The Door
By Tony Earnshaw
Two men, and a broken door that neither will close. As the door bangs, we hear accusation and excuse, and the story of a dead hero.
Who is responsible?
About the show
The Door is a pungent comment on recent wars and our own passivity in the face of failure. It’s also a fascinating journey of 2 men – a leader and a follower from widely divergent backgrounds – searching for a common understanding.
The play is a taut, tense exploration of the relationship between these two men. It also explores our refusal to accept responsibility for the consequences of unintended outcomes.
Who’s going to stop that door from banging?
Darren Cheek plays the cocky NCO who has seen too much, with his focus on looking after number one. Jonny Vaughton embodies the tortured Captain, who has to face the conflicting pulls of duty and conscience.
Under Rob Swinton’s direction, The Door is a taut, tense exploration of the relationship between these men as well as our justifications for action and inaction.
Previous performances
Still one of Damn Cheek’s most successful shows to date, The Door has won over audiences and critics alike – at festivals and in cities and towns including London, New York, Edinburgh, Buxton, Guildford and Dunoon.
First written and produced in 2008, Damn Cheek revived, reworked and toured this production between 2015 and 2020.
In 2024, we staged it as a one-off performance in aid of the DEC Middle East Humanitarian Appeal at Canvas and Cream in London. We also staged it twice in October 2025, at the Arts Alive festival and again at Canvas and Cream.
Today, this powerful play still retains its poignant and apposite topicality.
Darren Cheek as Boyd and Jonny Vaughton as Captain Ryan in The Door.
Where next?
We’ll post details of future performances here.
Book The Door for your venue
To book this show for your venue or organisation, email us for more details.
Listen to a short interview about the play with writer Tony Earnshaw:
