"Do you believe in ghosts?"
It’s the question at the heart of Danny Robins’ award-winning West End hit 2:22: A Ghost Story. When new mother Jenny starts hearing footsteps over the baby monitor at precisely 2:22 every night, a tense housewarming dinner turns into a high-stakes vigil to uncover the truth before the clock strikes.
Part spine-chilling supernatural thriller, part sharp comedy, the Oliver Award-nominated sensation is now bringing its secrets, screams, and suspense to local audiences. We spoke with director Suzanne Lane about staging the hit play in Bromsgrove, crafting real stage terror, and what happens when the lights go out.
2:22 A Ghost Story had massive West End success with huge stars in the cast. How does it feel to direct this production of such a recent hit, and what uniquely personal touch are you bringing to it?
I am so excited to be able to bring the first amateur production of this fabulous play to the stage. Our cast and team have all worked so hard to put this together, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.
What was it about 2:22 A Ghost Story that made you say, "This is the show I need to direct next"?
I just really love the script! It’s such an exciting play full of twists and turns, with a brilliant and unpredictable ending!
How have you and your technical team creatively adapted those spine-chillingmoments for a local theatre space?
We are delighted with how the staging has come together – we have created a set based on a home like in the script, but using lighting and sound effects to showcase all the tension and drama.
Danny Robins' script balances sharp, observational humor with genuine terror and high emotional tension. How are you guiding your cast to strike that delicate balance without letting the comedy undercut the fear?
The cast have seamlessly picked up the essence of the play, without me really needing to step in at all! They are all highly skilled at bringing together the light moments of the script with the intense, and the emotion they portray throughout is outstanding.
The entire story unfolds over a single, adrenaline-fueled night, ending at a very specific time. How do you direct the pacing so the audience feels that ticking-clock tension building in real time?
We have a working clock set into the video wall at the back of the staging. This will then jump to the new time at each scene change. In terms of pacing, the cast will be treating the scene as if it were an actual dinner party in real life.
At its heart, the play is an argument between Jenny’s instinctual fear andSam’s rigid skepticism. How have you worked with your actors to make sure both sides feel grounded and understandable to the audience?
Beth who plays Jenny, delivers an emotional performance throughout, which I think the audience will really sympathise with. Callum, playing Sam, has brought a perfect blend of humour and intelligence to the role, making him also a lovable character. Lauren and Ben bring their own complex history and clashing worldviews to the dinner party.
How do these dynamics amplify the supernatural atmosphere?
Sarah, playing Lauren, and George, playing Ben, have a lovely stage dynamic whereby they portray these two confused and complex characters perfectly.
The play uses everyday sounds—like screaming foxes outside and static over a baby monitor—to create dread. How are you utilising sound design to get under the audience’s skin?
We are doing exactly that – using real-life sounds to create a haunting atmosphere –the baby noise is a recording of one of the cast's actual child! We will also be playing with surround sound so that the audience feels that they are part of the play.
What has been the single most challenging aspect of bringing this script to life compared to other projects in your directorial portfolio?
It is such a well-known play, which had an incredibly successful run on the West End, so that in itself brings a certain level of pressure to do justice to the original production.
What was the first piece of theatre you saw that had a big impact on you?
That’s a great question! I have a love for all types of theatre – crime and psychological thriller, Shakespeare, loved children’s stories brought back to life, musical theatre, pantomime – just too many genres to pick between! As a child, I acted in my local youth theatre, and I think just watching and learning from my peers had such a huge impact on me that I knew I wanted to continue this love of performing, and now directing! And I love producing all these genres too – next up is pantomime, and then The Pitchfork Disney – productions that could not be more opposite to each other!
Without giving away any spoilers, what do you hope the audience is talking about in the bar or on the drive home after the lights go down?
I hope they are all discussing their own interpretations of the scripts and characters, as I love debates of this nature – be it picking their favourite character, or who they relate to the most, or their own experiences of the supernatural. Most of all, we hope everyone enjoys the show!
2:22: A Ghost Story runs at Artrix in Bromsgrove from Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd September 2026. For tickets visit https://www.artrixbromsgrove.co.uk/whats-on/all-shows/222-a-ghost-story
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