2:22 A Ghost Story which has had multiple London runs since opening in summer 2021 has arrived in York at the Grand Opera House and this intriguing, compelling and thrilling drama is destined to haunt York theatre fans.
Without spoiling the plot too much, the drama comes with a big twist in the tale. Much like Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, audiences are reminded when leaving the theatre to keep schtum about how the play reaches a very unusual conclusion. To discover that you will have to see 2:22 A Ghost Story yourself.
Edge of the seat entertainment
Written by Danny Robins, creator of the BBC podcast The Battersea Poltergeist, 2:22 is an adrenaline-fuelled experience that is entertaining and enthralling and will definitely leave audiences on the edge of their seats.
The drama centres on Jenny (Fiona Wade) and her husband Sam (George Rainsford), who has just returned home from a solo trip to Sark in the Channel Islands. The couple decide to hold a dinner party for Sam’s old university friend Lauren (Vera Chok) and her new boyfriend Ben (Jay McGuiness).
While Sam has been away Jenny has been hearing footsteps and a man’s voice in their young baby’s bedroom every night at 2:22. The assembled party decide to stay up one evening until 2:22 trying to will the ghost into being and prove that Jenny is not hearing things.
With only four main characters on stage the talented cast worked brilliantly to bring the story to life. Jay McGuiness might be better known as being a member of the pop group The Wanted. With a touch of wit, he carries the role of Ben with ease – audiences see his character develop in the second half of the show as he makes the transition from boy band to a consummate actor.
Emmerdale star Fiona Wade plays new mum Jenny with a touch of panic that slowly develops towards the end of the night. Vera Chok from TV’s Hollyoaks becomes more inebriated as the night wears on – bringing a nuanced irksomeness to her character.
But the star of 2:22 for me was George Rainsford as Sam – also known for his roles in Casualty and Call the Midwife. He moves around the stage with energy and poise, playing a character that is, at various turns, irritating, smug, and modest. If you observe very carefully you might be able to pick up clues early on as to where this gripping thriller is heading.
2.22 A Ghost Story: jump scares and deeper questions
The set is an impressive one with the stage looking like a house decorated in the 1970s although the action is set in the 21st century. The lighting throughout is superb with perfectly timed special effects. The loud bangs emanating from the stage will startle even then most calm of theatregoers as will the unexpected screams.
This modern take on the supernatural is one that you might want to see again – if only to pick up on the early clues that are scattered throughout the play but also to ponder the deeper questions of our own mortality.
York Grand Opera House – runs until Saturday 4 May 2024
14–18 May – Hull New Theatre
28 May–1 June – Bradford Alhambra Theatre
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