Review: We Are Warriors, Cab Road Tunnel, Brighton Festival
Hidden beneath the constant rush of Brighton Station, down an Edwardian long, dark tunnel once used by horse-drawn taxis and usually closed to the public, We Are Warriors transforms an overlooked space into something unexpectedly tender, haunting and quietly radical.
Created by In Between Time, a pioneering South-West based arts charity bringing artists and inspirational communities together to imagine the world as it could be, and critically-acclaimed producers of live art since 2001. The organisation in this instance, have delivered this work in collaboration with Dreamy Place and videoclub for Brighton Festival, the immersive installation fills the vast Cab Road Tunnel with flickering points of light and a layered soundscape of whispers, breathing, singing, lullabies and eruptions of sound that reverberate through the darkness.
The effect is deeply atmospheric. Visitors descend from the noise of the station into semi-darkness, where the tunnel feels almost cathedral-like; damp stone, echoing footsteps and scattered constellations of handmade lights, creating an environment that is both unsettling and strangely comforting.
The installation centres the voices of women and girls reclaiming a dark public space not through spectacle or confrontation, but through collective presence. Each visitor is invited to create and place a light in tribute to someone who has been lost or silenced, transforming dark spaces into beacons of sanctuary.
There is something profoundly moving about hearing intimate voices filling a tunnel historically associated with transit, industry and anonymity. The sounds move from a low hum, to singing, to a kind of contemporary trauma-informed version of Spem in alium, the 40-part Renaissance motet by Elizabethan composer Thomas Tallis. This installation understands that public space is never neutral, particularly after dark, and quietly asks who gets to feel safe, visible and heard in an increasingly combative climate for the fairer sex.
What makes We Are Warriors particularly effective is its simplicity. There is no didactic text demanding interpretation. Visitors are encouraged to create their own light and add it to the installation. The guides suggest thinking of a woman they love, admire or want to remember when placing the light in the exhibition. I visited towards the end of this run, and left my light for the three young women who tragically died on Brighton Beach recently – in memoriam. The piece trusts audiences to sit with feeling and allow the sound to envelop them. Some visitors linger silently. Others move slowly through the tunnel placing their own lights into the growing installation, becoming participants rather than spectators.
That participatory element becomes the emotional core of the work. Each added light feels small on its own yet, powerful collectively, a reminder of solidarity, memory and survival. We are many. The installation grows over the course of the festival, shaped by the people who pass through it.
Artistically, the use of the Cab Road Tunnel is inspired. Brighton Festival has long excelled at reimagining familiar city spaces, but this feels particularly resonant. The tunnel’s industrial gloom becomes part of the artwork itself. The acoustics amplify every murmur and roar, while the darkness forces visitors to slow down, adjust and pay attention.
There is also something refreshing about an installation that allows space for contemplation without demanding constant stimulation. In an era of immersive events often designed primarily as Instagram backdrops, We Are Warriors feels emotionally sincere. Several audience comments displayed nearby mention unexpectedly crying, and it is easy to understand why. The work taps into exhaustion, grief, resilience and tenderness all at once.
At a suggested donation of £4, it is also one of the most accessible and affecting experiences in this year’s festival programme. This is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
Beautifully curated and emotionally intelligent, We Are Warriors turns a forgotten tunnel beneath Brighton Station into a place of reflection, solidarity and quiet resistance. It is one of the standout installations of Brighton Festival 2026.
We Are Warriors continues at the Cab Road Tunnel beneath Brighton Station until tomorrow – Sunday 24 May. Go see it!
Details
We Are Warriors, Cab Road Tunnel, as part of Brighton Festival
Venue: Cab Road Tunnel, Trafalgar Street, Brighton Station, BN1 4EB
Dates: Runs until Sunday 24th May
Times: 11am -7pm each day. Last entry 6.30pm.
Tickets: Tickets available here – £4
Accessible: Portable ramp available to manage one step into venue.
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