Writer: Danny Robins
Directors: Matthew Dunster and Isabel Marr
Ghost stories, when told properly, always go down well in the theatre. There’s something about seeing one play out in an old theatre, even if it has a modern storyline, that pulls the audience in from the get go and 2:22 A Ghost Story was no exception.
As with most good ghost stories, the action takes place in one space, in this case an open plan kitchen/dining and living room with huge patio doors and a security light that blinks on and off, showing us a back yard that almost begs to be used like the iconic opening scene from horror movie Scream. The actors use each part of the set throughout their time on stage, meaning that at times they were able to put distance between each other while at others they could be claustrophobically close.
There are four main characters: Jenny (Fiona Wade), a histrionic first-time mother and slave to the baby monitor, has been disturbed by strange noises during the past week while science-obsessed husband Sam (George Rainsford) has been away on the island of Sark for work. Sam has just arrived back home and is playing host at a dinner party to which his close friend from Uni days, Lauren (Vera Chok), now a Doctor of Psychology and her builder boyfriend Ben (Jay McGuinness) have been invited.
What begins as an interesting catch up for friends quickly turns out to be a vehicle for Jenny to try to prove that she really has been hearing things every night, that she really is experiencing some kind of ghostly presence. She implores everyone to stay up with her until 2:22am in the hope that they will also feel and hear what she has, rather than dismissing what she has experienced as impossible.
While the show certainly has chills a plenty, and a number of jump scares, it is the humour that is particularly clever. Injected into most scenes with a throwaway line or action, this is a pleasant surprise and means that the audience were often lulled into a false sense of security, bigger jumps when they did come and a lot of nervous giggling and chatter in-between scenes.
Particularly impressive was Jay McGuiness, well known as ex band member of The Wanted and Strictly Come Dancing winner. Less well known is his acting background, but Nottinghamshire born McGuiness has had some training and has been in West End and touring productions since 2018. He plays Essex boy Ben for laughs and is equally adept at changing and developing his character as the evening goes on, which is very enjoyable to watch.
Vera Chok is excellent as the slightly bitter, anti-depressant (we assume) popping University friend, who becomes more and more drunk throughout the show. Chok and McGuiness work well together, providing an interesting contrast to Wade and Rainsford.
Wade has chosen to play the character of Jenny with a good deal of melodrama, and occasionally this is grating and unrealistic – particularly when paired with Rainsford’s smiley and somewhat over exuberant Sam – sometimes their interactions are just a little too much, too over the top to be believable.
That said, the play moves along at a brisk pace and atmosphere builds well throughout, culminating in a clever climax that, from the audible gasps of surprise it seems the majority of the audience didn’t see coming. Danny Robins has written an extremely intelligent ghost story with an interesting ending – leaving audience members poring over the clues and hints that are dropped along the way as they exit the building.
Runs until Saturday 1st June 2024