Lyric Theatre – until 23 April 2023
Reviewed by Ben Jolly
3***
2:22 – A Ghost Story – the West End thriller returns from the dead in yet another reincarnation, this time choosing the Lyric Theatre as its haunt of choice…
With a new venue comes a new cast to tell this chilling story (with the exception of original cast member Jake Wood, who returns with a wonderfully layered and highly comedic performance as Ben). Cheryl (Newcastle’s answer to Cher), is leading the cast in the role of Jenny, and is also making her professional acting debut on the West End stage… no pressure, Cheryl!
Upon entering the auditorium we are greeted with a sense of impending doom, thanks to the fantastic set design of Anna Fleischele and lighting design by Lucy Carter – and are fully immersed and made aware of what this night has in store for us. The frenzied digital clocks moving frantically as though time were in flux as we took our seats had me thinking, has the Lyric auditorium always felt this creepy?
The show really is an ensemble piece and Cheryl is surrounded by a grounded and established cast of actors who have had years of experience treading the boards under their belts, however instead of outshining the gorgeous Geordie they manage to raise her up with their well crafted performances and set a bar for her to reach up to. Louise Ford’s performance, which has wonderful depth and a wicked sense of humour as the troubled Lauren is especially memorable.
It is a fair comment that Cheryl, at this moment in time, is not a natural stage actor. There is a distinct lack of theatrecraft and technique both vocally and physically (by the second act she seemed rather fatigued – character choice? I think not). However, with time and practice, these skills can all be learnt and I have no doubt that with the right commitment to the craft, Cheryl will flourish further in this role.
In her performance, Cheryl shows us that she has genuine actor instincts and there is some raw talent there; I was pleasantly surprised by her truth and presence. I was also grateful for her moments of subtlety instead of going down the route that most non-theatre performers take of over-emphasising every line just to get their performance across the footlights.
The play (if you haven’t already seen it) does exactly what it says on the tin, it is a ghost story through and through and it fully succeeds with what it sets out to do. I was not expecting (but thoroughly enjoyed) the comedic beats and character backstories that break up the suspense and elements of surprise. The piece is well structured and brilliantly paced with kudos to writer Danny Robbins and Matthew Dunster helming the direction.
As for Cheryl, her genuine likeability, poise and grace shine through (there is a reason she was dubbed “sweetheart of the nation”) and while I don’t think we’ll be hearing of her starring in Hedda Gabler anytime soon, I sincerely hope this won’t be the last we see of what she has to offer.