I’ve been trying to make a bit more of an effort on here and my podcast to be more open about my disability and how it affects me, and this particular show seemed like the perfect place to do that! So, let’s rewind a couple weeks back to the 7th where I headed back to the Noel Coward Theatre for the first time since 2019 to catch 2:22 A Ghost Story!

Now, one of things I really dislike about my Cerebral Palsy is the fact that it gives me a really sensitive startle reflex – I jump extremely easily at anything loud, sudden or unexpected. It makes me feel incredibly self conscious, particularly at the theatre, and I generally steer clear of horror as a genre for those reasons and the fact I’d have bad dreams. So, on paper, a play with “ghost story” in the subtitle isn’t the most natural fit, is it? But hey, I’m all for getting out of my comfort zone and as I learned here, that can lead to some pretty surprising and happily unexpected results.

Jenny and Sam have recently moved into their new home, and are hosting their first guest in Sam’s longtime friend from university Lauren and her new partner Ben. However, Jenny is ill at ease – every morning at 2:22, she’s been hearing footsteps and noises she cannot explain from their daughter Phoebe’s room: she’s convinced their home is haunted, and sets everyone the challenge of staying up till then, so the truth will out…

“Unexpected” is probably the operative phrase for my reaction to the play. I enjoyed it much more than I had expected to, given my preconceptions. I’ve always loved plays that are at their core about people, relationships and what makes them tick, and that’s a quality I got in spades from this piece- it just happens to have a supernatural backdrop, and that’s the major strength of Danny Robins (known for his hugely successful podcast The Battersea poltergeist) writing. It’s less about the scares, more about the way he manages to marry the subtle undercurrent of tension with wonderful bursts of wit, and that’s a balancing act that director Matthew Dunster handles extremely well too. In keeping with the ending of the play which sees “shhh… please don’t tell!” beamed on the wall, there will be no spoilers here – suffice to say I thoroughly enjoyed the twist and it’s testament to Robins that the writing stayed with me for hours after and on reflection the way he brings everything together was so slick and polished. It’s the kind of play that warrants repeat visits to enable you to pick up on all the nuances, as it’s all very cleverly layered.

The set design from Anna Fleischle gives us the interior of the family home – one side all peeling alongside the snazzy new kitchen. Looming always in view is the digital clock, ticking us ever closer to the titular hour, and all this coupled with Lucy Carter’s striking (and in the immediate outset terrifyingly neon) lighting alongside Ian Dickinson’s chilling sound design keeps the tension ramping up – I may not be one for the jump scares, but there was something really special about that collective sense of edge of seat, pin drop quiet that I actually really revelled in.

The cast is headed by singer songwriter Lily Allen making her West End stage debut. Being one of those sceptics, I hold my hands up and say I was pleasantly surprised, she brings a tenderness and warmth to the core of the piece that endears Jenny to us, and I’m sure she’ll continue to develop her confidence and finesse her technique as the run continues. I loved how Dunster’s direction sees Jenny consistently moving – she paces, she’s cooking, she’s checking on Phoebe – that makes her moments of stillness, where she really lets the fear creep in all the more engaging.

Also in her West End debut, Julia Chan plays Lauren. What I loved about Lauren’s character is that, quite often, she’s the smartest in the room – she shifts alliances throughout the night, and her own hidden longings simmer away beneath the surface, it’s fun watching her play around with the dynamics.

Firm favourite of mine (and I confess, my main draw to book) Hadley Fraser cuts a rather unlikeable figure as the cynical Sam, and I love watching him take us to those places. Sam’s rational, hard headed thinking is the catalyst for some of the play’s best moments – where all four characters come together and butt heads about the goings on, and what’s equally delightful is how layered I found Sam’s character: all of his relationships in the piece are really different from each other and call for lots of different nuances in a relatively short time, and Hadley demonstrates once again how incredibly versatile he is!

Jake Wood completes our quartet as Lauren’s partner Ben, and having only seen him in Eastenders (the role he is perhaps best known for) I was intrigued to see him on stage, and think he tackles the role with tremendous ease and aplomp – Ben is established as the antithesis to Sam which adds another layer of tension, and yet he also has some of the funniest moments, Jake pulls the balance off wonderfully with his precision of timing and delivery.

On paper, this piece shouldn’t have been my thing at all. And yes, my startle reflex did get a heck of a workout, but I’m so glad I took a punt. If I hadn’t, I’d have missed out on a striking and thought provoking piece that is still with me long after the event. I’d encourage everyone to give it a shot!

2:22: A Ghost Story runs at the Noel Coward until October 16th