A couple moves into a new house, only to find that something sinister is keeping one of them up at night…
It’s an age-old story we’ve heard countless times, now brought to life onstage through a suspenseful and complex exploration of belief and the afterlife, with a twist that’ll keep you up at night.
The award-winning supernatural thriller, 2:22 A Ghost Story, usually only playing on London’s West End, is continuing its award-winning run spooking audiences across the country.
Written by Danny Robbins, the production is playing at The Lowry between the 4 and 15 June as part of its second tour across the country in under a year.
The story centres around a couple experiencing supernatural events at precisely 2:22am in their home, which doesn’t exactly sound like a new concept – we’ve all grown up on ghost stories about haunted houses.
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The familiar genre tropes are all here too; the believer and the skeptic. Throw in a suburban house under construction, halfway between its old and new self, a digital clock and strange noises through a baby monitor, each used as dramatic devices for building suspense throughout the script, and you’ve got yourself a setup audiences know like the back of their hand.
Except, 2:22 A Ghost Story’s writer knows this and uses this familiar setup to lead us into a false sense of security.
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2:22 A Ghost Story is a thriller play currently running at The Lowry theatre in Salford
The play takes place across one night, aside from its appropriately spooky opening, where two couples come together for a dinner party.
You have Jenny (Fiona Wade), a young mother who is convinced that her new house is haunted after strange occurrences happen at the same time every night; Jenny’s husband, Sam (George Rainsford), a man who values logic, reason and science above all else (even his own wife’s experiences), whose stubbornness causes much of the conflict throughout the play; Lauren (Vera Chok), an old friend of Sam’s and Ben (The Wanted’s Jay McGuiness); and Lauren’s partner.
Various jump scares create tension throughout, but it’s through the opposing beliefs and ideas of these characters that the tension grows more palpable.
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Across the evening the characters discuss their own personal accounts of the paranormal as they open up to one another. Fear and belief are the beating thematic heart of the play, themes that spur interesting and sometimes disturbing conversations about the afterlife that’ll linger with you long after the play finishes.
Masterfully directed by Matthew Dunster and Isabel Marr, 2:22A Ghost Story is not all spooky goings-on though. The supernatural thriller’s script is brought to life through an amazing cast that juggles suspenseful moments with comedy to lighten the predominantly moody atmosphere.
2:22 A Ghost Story is a thriller play currently running at The Lowry theatre in Salford
The plot unfolds at a steady pace, with each act revealing new layers of mystery. The pacing is well-balanced, allowing moments of intense drama to be interspersed with lighter, more reflective scenes.
A particularly memorable twist will leave you gobsmacked – the less said about this the better.
Whereas most plays centre themselves around the meaning of life and what it means to be human in one way or another, 2:22 A Ghost Story concerns itself more with the meaning of death and our relationship with it.
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“I read somewhere that humans are rational machines caught between irrational beliefs,” says one of the characters in the play’s final act. Themes of belief, fear, and the unknown are explored with nuance. The dialogue is sharp and thought-provoking, prompting us to question our perception of reality. The play’s exploration of these themes is both timely and timeless.
By intertwining moments of genuine terror with thought-provoking dialogue, 2:22 A Ghost Story transcends the typical ghost story. The play’s direction, script and cast all come together to create a powerful commentary on the limits of human understanding and the enduring mystery of what lies beyond. Its well-crafted plot, stellar performances, and high production values make it a must-see.
In the end, the play leaves us with more questions than answers, compelling us to confront the shadows in our own lives. It is a haunting reminder that sometimes, the most frightening ghosts are not the ones we see, but the ones that reside within us.
You can book tickets for 2:22 A Ghost Story at The Lowry here.
Featured image: Supplied
Theatre
Oasis are back…in surreal new Britpop comedy ‘The Battle’ at the Opera House Manchester
Clementine Hall
The greatest pop rivalry of all time has been turned into a quick-witted, razor-sharp comedy.
And do you know what? It’s a proper laugh.
Oasis vs Blur, north vs south… it really is a tale as old as time, and one that symbolised a divided nation back in 1995.
This new play, written by past record industry bod John Niven, explores the testosterone-fuelled tantrums that came after the decision to release Blur’s Country House singlealongside Oasis’ Roll With It.
Image: Supplied (Helen Murray)
We’re plunged into backstage Britpop bickering right at the very start at none other than the Brit Awards, which is quite apt for a Manchester audience who have just witnessed the city hosting the awards for the first time.
From the offset, Paddy Stafford and George Usher who played Noel and Liam Gallagher, proved themselves as standout performances.
The physical mannerisms, the vocal nuances, they both had it down to an absolute T and looked exceptional in parkas, might I add.
Images: Supplied (Helen Murray)
By portraying such icons, in Manchester no less, you’re opening yourself up to a lot of criticism but their performances, which could’ve been perceived as awkward impressions, were the highlight of the evening.
The first act explores the rivalry between the two bands in depth, featuring countless slinging matches that are peppered with quick-witted remarks and plenty of swearing.
The between-scenes animations by John O’Connor portray radio DJs stoking the hysteria with the latest gossip, which is a nice way to keep the audience in check with whats going on amidst the chaos.
Image: Supplied (Helen Murray)
But it’s in the second act when things start to get really, really weird – and equally as fun.
I’m not going to spoil it for you, because that’s the whole point.
But what I will say is if you’re going for an Oasis singalong then you’re not going to get it, but you may want to brush up on your Take That lyrics.
The Battle is on at the Opera House Manchester until Saturday 21 March and you can get your tickets here.
A new stage adaptation of a Virginia Woolf classic is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
With both World Book Day and International Women’s Day having only just passed, it feels like perfect timing for a UK tour of a new theatrical adaptation of one of the most important works of feminist writing ever to have just been announced: Mrs. Dalloway.
And, of course, it’s being brought to Manchester.
The legendary modernist novel by Virginia Woolf has already been adapted for stage and screen multiple times, but this most recent version has been hailed as “cinematic”, “immersive”, and striving to be just as ‘radical’ as the original masterpiece itself.
It’s one of the latest shows coming to Storyhouse in Chester for a world premiere, before heading out across the UK for just a select few special performances.
A co-production between said Storyhouse, as well as Harlow Playhouse and CutToTheChase Productions, it’s been co-created by award-winning director Jen Heyes, with help from Olivier Award-winning writer and performer, Kit Green.
Green takes up the role not only of the titular and long-studied character for this bold reimagining of Clarissa, but will also feature as husband Richard Dalloway, tragic supporting character Septimus Warren Smith, and others.
Bookworms and English literature students will likely have come across the name at least in passing, even if they haven’t read it for themselves, and it still remains just as striking now as it was when first published back in 1925.
Elsewhere referred to as The Hours in her diary entries, the text inspired a 2002 Hollywood movie using that ‘original’ working title starring Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, and Meryl Streep – all of whom play women whose story mirrors that tale and/or troubles of Virginia Woolf in some way.
Most famously, however, it was also turned into an eponymous British film in the late 90s, with Vanessa Redgrave as an older Mrs Dalloway and Natascha McElhone as her younger self.
Virginia WoolfThe first major version of Mrs Dalloway on film (1997)Green embodying one of many rolesCredit: Topfoto/NTB (via NDLA)
Both have little cult followings of their own, as you would expect from anything with the famous writer’s name attached to them, but theatre fans have every reason to be very excited about this next take.
Speaking ahead of the inaugural performance of the play, director Jen Heyes said in a statement, “I wanted audiences to step inside Woolf’s world and see it in a way they won’t expect.
“We’ve mixed theatre, film, and bold reinterpretations to create something alive, surprising, moving, and entertaining. My hope is that people leave the theatre carrying the story with them long after the lights go down.”
Following the Cheshire debut on Friday, 29 May, running until 6 June, the production will head to Harlow in Essex, and Wilton’s Music Hall in London, before landing at beloved local theatre, cinema and arts space, HOME, over on First Street this autumn.
The stage version of Mrs. Dalloway will be in Manchester from 24-26 September (Thurs-Sat); you can grab your tickets HERE. We’ve been spoiled by some VERY good new material of late…
Dylan Whitty -
5th June 2024 
