2.22
09 August 2021
Gielgud Theatre
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
A new play to experience? And a horror themed one at that? Sign me up!
2:22 – A Ghost Story is now playing at the Noel Coward Theatre with a stellar cast lined up. I’m a big sucker for horror and ghost content, so of course had to grab a ticket for one of the previews to see what this was all about.
A short spoiler-free synopsis: Jenny thinks her new house is haunted as she hears the same ghostly noises every night at 2:22 while her husband, scientist and definite non-believer Sam, is away for work. As he returns and they welcome their first dinner guests, Sam and Jenny argue whether ghosts and the supernatural exist.
The story is solid and well presented, though often interrupted with jump-scares, which aren’t really my favourite things in the world. They interrupt the play, and I wonder if it would be more effective, more emotional, without them. I definitely believe I would have felt a little more immersed in the story and characters without the interruptions, jump-scares always feel very cheap and tacky to me, cheapening the entire experience.
Other than that, it is a very well presented spooky story with deep discussions of science versus more esoteric beliefs, whether the human experience can fully be explained with rational reasoning of if we’re more than just our physical bodies.
As this was still a preview performance, I thought some of the actors seemed a bit nervous and not as solid in their roles as they could be, but I’m sure this will be remedied with time. If you’re willing to be haunted and put at unease, definitely get yourself a ticket for this show, I enjoyed it.