Review: 2:22 - A Ghost Story at the Criterion Theatre, London
Ever since I left the theatre on Sunday afternoon, I’ve been wondering how the heck to talk about this play. First of all, I’m obviously going to honour the company’s request for fans and reviewers not to reveal how the story plays out, so you can safely read on spoiler-free for this one.
I haven’t seen all that much horror theatre. I also don’t typically watch horror films, because most of them are simply too violent for me. But I do enjoy a good ghost story, and I’m always intrigued by the techniques used to build fear on stage without the benefits of CGI and special effects.
With that in mind, I decided to check out the critically-acclaimed 2:22 - A Ghost Story, written by Danny Robins and currently playing at London’s Criterion Theatre.
What’s it about?
Married couple Jenny and Sam have recently bought a large, old house and moved into it with their baby daughter. While Sam is away on a trip, Jenny begins to hear footsteps and other strange noises over the baby monitor at exactly 2:22 AM each night.
When Sam arrives home, his old university friend Lauren and her new boyfriend Ben come over for a dinner party. Jenny tells the others about the strange noises and her belief that the house is haunted, though Sam thinks she’s being silly and there must be a scientific explanation.
At Jenny’s urging, they all agree to stay up until 2:22 to find out what’s going on. As wine flows, secrets emerge, and the four friends argue about the existence of ghosts, the clock slowly ticks down…
Any content notes?
2:22 is a fairly spooky play, with ghosts and unexplained supernatural experiences obviously playing a key role.
LOUD screaming noises are heard at several times throughout. These may make you jump and can be distressing. If you’re familiar with fox screams, it’s that sound.
Strobe, flashing lights, and periods of total darkness are used.
There’s a lot of arguing, which can get quite heated at times and includes shouting. A character slaps another character across the face, and someone throws a pot at a wall, where it smashes. There is also quite a lot of swearing.
2:22 is recommended for ages 14+.
2:22 - A Ghost Story: My Review
“The Woman in Black meets Abigail’s Party” was how my friend and theatregoing companion Josh described 2:22. It’s a pretty apt description. Set over the course of one night, 2:22 delivers a slowly-rising sense of ghostly dread juxtaposed with the environment of a middle class London dinner party.
2:22 is pretty much a four-hander. Tamsin Carroll plays Lauren, Felix Scott plays Sam, Matt Willis (of Busted fame - remember them!?) plays Ben, and Laura Whitmore makes her West End debut as Jenny.
All four of the leads are excellent. Whitmore’s Jenny is understandably anxious and on-edge, laced through with deeply-rooted Catholic guilt from her upbringing and lapsed faith. Scott is just the right balance of charming and maddening as the smug, know-it-all Sam. Carroll is confident, almost brash as psychiatrist Lauren, only revealing a layer of fragility and some hidden motivations late in the day. And Willis’s Ben, a working class builder and self-confessed spiritualist, provides a sharp contrast to the other three that reveals their barely-concealed classism and snobbery.
(Left to right) Carroll, Scott, Willis, and Whitmore in 2:22. Photo: Johan Persson
Coming in at just 2 hours including the interval, with a first half slightly shorter than the second, 2:22 is just about the right length. It’s long enough to tell a satisfying story and allow us to get to know the characters, but short enough to feel pacey and avoid dragging.
Anna Fleischle’s naturalistic set design is richly detailed, creating an old-meets-new aesthetic in the form of an old house that has still only been partially redecorated by its new owners, who later wonder if they have displeased the ghosts of the former owners (“perhaps the true horror is gentrification!” we joked at the interval.) The red digital clock in the upper stage right isn’t particularly large, but it dominates even so, looming over the action and keeping us on the edge of our seats as it ticks down to 2:22 and the big reveal.
Scott and Whitmore in 2:22. Photo: Johan Persson
Though I understand what the sound designers were going for, the repeated “fox scream” sounds effects really didn’t work for me. The first one or two were unexpected and chilling but they soon became gratuitous, seemingly crowbarred in as if someone had said at the 11th hour “guys, it’s not scary enough, we need to throw something extra in to dial it up.” Thing is, Robins’ text and the performances stand up on their own and the ear-splitting screams detract from the slow-burn spookiness that is this play’s greatest strength.
2:22’s ending genuinely surprised me. I had my suspicions, patricularly once Act 2 got underway, but all of them were completely blown out of the water when all was finally revealed.
I’m not going to say any more about this for fear of revealing too much except that, now that I know how the play ends, I want to see it again so I can look out for all the ways the climax is foreshadowed. The experience reminded me of reading a really good thriller novel and immediately wanting to re-read it once the twist is revealed. It takes great writing, precise yet subtle staging, and highly skilled performers to pull off a twist so beautifully.
(Left to right) Whitmore, Carroll, Scott, and Willis in 2:22. Photo: Johan Persson
If you enjoyed The Woman in Black and prefer your horror ghostly rather than gory, you’ll likely enjoy 2:22.
Where to get tickets
2:22 runs at the Criterion Theatre until 8th January 2023, then transfers to the Lyric Theatre from 21st January. Tickets are available from the official website or from reputable London theatre vendors.