2:22-A Ghost Story, UK Tour (2024) Review
Written by Sam for Theatre and Tonic.
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for a review. All views are my own.
2:22 A Ghost Story is a supernatural thriller and has been written by Danny Robins as he’s been fascinated by ghosts since he was a child. The show has been a huge success as its had record-breaking seasons at five West End theatres with a number of high-profile singers and actors.
The story is set inside Sam (George Rainsford) and Jenny (Fiona Wade) house (a fantastic set by the way), which has undergone a modern renovation. Whilst Sam the scientist is away, Jenny finds herself hearing noises whilst she’s seeing to her baby upstairs. Strange things seem to be happening at night, specifically at 2:22 and upon Sam’s return, the couple invite their friends over for dinner. Lauren (Vera Chok), a mental health professional is one of Sam’s oldest friends and she’s accompanied by boyfriend, Ben (Jay McGuiness) a local builder. This is where it all begins.
At first, the dialogue felt a little wooden and as though the cast were reading their lines rather than acting and I wasn’t sure whether the characters would come to life a little more but that soon changed. I think having four strong characters in this show helped build an atmosphere and change the dynamic because they all have such contrasting personalities and somehow, they all seem to come together over one thing, the dead.
The story isn’t as chilling or scary as I was expecting but I found the emotive performances from the cast members rather gripping, especially from Fiona Wade. I have always been a huge fan of hers because Wade’s storylines in Emmerdale have been exceptionally challenging and moving and she used that experience in this show. In particular, there’s a moment in the show where Wade is shouting during an argument, and I genuinely felt sorry for her that she wasn’t being listened to by her husband Sam. So, I guess, I experienced various emotions during this show, one being sympathy. I also jumped a few times and had goosebumps.
George Rainsford’s performance blew me away. I hated his character Sam, but I was also drawn to him because I found him fascinating. He came across as your typical boarding school posho but believes science is the answer for everything and only he knows right. I thought he was cocky and a bit of a tw*t like Wade called him, but I adored his passion for quizzes – I can’t explain why I thought his character was so fascinating!
Jay McGuiness was a perfect Ben and a complete opposite to Lauren. His character really made me laugh and I thought it was a good split between the suspense and emotion. As a fellow Midlander, it can be hard to master a southern accent, in this case, a cockney one but McGuiness did not slip out of character once. He definitely had the audience on his side as he kept them laughing throughout with his classic one liners.
Vera Chok’s character Lauren is a troubled soul. She spends all day helping others and being overwhelmed in the NHS but as the story unfolds, she has her own demons to face. I wasn’t sure what to make of this character as I didn’t connect with her straight away but as we found out she had a drinking problem and hadn’t dealt with her emotions/feelings, she became more human, and my empathy grew for her.
The script itself is clever because it’s serious yet funny and extremely thought-provoking. Once I left the show, my friend and I continued our conversation by unpicking parts of the show following the ending – which I can’t reveal because you need to see it without reading spoilers. The way the script does not give away anything but keeps you thinking and wondering is a really good way of keeping the audience engaged.
If you want to get your spooky fix this week, 2:22 A Ghost Story is on in Nottingham until Saturday 11 May with limited tickets available for each performance. You can buy them from here.
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