2:22 A Ghost Story
Rating: ★★★
Venue: New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Winner of BEST NEW PLAY at the WhatsOnStage Awards, this supernatural thriller stars James Bye (Eastenders), Natalie Casey (2 Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps), Grant Kilburn (2:22 A Ghost Story) and Shvorne Marks (Three Little Birds).

Jenny believes her new home is haunted, but her husband Sam isn’t having any of it. They argue with their first dinner guests, old friend Lauren and new partner Ben. Can the dead really walk again? Belief and scepticism clash, but something feels strange and frightening, and that something is getting closer, so they’re going to stay up… until 2:22… and then they’ll know.

‘Ghosts aren’t the only things that fill gaps’.

Following a highly successful west end run, 2:22 A Ghost Story has landed at New Victoria Woking for six nights. 2:22 poses itself as a thriller, where the real horror is possibly just parenthood and the concept of marrying a man who loves the sound of his own voice.

Set in Sam (Paul Sockett) and Jen's (Shvorne Marks) newly bought fixed upper, the show opens with the couple having dinner with Sam’s old friend Lauren (Natalie Casey) and her new beau, Ben (Grant Kilburn). As first time parents, the homeowners very clearly struggle to stay awake for their guests and match the energy of the other couple. We watch as Lauren has a few too many glasses of wine and attempts to stifle her old feelings for Sam, all the while Ben is watching and aware of Lauren’s feelings. While Jen seems oblivious to this, it isn’t a surprise - she has been hearing footsteps in her daughter’s bedroom. Four nights in a row, like clockwork, at 2:22.

As the show unfolds, we get a few solid one liners exchanged in angst between Jen and Sam. These lines draw out quick laughs from the audience, along with the ongoing bit about screaming foxes which I genuinely enjoyed. Initially, I felt that the chemistry was not clicking with the cast, but they found their footing about 20 minutes into the show. In some ways, the first half left me wondering if the tension was built amongst the cast, or if the audience was simply jumping at effects (primarily well placed screaming). As husband and first time father, Sam’s primary character flaw is his inability to hear his wife as she is desperate for him to believe that their house is haunted. If I’m honest, the thought of a husband and new father disregarding his wife’s concerns and fears had me shivering more than the screams of foxes and footsteps in the night. 

The initial standout performance of the show is delivered by Kilburn, playing the role of cockney boyfriend next door to a T. While the chemistry wobbled at the beginning, the cast members did find their stride as a foursome. A debate ensues amongst the four - who believes in ghosts? And why?

I found the symbolism of the baby, Phoebe, to be quite strong. In many ways, especially in the first act, the child is the ghost - we never see it, we only hear it, we’re always waiting on the edge of our seats for it to make a noise. Jen (Marks) delivered a performance that was strong and enjoyable to watch. A point at which I really struggled to buy into the story is when Sam and Jen continue to bicker and argue as first time parents. When we get to the end of the story, it leaves the audience with a crinkled brow and follow up questions, based on the juxtaposition of the tense relationship we see of Jen and Sam.

The second act picks up steam in many aspects - we see character building and storytelling from Ben (Grant Kilburn). Kilburn gives us a haunting story from childhood as a way to connect with Jen, and this is exactly what Jen needed to hear to solidify her suspicions of a haunting in their home. The music at this point in the show underscores tense moments and storytelling in a way that builds believability. The effects in this second act - the weather, with the fog and thunder - carried the tone of the story. Further, the climax of act two combines this music and special effects to create a high tension and exciting moment in the story that left the audience holding their breath.

There are a few bits that didn’t land for me within the story. This included the character of Lauren puzzled me, as I didn’t understand why she had been pining after Sam for all these years. Sam did not seem to have redeeming qualities really at all, so I found this a bit unbelievable. The very end of the show was a bit lacklustre, not leaving me satisfied with the story and left with more questions. Maybe this was the aim of the writers, to have the audience walk away with further questions. If so, they have succeeded.

Finishing off the show, we’re greeted by the message ‘Shhh don’t tell’ as the audience exits the theatre. You can catch 2:22 A Ghost Story at New Woking Victoria until 21 March, or catch the show on tour throughout the UK until 4 July 2026.

You can book tickets to see 2:22 A Ghost Story, here.

Review by Miranda

**photo credit: Helen Murray**