Brighton Fringe.

Alongside this, Paul has spent more than 20 years collaborating with the multi-award-winning artist group Blast Theory helping turn bold and ambitious ideas into reality both in the UK and internationally.

CO-DIRECTOR

Richard Hahlo is an Actor, Director, and a Co-founder of Hydrocracker.

As an actor his work has included the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Leeds Playhouse, Contact Manchester, Red Shift and London’s West End.

For Hydrocracker he has co-created and acted in The New World Order, Shakespeare à La Carte, The Erpingham Camp and Operation Black Antler.

He recently co-directed (with Jem Wall) an immersive production of 1984 at Hackney Town Hall.

Richard is also a Co-founder and Director of ‘Dramatic Resources’, and the co-author of ‘Dramatic Events: How to Run a Successful Workshop’.

DESIGNER

Sonn Hogg studied Theatre Design at Northbrook College.

Set and/or costume design credits include: Band of Brothers (HBO); Theatre shows for  Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in Dubai; Ice (Robin Cousins); Beauty and the Beast (The Haymarket); UB40, Privates on Parade (Anscombe Productions); Deathdrop 2 Back in the Habit (Trafalgar Entertainment). 

Along with Theatre and Television design Sonn has worked as a Wardrobe Mistress both touring globally and as part of the in-house team at the Theatre Royal Brighton where she provides Wardrobe support services to visiting productions. She also hosts Wardrobe workshops for young adults looking to come in to the arts as a career.

When not creating or working on shows Sonn can be found in her workroom hat making for shows and private clients, credits for Millinery include Evita (World Tour) and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. 

Her client list includes Priscilla Presley, and has had her work featured in British Vogue.

WRITER

Jonathan is delighted that Hydrocracker is performing his live theatre version of The Signalman, based on a short story by Charles Dickens.  It was written as part of the BBC’s Christmas offering for 2022.  In 2025 Jonathan has directed his version of Les Miserables, and written an adaptation of Herman Melville’s Bartleby for Hong Kong’s Chung Ying Theatre Company (which has in 2025 toured his version of Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities to three venues in China).  In 2025 the BBC has also repeated his adaptation of George Eliot’s The Lifted Veil and his original drama Hello Caller. Jonathan was founder and for 27 years AD of the touring theatre company, Red Shift.

FILM/PHOTOGRAPHY

John Hunter is a creative director, photographer and cinematographer with 17 years of experience in interactive, immersive, and mixed reality media. His creative collaborations with studios including Hydrocracker, Blast Theory and Punchdrunk, alongside his own company non zero one, focuses on human interaction mediated by emerging technologies.

SOUND DESIGNER

Matt Huxley is a composer and sound designer for theatre, film and TV, as a solo artist, and in bands. He has been commissioned by the BBC, Channel 4, the Barbican, the Guardian, Young Vic, BFI Doc Society and Vogue, receiving prizes from the Grierson Awards and Tribeca Film Festival. His theatre work has toured internationally. He has led or assisted in workshops for companies including National Theatre and National Youth Theatre. He plays in Strange Boy and runs the record label and party Circle Dance.

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

.Amber-Lirio studied Acting for the 21st Century at Performers College Brighton. After graduating, she began working as a Deputy Stage Manager, with credits including The Clockmaker’s Daughter, The Platform (review show), and There Is a War.

She began her professional career as a screen actor, appearing in television commercials and social media campaigns for companies including Juice Bust and Wagamama.

Although acting remains her passion, Amber-Lirio’s ambition is to direct and create theatre. She hopes to develop work that inspires audiences while making a positive impact on young people aspiring to work within the ever-growing theatre and creative industries.

LIGHTING DESIGNER

Jon Stacey is a graduate of the Guildford School of Acting, and now works as a freelance Lighting Designer across theatre, live events and immersive productions.

Recent theatre credits include: Wonderland (GSA);  Spring Awakening (New Theatre Royal); Rock of Ages (Dembe Theatre).

Jon has a strong working relationship with Vivo D’arte where he takes the role of technical Producer. The most recent production was Anything Goes at Champneys spa and hotel Tring.

His wider work has included working with Wattage productions on large-scale and immersive projects such as The Conjuring Occult Museum at White Rabbit, Godzilla x Kong on the River Thames and Batman:Unmasked in London’s Piccadilly Circus.

MARKETING

Amy joined the Hydocracker team as a freelancer in 2021. She currently works as a marketer for Freckle Productions and has previously worked for Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in London.

PRODUCER

Madeleine is a freelance Producer & Consultant. Previous clients include: Hofesh Shechter Company, DV8 Physical Theatre, Blast Theory, Lost Dog, London Borough of Culture, The BBC & One Dance UK, Headlong, Crafts Council, Theatre Royal Brighton, Africa Asia Venture, Uganda. As a Producer within Artist Development @ South East Dance, she delivered the acclaimed Audience Ambassadors project (ACE case study of innovation in developing audiences) & is an Audience Diversity Academy Fellow. Recently she produced Immersive 1984 @ Hackney Town Hall (‘Best Immersive Event 2024’ - BroadwayWorld UK / West End) and was Line Producer for Shobana Jeyasingh Dance's We Caliban UK tour (2025). As Co-Founder of Producer Top-Up - she supports underrepresented Producers in the industry and is delighted to be working with the fantastic Hydrocracker team on The Signalman.