2:22 A Ghost Story
Theatre Royal Brighton
Danny Robins’ 2:22 A Ghost Story continues to prove why it has become one of the most enduring modern thrillers on the UK stage, and how deserving it is of its Olivier award. At Theatre Royal Brighton this week, the latest production sees Stacey Dooley reprising her role from her stage debut for the West End production last year. She is joined by her real-life partner Kevin Clifton, Grant Kilburn, and Shvorne Marks. Together, they deliver a tight, atmospheric evening that successfully balances suspense, wit, and philosophical reflection.
Within our viewing party, one of us had already seen a previous production starring Lily Allen and Jake Wood in 2021, and the other was going in blind. It was certainly an interesting dynamic to watch together, but arguably made the experience more satisfying.
Set within the confines of a single room, the play’s box-style staging actually works to its advantage. The intimacy heightens the tension that is built throughout, as the audience becomes complicit and invested in the characters’ attempts to make sense of what they’ve heard, seen, and believe. The digital clock, a constant visual reminder of the time edging closer to 2:22am, acts as an effective anchor for the suspense while the play’s design elements give the production a cinematic quality that kept us on the edge of our seats. Of particular note were the scene changes, where a strip of red light framed the stage whilst sharp flashes of white light and screeching sound design maintained a high level of immersion and jump-scared the audience.
At its core, the story examines our societal need to categorise and explain everything, questioning, as the character Ben does, ‘does there have to be a reason?’, or whether uncertainty itself might be part of being human. Theories were posited such as ghosts themselves being uncertain and scaring us to get our attention, or that the journey over to our realm may be a turbulent one that not everyone succeeds in making. The discourse was compelling, though the latter of these two theories, where Jenny metaphorically likens ghosts to refugees, feels less comfortable in today’s political climate. Nonetheless, these discussions as a whole offer a strikingly empathetic angle on fear and belonging.
We thought that Dooley and Clifton’s real-life connection added a warmth and authenticity to their onstage relationship, grounding the dialogue in something familiar and relatable. Compared to earlier productions including the original run with Lily Allen this version feels more conversational and naturalistic, trading some of the icy restraint for a livelier, more emotionally open dynamic. We did however think some of the dialogue and delivery of the lines particularly from Clifton came across a little overwrought and offbeat, and we weren’t sold on the choice for Marks’ American accent. However, we felt the casting did work well overall, and the dynamic as a whole felt natural.
As many critics have observed, 2:22 relies less on outright horror and more on slow-burning ambiguity, asking if what we are witnessing is supernatural or psychological. This production leans confidently into that tension, inviting audiences to draw their own conclusions, and perhaps to question their own need for one.
A taut, stylishly staged revival that delivers both thrills and thought, 2:22 A Ghost Story remains an intelligent, unsettling reflection on what haunts us and why.
Reviewer: Asalie Balasuriya and Sophie Rose