2:22 A Ghost Story At Royal And Derngate Northampton Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Ilze
Do you believe in ghosts?
As a family, we absolutely love going to the theatre and will never pass up on the chance to go and see a new show. We particularly looked forward to 2:22 A Ghost Story, as we have some curiosity about and interest in the paranormal. We are fans of Danny Robins’ work, so were really excited to see this.
It did not disappoint, although it was not quite what we expected. We knew there’d be a twist in the end, and it wasn’t until quite close to the reveal that the penny dropped.
I have not seen any of the actors before and had no expectations either way of them. Now, we are still a bit on the fence! The acting itself was fine – but it felt as if so much of the show was a lot of shouting at and over each other, which made it impossible to hear what was said and it made us feel irritated. During interval we overheard others talking about the same, so we knew we weren’t the only ones who felt that way.
However – we would still recommend this wholeheartedly. The discussions around the paranormal was very much in line with what would happen around a dinner table after a couple of bottles of wine between friends. There was plenty of suspense, and a good amount of humour thrown in too!
Lauren (Vera Chok) and Ben (Jay McGuiness), her new boyfriend, visit friends Sam (George Rainsford) and Jenny (Fiona Wade), a couple with a new born, who is restoring an old house. It is clear that there is some sort of history between Lauren and Sam, which added to some of the tension. Jenny is a ball of nerves from the start, and we soon find out why. Sam’s character is quite annoying, and he protests loudly and very regularly about what she shares.
Reflecting back on the shouting, that was so annoying at the time, I think there is some sense to it. Having a new born, restoring an old house, a husband who trotted off for a few days and then having to entertain friends for the first time in a new abode is going to make for less than perfect and peaceful circumstances. Adding a ghost in the mix is only going to drive the tension up massively. And I guess that is exactly what they wanted the audience to feel.
The few jump scares when we were already feeling some of that angst worked very well, and the ladies sitting in front of us made it even more entertaining! The spooky atmosphere on the set was done very well, with more than enough to keep eyes and minds busy. Ben very quickly became our favourite character, and there were some moments where his sensitivity hit just the right spot, making him very endearing.
As is always the case, we left the theatre with so much appreciation for this art. The show itself was a bit unsettling in unexpected ways. But isn’t that why we love theatre so much? It makes you feel, it takes you on a journey.
The Royal & Derngate in Northampton is a fantastic venue. The team members are always friendly and helpful, everything is clean, spacious and well organised. There is plenty of parking a couple of minutes walk away, and we can’t fault anything.
As always, it was a privilege attending, and reviewing this. It was a solid 4/5 stars.
And yes – we believe.
Tickets are available here.
Rating: 4/5
Photo credit: Johan Persson