Following an acclaimed run in London’s West End, ‘2:22 – A Ghost Story’ has embarked on its maiden UK Tour. This chilling story follows new parents Jenny and Sam, as they face unexplained paranormal phenomena within their recently bought run-down house. When they invite Lauren and her new partner Ben to dinner, the four attempt to unpack the events of the previous nights, all occurring at 2:22am.
Joe Absolom brings such naturalism and nuanced comedy as Ben. The layers surrounding this character are unfolded as the narrative twists and turns, yet you relate to the character and his working-class roots. The chemistry between him and Charlene Boyd’s Lauren is intense, the pair are opposites yet as bystanders their dynamic adds to the tension of this play. Charlene’s performance is one which adds to the hysteria and the complexity of the relationships in Danny Robins’ text. At points you are on the fence with where Lauren’s loyalties lie, which is a key aspect of this narrative, and this is purely down to the openness that Charlene gives Lauren to the other characters on stage. By the end of the play both Ben and Lauren are transformational to the intial characters we seen, this journey is portrayed seamlessly by both Joe and Charlene.
Nathaniel Curtis’ portrayal of Sam presents the audience with a man who is very skeptical of the paranormal and is confident with the rational and science behind the unexplained. Nathaniel leans on the middle-class pretentious side of Sam, which brings an obnoxious quality that fuels the tension and makes the fractions between Sam and Jenny understandable. Louisa Lytton as Jenny helps fuel this by showing the clear discomfort and frustration of Sam’s demeanor and reactions. This pair do well to help lead the narrative and be the main instigators of the fear and thrilling tension present within the audience.
Danny Robins has penned a play which explores the paranormal with such realism. You feel the conversations carry depth and nuance, while being delivered with such naturalism. At the heart of this story is the relationships of the characters and their own beliefs rather than just the paranormal events which are the catalyst of this narrative. For those expecting a proper frightening horror, they may be disappointed, but this is a psychological thriller, where the audience are taken on a chilling journey. While I have much more to praise, those elements are best kept a secret.
Matthew Dunster and Isabel Marr’s direction does well to embrace the contemporary notes of this play and truly bring this play to stage with a sense of realism. This is also thanks to Anna Fleischle’s stunning set design, where the sense of detail and scale of the livingroom/kitchen, makes the audience feel they are watching through a window into someone’s actual house. Lucy Carter’s lighting design compliments Fleischle’s design by bringing the suited lighting for the interior and the atmosphereic design for the exterior of the property. The scale of the production continues in Cindy Lin’s stylish costume design, which establishes that the play is set now, utilising current fashion trends.
‘2:22 – A Ghost Story’ is a chilling and highly engaging production, which explores the paranormal in a creative and jaw-dropping way. You do not want to miss this production.
Get tickets for ‘2:22 – A Ghost Story’ here –
https://www.capitaltheatres.com/whats-on/all-shows/222-a-ghost-story/2189
Theatre Scotland 
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