This ghost story, directed by Matthew Dunster and written by Danny Robins, has enjoyed huge audiences and many rave reviews. A leap of faith is necessary to believe what happens, although it is directed and acted the best it could be.
Two hapless gentrifiers have a new baby and are doing up their bargain home. Annoying know-it-all Sam (Kevin Clifton) has been off star gazing somewhere and exhausted new mum Jenny (Stacey Dooley) is shaken by the eerie goings on in the baby’s bedroom each night at 2.22. For what I think may be a bit of harmless sexual tension – Sam and Jenny invite over Sam’s old and clearly untrustworthy uni mate Lauren (Shvorne Marks) and her new boyfriend Ben (Grant Kilburn) the builder for a dinner party. They all decide, to hang around and stay up until 2.22 so Jenny can prove there is a ghost in the house. Lots of chatter, drinking, and friction happens and a seance ensues as we creep up to 2.22.
Let’s start with the set design by Anna Fleischle. I would have been put off buying this place by the terrifyingly high ceilings. We get a glimpse of the stairs which logistically must be two-foot steep to get up to the bedrooms. I spent quite a bit of time at first, trying to work out whether they have knocked out a ceiling but no, the old wallpaper that is still visible goes from bottom to top. I can’t remember why Frank (the previous owner’s dead husband) died but pneumonia would make sense. You couldn’t heat that place with the small gas fire they had and now these idiots have knocked through. For no practical or obvious aesthetic purpose whatsoever either, the old couple or the new couple have put a large digital clock above the door leading to the stairs. It’s a bit like something you’d see in a hospital waiting room. This works really well for the suspense of time passing up to the 2.22 – when we expect the ghost – but would make no practical sense to either homeowners. Jenny believes that the ghost is very upset by the renovations and at one point thinks they have summoned the spirits by putting in the patio doors. With all this considered, it’s got some really promising elements to be a dark comedy that sends itself up, but the script doesn’t let that happen.
Regarding the story – there’s a lot of exposition to create to suspense and intrigue. This feels rushed as a device and after all this time could have been finessed. The script benefits from Danny Robins interesting facts here and there, but that is placed within conversations leading nowhere except some hit and miss jokes. It’s a drawn-out, short form story by the feel of it. It could have leaned heavier on the gentrification; it could have leaned towards the dark comedy elements and send up the characters or even on the displacement of the foxes who are constantly screaming.
Certain scary things happen, great ghost story tropes that are clever, like a surprise thing with a teddy bear. But the actual jump scares have no relevance to the story. What we are actually scared of is the convention, nothing to do with what unfolds but just a production trick to make us jump unexpectedly. And that takes us entirely away from being involved in the story.
We are asked to be quiet and not tell anyone what happens and in respect for those who will enjoy it, I won’t. The play will be popular and forgiven because it always has a great cast. And that is what makes the play so successful. It is worth going particularly for Stacey Dooley and Grant Kilburn’s performances.
2:22 A Ghost Story is at The Opera House, Manchester from 7 to 16 August 2025 before continuing on tour.