Review: 2:22: A Ghost Story (Richmond Theatre / UK Tour)

Review by Abigail Bowden

⭐️⭐️⭐

2:22: A Ghost Story almost needs no introduction. Spanning seven London seasons since its debut in 2021, productions in Los Angeles and Melbourne, and now multiple tours of the UK, 2:22 has haunted buses and billboards nationwide with under-lit photos of celebrities to mark its newest iteration, and as the tour continues, this performance in Richmond marks one of the first stops to feature its latest cast.  

This modern ghost story is centered around a dinner party hosted by Jenny, who is convinced that the house she has recently moved into with her husband Sam and baby daughter is haunted, after hearing unsettling noises at 2:22 each night. Joining the couple for dinner is Sam’s old university friend Lauren and her new boyfriend Ben, who stay up until 2:22 debating the possibility of the paranormal. 

Through the characters’ exploration of skepticism, spirituality, and belief, writer Danny Robins perfectly combines a ‘dinner party’ play within a traditional ghost story, bringing a breath of fresh air and modernity to the classic genre. It would not be outrageous to claim that the show has quickly become the staple, go-to ghost story in British theatre, perfectly filling the gap left by The Woman in Black, especially now it has become immortalised in pop culture by Lily Allen’s new album West End Girl.

Does the show deserve these accolades? Well, the simple answer is yes. Although the arguments between characters can at times feel a little laborious, particularly towards the end of the first act, by the second act, as the alcohol flows and conflict heats up as the time ticks closer to 2:22, the tension and energy created by Robins’ writing is palpable. The audience is completely engrossed in the supernatural mystery, solidifying the show as a reliable, thrilling ghost story. 

However, with such a small cast of characters, the interpersonal dynamics and conflicts between the cast are absolutely crucial in delivering this tension. Unfortunately, the relationships between the new cast didn’t feel quite settled yet, with interactions not always finding the right spark to fully heighten tensions and invest the audience in the interpersonal conflicts that sustain the performance. That being said, both James Bye and Grant Kilburn stand out in their contrasting roles, with Bye perfectly capturing the pedantic pretentiousness of the posh Sam - the kind of man you’d dread to encounter at a party - while Kilburn provides a grounded, heartfelt, and often comedic counterpoint as the Cockney Ben. The clashes between their belief systems and class serve to be the most compelling dynamic in the play. 

Alongside the effective writing of Robins, the production is effective in building tension throughout the play. The compelling sound design by Ian Dickinson for Autograph helps to emphasise and elevate moments of suspense, although in some cases it does feel like sound effects are over-used to spoon-feed fear to the audience, rather than relying on the talents of the cast and writing to create these feelings organically. Additionally, the lighting design by Lucy Carter is also very successful, and is really powerful in intensifying moments of stress, and creates some haunting moments in the second act. 

In the vein of production, it would be wrong to omit a judgment of the controversial jumpscares that mark the break between each scene. Although many a critic have damned them as a lazy shortcut to injecting frights into the show, I think that there is still a compelling argument to be made that these sudden jumps are an effective way of keeping the audience on the edge of the seats, and reminding them of overarching sinister ghostly mystery that sometimes gets a little lost in the spiritual deliberations and interpersonal conflict.   

Additionally, the set design by Anna Fleischle is perfect in depicting Jenny and Sam’s new house, currently in the process of renovation, which allows for the interesting discussion of a ghost as a disruptive presence resisting gentrification and the erasure of working-class histories and families. 

Alongside its rotating cast of celebrities with varying levels of familiarity, 2:22 is best known for its haunting twist at end of the show. After previously watching the production in the West End, a second watch provided an excellent opportunity to revisit the hints leading up to the infamous twist. However, as nearly all of the suspense of 2:22: A Ghost Story relies upon this one twist, knowing the twist, therefore, unsurprisingly dilutes the tension of the play to a significant degree, unfortunately making it a much less entertaining rewatch. 

2:22: A Ghost Story is, therefore, a solidly entertaining and engaging thriller. Despite unsure cast dynamics, occasional pacing lulls and an overreliance on the single twist, the compelling tension, interesting debates and haunting twist means that 2:22 is certainly not giving up the ghost any time soon! 

2.22: A Ghost Story plays at Richmond Theatre until 7th February, and continues to tour the UK until 4th July.

Dates and tickets here

Photos by Helen Murray