Danny Robins’ 2:22 A Ghost Story is a contemporary stage thriller built around one simple question: do ghosts exist?
The story follows Jenny (Stacey Dooley), a new mother who becomes convinced that something unsettling happens in her home at exactly 2:22am. Her husband Sam (Kevin Clifton) is an outspoken sceptic, quick to dismiss her fears as irrational. Determined to prove her point, Jenny insists they stay awake with friends Lauren (Shvorne Marks) and Ben (Grant Kilburn) to see what occurs when the clock strikes.
The staging sets the tone well: a stylish yet slightly oppressive kitchen-living area in a renovated London house, with French windows opening onto a garden glimpsed only when a motion-activated light clicks on. A digital clock is constantly visible, counting down the minutes to the fateful time. The steady presence of the baby monitor adds another layer of tension, as if something could intrude on normality at any second.
Dooley is convincing as a young mother desperate to protect her child while battling disbelief from those closest to her. Her performance carries the emotional heart of the play. Clifton’s Sam, meanwhile, is written as smug and self-assured, but Clifton often pushes the role too far. His sweeping gestures and booming delivery make Sam feel exaggerated rather than layered, which sometimes undercuts the suspense. Marks gives Lauren a warmth that suggests a complicated history with Sam, while Kilburn’s Ben offers comic timing and down-to-earth charm, breaking up the arguments with humour and blunt honesty.
Technically, the production does what it sets out to do. Sudden blackouts, shrieking sound effects, and the unnerving thump of a heartbeat soundtrack provoke the expected jumps. The use of Alexa as an eerie extra presence is a neat touch, though other devices — thunderstorms, screaming foxes, shadowy figures outside — feel predictable.
The script scatters red herrings and small mysteries throughout, and while the final twist ties them together, not everyone will find it completely satisfying.
Ultimately, 2:22 A Ghost Story is entertaining and delivers its share of shocks, but it doesn’t reinvent the genre. It’s a polished production with moments of genuine tension, even if it leans heavily on familiar tricks.
For tickets and more information, please visit https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/regent-theatre/
Reviewer: Brian Madden
Reviewed: 29th September 2025
North West End UK Rating: