Writer: Danny Robins
Directors: Matthew Dunster & Isabel Marr
“Ghosts fill the gaps” we are told in Danny Robins’ West End box office hit. Currently playing simultaneously in London and on tour, with further international productions in preparation, 2:22 A Ghost Story is the theatrical phenomenon currently filling the gap where there has always been an appetite for spooky stories. Where The Woman in Black once stood for three decades is a new pretender and it has certainly caught the public’s attention. Primarily known for podcast The Battersea Poltergeist and BBC Radio’s Uncanny, Danny Robins’ fascination with the paranormal has been the staple of his career. 2:22 A Ghost Story is only his third commissioned play and has attracted star names in its revolving door London cast lists.
Sam (George Rainsford) and Jenny (Fiona Wade) have recently moved into a house they are renovating. Bought from a widow, they are in the process of gutting the ageing décor and replacing it anew. Returning from a few days away Sam learns that Jenny believes she has witnessed supernatural occurrences whilst he was away. The time of these stirrings always occur at 2:22am and always appear in their baby daughter’s new bedroom. Hosting their first dinner party, amongst the paint cans and white spirit, new couple Ben (Jay McGuinness) and Lauren (Vera Chok) bear witness to Jenny’s tale and, to Sam’s disbelief, the rest of the evening becomes a countdown to waiting for 2:22am to arrive again.
Robins has expertly crafted a story that must have a definitive denouement. The digital clock above the lounge door frame ticks throughout the play. It is a clever device ramping up the suspense and tension as 2:22 is a time we know will end the play. However, Robins keeps us guessing right to the finale about just how. The play is very much a discussion between the sceptic and the believer. Rationality may always win out but how many of us have met people who believe experienced a supernatural phenomena or have experienced something that cannot be explained ourselves? This is Robins’ territory and this ‘gap’ is something he loves to exploit. Sam is adamant the incomprehensible can be explained by reason but is outnumbered. The dialogue often falls into discussion and, as interesting as these examinations may be, we do often feel a podcaster’s voice stoking the fire of debate rather than organic dialogue.
That said, the characters are interesting. Cynic Sam simply does not have time for any mumbo jumbo and Rainsford’s suitably pomp attitude to it all seems to make sense. However, ignoring his wife Jenny, who is genuinely afraid makes him brutish and uncaring next to a partner to whom desperately needs to be listened. Damaged ex and university friend Lauren provides complexity into a foursome that is not so straightforward on the surface. Whereas cockney builder boyfriend Ben is surprisingly a steadfast believer. Jay McGuiness is excellent in this role and plays the comedy Robins gives him to great effect.
Robins and directors Matthew Dunster and Isabel Marr employ great devices for suspense. A baby monitor, security light, shrieking foxes and rumbling storm keep the anxiety bubbling. Ian Dickinson’s sound is also highly effective in subtly heightening the apprehension as well as Lucy Carter’s lighting that occasionally achieves total blackout (including the theatre’s fire exit signage). Be warned the jump scare tactic is used many times in the show so those of a more nervous disposition may need to aware. Sometimes, however, it is used more as punctuation to the chronology of time rather than being earned and although designed to keep the audience’s adrenalin pumping it occasionally cheapens the storytelling. Robins does draw us in to the supernatural stories the characters have to tell but, unlike Stephen Mallatratt’s The Woman in Black or Conor McPherson’s The Weir, there is never scope to let these stories breathe. Ghost stories can be more about the subtle storytelling as opposed to waiting for the next scream.
It is an exhilarating night at the theatre. Spoilers avoided; it is a genuinely satisfying story that keeps you gripped as you watch the clock tick down. Robins’ dialogue is smart as well as extremely funny in places. He achieves a complex dichotomy where we are desperate to see the clock tick to the 2:22 yet, at the same time, desperate to avoid it.
Runs until 15 June 2024