LSMedia or Liverpool student media at liverpoolstudentmedia.com is a brand new website launched by the University of Liverpool's students to promote and support talented Liverpool student's creative written, visual or radio content.

The new season of performances at the Liverpool Playhouse Theatre gets under way from the 4th February with the promise of a night of fright and fear in the shape of Ghost Stories. 

With the production being developed by Andy Nyman who is the co-creator of Derren Brown’s television and stage shows and one of the members of The League of Gentleman and “master of the macabre” Jeremy Dyson it promises to be an excellent night.  

I managed to catch up with the men behind the feast of dread and ask them some questions before they bring the spectacular to Liverpool for their world premiere.

How did you meet and come up with the concept of Ghost Stories?

Jeremy & I met at ‘Chai’, a Jewish Youth Camp in the summer of 1981. We shared a dormitory & instantly bonded over a mutual love of filthy jokes & all things horror.

I had the idea of a Horror play about 2 years ago. Jeremy & I had had brief chats about how much we wanted to work together on something along the same lines. Sean Holmes directed me in a play a few years ago & we got along incredibly well. When the show finished he became Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith & invited me to do the Ghost Play, he called me & Jeremy into the theatre & commissioned & programmed it before a word of the play was even written!

How long did the whole process take – writing, casting, staging etc?

We were commissioned on January 27th 2009 & we are opening on February 4th 2010. So in total just over a year. That’s an amazingly fast turnaround considering Jeremy & I have been insanely busy with other projects as well as ‘Ghost Stories’.

For those that are quite easily scared - will they need to take their Teddy with them or have a few glasses of wine before they come to watch it in order to calm their reactions?

You’re going to need more than one Teddy to calm your nerves. If you are easily scared you are in for a bumpy ride I’m afraid.

Are there aspects of both of your previous works within Ghost Stories, you have both been involved in such inspirational pieces of work that you must have so many combined experiences?

There’s no doubt that the work I’ve done in creating Derren Brown’s shows have had some influence in aspects of ‘Ghost Stories’. Obviously being involved with ‘Dead Set’ & ‘Severance’ also tunes me into the horror world.

How does directing a stage show differ from TV programmes? What do you prefer to do and what challenges arise working in each area?

In theatre everything is instant. No edit, no post-production it is happening real time, it’s such an exciting challenge. Good theatre has the ability to surprise an audience and take them on a very real journey. The very fact it is right in front of you, living & breathing is amazing.

How has your magic background helped with devising the effects for Ghost Stories? Can we expect some mentalism style trickery in the production?

I believe that anything you’re interested in affects everything else. So yes, my love of magic & the structuring of ‘illusion’ has undoubtedly helped in creating this show. But so has my obsession with cinema & music.

You have both had fascinating careers so far.  What has stood out for you?

Honestly I just adore every thing I do. Nothing quite matches the thrill of being on a film set for me. I have been in love with Cinema since I was a small boy, so to be involved in it always feels like a dream come true.

This show is being talked about as the scariest show to come to the Playhouse, do you think the audiences will enjoy it and does that slight sense of the macabre give you pleasure?

I hope it’s the scariest show at the Playhouse. I hope it’s the scariest show anyone’s ever seen! One things for sure, if we don’t hear screams from the audience we will have failed – it would delight us if all the madness that we have poured into this show doesn’t thrill & give people nightmares.

Will you continue to write together, or have you got anymore ideas in the pipelines?

This has been an absolute dream come true. Writing with my bestest, oldest friend in the world. Getting paid to stay up late, watch horror films & write the show we would want to come & see. I would love to do this all over again. We’ll get this show up first, then we’ll see. There are always more ideas, fortunately there seems to be an infinite amount of them.

Finally, what scares you?

February 4th…our opening night

With a production of this nature there are the usual warnings to some patrons from the theatre.

Pleased be advised that Ghost Stories contains moments of extreme shock and tension. The show is unsuitable for anyone under 15. Those who are of a nervous disposition should think very seriously before attending this show.

Tickets for Ghost Stories are on sale from the Playhouse Box Office and runs till the 20th February.

Ian D. Hall