Theatre Review: 2:22, A Ghost Story, Theatre Royal Brighton
A fabulous story told through intense and clever storytelling from a fantastic cast.
Summary
Rating: ★★★★
Running Dates: 24th October - 28th October
Where to see it: Theatre Royal Brighton
Duration: 2 hours (including interval)
Keywords: Immersive, Captivating, Thrilling
Review
A fabulous story told through intense and clever storytelling from a fantastic cast.
The theatre was sold out for 2:22 A Ghost Story exactly one week before Halloween. There was a unified apprehensive atmosphere as we sat down to be thrilled in our seats knowing we would soon feel the hairs stand up on the back of our necks.
They played modern, upbeat music before the performance, during the interval and after. This really made us chuckle. As audience members we knew we were about to be told a ghost story, so our emotions were conflicted as we were listening to catchy pop music. I thought to myself “they’re lulling us into a false sense of security”. The opening scene certainly did just that, without giving anything away.
The story follows Sam and Jenny who have recently bought and started renovating their large London home, but Jenny starts to feel unsettled, and shares her uncertainties with husband Sam, who doesn’t agree with her ghostly tales. Sam’s best friend from university, Lauren, and boyfriend Ben, come for dinner at the new home. To Sam’s dismay, Lauren and Ben are both keen to hear Lauren out, and agree to stay until the doomed 2:22am, to hear what is really happening.
Nathaniel Curtis (Sam) was fantastic throughout. His voice naturally and effortlessly filled the theatre, capturing our attention and guiding us through the story. Louisa Lytton (Jenny) delivered a fantastic performance portraying the worried mother, mirroring the audience’s anguish. Their chemistry on stage and passionate delivery of the story kept the audience on the edge of their seats. It enabled us to be immersed into their world.
Similarly, Joe Absolom (Ben) and Charlene Boyd (Lauren) captured our hearts by adding warmth and humour to the story. Their characters gave depth to storyline of Sam and Lauren, and Ben especially gave the audience a break from the tension with some aptly timed comedy. However, he also offers discussions of class difference which adds value to the stage show.
The set design depicted generations of history being stripped away through their renovation, revealing their new, modern kitchen with large glass doors at the back. These doors were simple yet effective, as I was on tender hooks throughout the performance wondering if their motion-sensor lights would turn on if someone was out there…
The final scenes really are the best. The story marries itself together and you feel a gasp from the whole theatre. As the cast bows there are signs across the theatre the read “Shhh, don’t tell” so I will leave the review there. Thank you 2:22 for a great night!
Standout Moment: The revelation in the final scene.
See If: You are looking for a captivating tale that will keep you guessing.
Last Impression: You’ll want to see it again to pick up on the clever details throughout.
Written by Georgia