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
Manchester City Council green-light new venue at Medlock Square, with Mamma Mia! The Party to open the immersive space
Danny Jones
The smash-hit ‘Mamma Mia: The Party’ is set to land in Manchester next year as the maiden event of another brand-new space set to open as part of the upcoming Medlock Square development.
Etihad Campus has seen a lot of moving pieces over the past few years, be it the building of Co-op Live, the ongoing expansion of Man City’s home ground, the soon-to-launch hotel attached to the stadium and now Medlock.
But those in control of the land are content with stopping there; this looks to be just the start of a whole new evolution for the East Manchester area, with an as yet untitled new immersive arts, experience and events venue also set to join the new slate of projects.
You see another glimpse of the purpose-built mini arena, of sorts, down below.
With plans having now been approved by the City Council, the ‘immersive’ space will be situated between the Etihad, Co-op Live and Medlock Square itself, holding up to 600 guests per performance.
Currently set to open in late 2027, following the rest of the square’s launch window being fully rolled out, we still don’t know the name of this next addition, but the structure itself will dovetail with the surrounding buildings and areas as part of seasonal activations, live shows and sports screenings, as well as pop-ups, brand collaborations and more.
Looping back, the interactive, multimedia extravaganza that is ‘Mamma Mia! The Party’ will finally be making its Manc debut as part of the 10th anniversary of the all-singing, all-dancing and even all-dining in-demand production.
As per an official press release from the Medlock Square media team, the show will combine “live music, theatre, food and storytelling” and “offer visitors an unforgettable night out.”
The original UK production at The O2 in London has now surpassed more than 1,500 performances, with a total of 700k guests attending these shows in 110 countries across the globe. Safe to say it’s rather popular.
As for Medlock Square and the surrounding Etihad Campus, Manchester City supporters have also been given another look at the soon-to-open, immersive hotel tie-in experience.
With a skywalk, rooftop bar, a new MCFC shop and various other bits set to spill out onto Medlock Square, it all feels like a period of wholesale changes over in the blue half of the city – especially with the football club bidding farewell to their manager Pep Guardiola after more than a decade.
Following the new and improved North Stand being named after him in the first of many tributes, the City Football Group (CFG) are also set to commission a statue in his honour over the coming months.
Meanwhile, Medlock Square is also due to open later this year, although an official completion date has not been confirmed.
You can stay up to date with all the latest on Mamma Mia! The Part’s Manchester shows right HERE.
Not forgetting a brand-new women’s football facility, too, there is so much stuff going on over at the Etihad that it can be hard to keep track, but here’s the latest look at some of the rooms set to feature in the hotel of the same name.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (CGIs via Medlock Square)
Theatre
Annie at Palace Theatre Manchester – a charming interpretation of an old classic | Review
Clementine Hall
For a musical built on nostalgia, this Annie that’s just arrived at the Palace Theatre in Manchester feels surprisingly lively – here’s our full review…
Annie is a show tied up with countless childhood memories. Whether you performed it in the school choir, watched the film starring Carol Burnett, or saw it on stage, we’ve all got our own memories of Annie since it first opened in 1977.
So to bring it to a modern theatre audience who no doubt feel some connection to the characters and score is no mean feat.
If you’ve seen any of the posters plastered around the city, you’ll see British drag queen ‘La Voix’ take centre stage as the slippery and gin-fuelled Miss Hannigan.
Images: Press shots (supplied)
This is obviously a strategic move to get bums on seats, and although La Voix is of course a ferocious and standout performer, the production is so much more than that.
They say never to work with children in showbiz, so leading a group of 10-year-old orphans in a snappy and perfectly choreographed rendition of‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’ is really a huge achievement in itself.
All the kids are wonderful, but Victoria Alsina, who plays the titular role, deserves particular credit. It’s a huge role for any actor, never mind a child, and she handles it with confidence, charm, and just the right amount of grit.
As expected, La Voix gets some of the biggest laughs of the night. Her Miss Hannigan leans heavily into the character’s chaos and bitterness, but never feels one-note. It’s a performance packed with quick-fire comedy, and the vocals are tight.
Images: Supplied
That said, Annie would be in trouble if it relied solely on stunt casting. Thankfully, it doesn’t.
The wider cast is consistently strong, the ensemble numbers are full of energy, and the costumes are nothing short of fabulous. The real challenge with Annie is making a story that’s approaching its 50th birthday feel fresh. This production doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t need to.
Instead, it focuses on delivering the songs people came for, giving the cast room to shine, and reminding audiences why the show has stuck around for so long.
La Voix might get people through the doors, but it’s the strength of the production as a whole that sends them home happy.
Dylan Whitty -
5th June 2024 
