Hall for Cornwall, Truro – until 20 April 2024
Reviewed by Kerry Gilbert
4****
Intense, Clever and Immersive – A gripping Ghost Story set to thrill!
2:22 A Ghost Story is a thriller play by Danny Robins. It premiered in the West End in 2021 and received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best New Play the following year. This play has it all: thrills, staging, tension, deep conversation, great laughs and a brilliant twist!
The characters were vividly portrayed in the story with both serious and humorous part throughout. They share their humanity and their stories of hauntings of society and secrets. The pace of the play was excellent, and the plot was well designed to keep most of us on the edge of our seat!
Fiona Wade leads the cast with aplomb as Jenny, while George Rainsford finds just the right blend of arrogance and charm in the role of her husband Sam. They have recently bought a large house in Greater London that they are renovating. For several nights, at exactly 2:22 am, Jenny hears the sound of someone moving around the house and a man’s voice crying, via the baby monitor in her daughter’s bedroom, and becomes convinced the house is haunted. The couple host a dinner party for Lauren (Vera Chok), an old university friend of Sam’s, and Ben (Jay McGuiness), her new boyfriend who has a belief in the Supernatural. After discussing the strange noises, Jenny persuades the others to stay up until 2:22 am to see what happens.
As the alcohol flows, the debate rages on between the believers and non-believers. It throws up some interesting questions that will make you think twice about your own views on the paranormal. But it also explores the nature of relationships and the class divide, all of which is drawn out in tantalisingly enjoyable scenes.
We know from the start that something unworldly is going to happen at precisely 2:22am and the clock becomes vital to building up suspense late in the play. There are sudden bursts of loud screeching and flashing lights which occur at intervals, which makes the audience jump with fright.
Both hilarious and thought provoking in parts, it is not your typical “jump out of your seat” ghost story, but a play that builds with tension …. leaving you wondering what is going to happen as the clock ticks on. It’s a play, that once the curtain falls, makes you rethink everything you’ve just watched!
The ending was amazing, and I left the Theatre with goosebumps! I’d highly recommend this play, it’s a must watch ….