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There are two types of people in this world. Those who believe in the supernatural, and those who don’t. More often than not, they marry each other. But whether you’re a sceptic or not, one thing is certain – we all love a good ghost story.
As autumn draws in and the nights get darker, there couldn’t be a better time to step into a theatre for a spine-tingling tale. As luck would have it, Danny Robins’ award-winning paranormal thriller 2:22 A Ghost Story is at The Regent Theatre this week, and it’s the perfect way to ease into spooky season.
First staged in 2021, 2:22 A Ghost Story is still a very new show, but has enjoyed record-breaking seasons at five West End theatres with a host of acclaimed star performances from Frankie Bridge to Lily Allen. For its regional tour, the play sees Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton step into the roles of Jenny and Sam. The new parents have recently moved into a house which Jenny is convinced is haunted, while Sam believes there must be a perfectly logical explanation for the unusual goings on.
The pair are joined one evening for dinner by Sam’s oldest friend Lauren (Shvorne Marks) and her new boyfriend, Ben (Grant Kilburn) where Jenny shares her fears about the strange footsteps that occur in their daughter’s room at the same time each night. There’s arguments, laughs, quizzes and much alcohol consumed as they stay up until 2:22am to put things to bed once and for all.
The first IRL couple to appear in the show together, Kevin and Stacey’s real-life relationship translates brilliantly into their stage partnership. There’s an ease and authenticity to the way they interact that makes Jenny and Sam’s marriage feel instantly believable, from playful banter to more heated exchanges. Stacey, reprising her role as Jenny from the West End, effortlessly portrays the anxious new mum, balancing her character with comedy relief, throwing out sharp one-liners that keep the audience relaxed.
And it’s that sense of relaxation that plays a major role in scaring theatre-goers, too. Instead of using big fancy special effects, 2:22 plays on our own fears. The house looks like any other, the dinner party chatter is recognisable, and you can’t help but laugh along with the characters. It’s all so ordinary, it could be your own front room, making the story all the more relatable. Robins’ has a knack for allowing us all to get just comfortable enough in our seats before scaring us straight back out of them through his script and some seriously effective light and sound, which sees you often getting spooked at reflections in oversized French doors.
Shvorne makes for a standout Lauren, playing the university pal with intrigue, showing a darker side to her character while Grant’s take on cockney builder Ben brought a lighter side to the show, his character developing confidence throughout the night as he sides firmly with Jenny. Kevin is no stranger to The Regent Theatre, having placed Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages and Billy Flynn in Chicago – and while his role of Sam is quite different from these musical numbers, they all have one thing in common: arrogance. Clifton has mastered it.
Without spoiling anything, the final twist is a jaw-dropper – clever, shocking, and guaranteed to spark a full post-show debrief. Funny and frightening, 2:22 A Ghost Story is a masterfully produced modern ghost story (so modern, even Alexa generates a number of giggles throughout the night). It knows exactly how to keep an audience on edge while making them laugh, and it leaves you wanting to immediately go and see it again to see if you missed any clues. Catch 2:22: A Ghost Story at The Regent Theatre this week with tickets from £34.50 here.
