The Kings Theatre, Southsea – until Saturday 7th March 2026
Reviewed by Sally Lumley
5*****
I’m not a fan of scary movies, so it was with some trepidation that I went to the Kings Theatre last night to see 2:22 A Ghost Story.
Curiosity about a show that had had multiple West End seasons and toured extensively finally got the better of me though, and I am very glad that I plucked up the courage. This is a smart, suspenseful thriller that had us gripped right to the end.
2:22 A Ghost Story, by writer Danny Robins, joins couple and new parents Jenny (Shvorne Marks) and Sam (James Bye) in their new home. Sam has just returned from a writing trip away, and Jenny has been hearing strange noises at exactly 2:22am every night in his absence.
They have invited old friend Lauren (Natalie Casey) and her new partner Ben (Grant Kilburn) to dinner and decide to wait up to see whether they can prove that there is, or isn’t, something supernatural in the house.
The dynamics between the characters feel completely authentic. Shvorne Marks is excellent as Jenny, exhausted and terrified, we feel her desperation to be believed and frustration when her word isn’t enough. James Bye is superb as her super-sceptic husband Sam, who is adamant that there is a scientific explanation for all the paranormal activity and is determined to prove it. He is condescending and unlikeable at times, and the conflict between the couple adds to the tension throughout.
Staging, sound and lighting are used to great effect in this production to continuously ramp up the tension, and we never knew whether it would be broken by a scare or a welcome comedy moment (which were well delivered by Natalie Casey and Grant Kilburn as the dinner party guests). The beauty of seeing a show like this in the theatre is the shared experience. The audience laughed, jumped and gasped together. I had my son with me, and we were literally clinging together in parts! The anticipation in the air felt palpable towards the end, as we all waited with the characters on stage for 2:22 to arrive.
I won’t reveal anything, but the ending is superb, and we were talking about it all the way home. In fact, I’d like to see it again knowing how it ends, to spot all the clever plot nuances we missed along the way. 2:22 A Ghost Story is a fabulous way to spend an evening and had us on the edge of our seats from start to finish.