2:22 A Ghost Story has built its reputation on being a play that is as much about what you don’t see as what you do, and the Stoke leg of the UK tour at the Regent Theatre confirms why it continues to pull audiences in. The premise is deceptively simple: Jenny and Sam, a young couple who have just moved into a new home with their baby, host a dinner party for old friend Lauren and her new partner Ben. But Jenny is convinced something sinister is happening in the house — every night, at precisely 2:22, she hears unsettling noises over the baby monitor. Sam, ever the rationalist, dismisses her fears, and what begins as a playful debate about ghosts becomes an unnerving evening where scepticism and belief collide. The audience is drawn into the tension, watching the clock edge closer to that fateful hour.
Since its debut in 2021, Danny Robins’ 2:22 A Ghost Story has become a modern theatre phenomenon. From sell-out runs in the West End — across five different theatres with an ever-changing celebrity-led cast — to winning Best New Play at the WhatsOnStage Awards, the show has travelled far beyond its London roots. Now, with more than thirty productions mounted worldwide and a record-breaking UK and Ireland tour, it is clear this play has struck a nerve with audiences hungry for a smart, witty, and genuinely unnerving ghost story. This tour features Stacey Dooley reprising her West End debut role as Jenny alongside Kevin Clifton as Sam, with Grant Kilburn and Shvorne Marks completing the quartet as Ben and Lauren.
At the heart of the Stoke production is its cast, who do an excellent job of carrying Danny Robins’ words with both energy and nuance. Stacey Dooley, reprising her West End debut as Jenny, feels assured in the role — her performance is layered with a jittery fragility, but also with determination. She captures the anxiety of a new mother convinced she’s hearing things in the dead of night, but never tips into caricature. It’s an impressively natural performance that makes Jenny sympathetic rather than hysterical.
Kevin Clifton, best known for his Strictly Come Dancing triumphs, makes for a highly credible Sam. On paper, Sam could be unlikeable — the condescending sceptic who believes logic trumps everything — but Clifton brings him to life with charm and subtle humour. His sparring with Dooley is both affectionate and exasperated, the kind of back-and-forth any couple might recognise. That realism is what makes his eventual unraveling so effective.
As the dinner guests, Grant Kilburn and Shvorne Marks balance the dynamic beautifully. Kilburn’s Ben is a standout — cheeky, quick-witted, and with impeccable comic timing that provides some of the night’s biggest laughs. His energy brings levity without undercutting the tension, and when the darker moments arrive, the contrast is sharp. Marks as Lauren is poised and quietly commanding, bringing a grounded rationality that counters both Sam’s scepticism and Jenny’s panic. She’s also vital in making the audience question their own stance on belief. Together, Kilburn and Marks avoid feeling like “supporting characters”; they flesh out the play’s central debate and ensure it always feels like a true ensemble piece.
Behind the scenes, the creative team are equally key to the production’s impact. Danny Robins’ script is taut and witty, lacing naturalistic dinner-table conversation with ominous undertones. The writing shines brightest once you know the ending — lines and gestures suddenly carry double meanings that you might miss the first time. Directors Matthew Dunster and Gabriel Vega Weissman keep the action tightly wound, ensuring the tension never sags. Their staging allows the play to be funny and frightening in equal measure, with timing that keeps the audience perpetually off-balance.
Lucy Carter’s lighting design works almost as another character: lamps dim at uneasy moments, warm domestic glows give way to stark shadows, and the creeping sense of something lurking in the dark is enhanced visually at every turn. Ian Dickinson’s sound design makes liberal use of jump scares and while familiar, the effect is undeniably visceral. Paired with Chris Fisher’s illusions, there are moments that genuinely make you doubt what you’ve seen.
The combined result is a production that feels polished, modern, and theatrical without being overly showy. The creatives clearly understand that this isn’t just a ghost story; it’s a play about human relationships, grief, and belief. Their choices elevate it from cheap thrills into something genuinely thought-provoking.
2:22 A Ghost Story plays at the Regent Theatre until Saturday 4th October where it continues its UK tour.
Photography throughout from Helen Murray.
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