2:22 A Ghost Story at Southampton Mayflower Theatre this week
Supernatural suspense and seasonal spooks were plentiful as the award winning play 2:22 A Ghost Story opened at Southampton Mayflower Theatre on Tuesday evening.
Written by creator of The Battersea Poltergeist podcast, Danny Robins, and directed by Olivier Award-nominated Matthew Dunster and Isabel Marr, the tense and thrilling drama will be on stage in Southampton until Saturday 21st October.
Since its theatre debut in 2021, the haunting story has picked up a string of awards for best new play and best female and male characters.
The drama takes place at the London home a young couple, Jenny and Sam, over the course of two evenings. Jenny, (Louisa Lytton) who is already exhausted from caring for the couple’s new baby, is convinced that at 2:22am, she hears the sound of someone moving around the house. She also claims she is hearing crying and footsteps coming from her daughter Phoebe’s bedroom.
However, her partner, Sam (Nathaniel Curtis), who has recently been away for a work trip to the Isle of Skye, is far more cynical. The strength of Jenny conviction that there is a ghostly presence in the house, is equalled by Sam’s resolve that any apparent strange goings on can be explained away with perfectly logical explanations.
When their friends Lauren (Charlene Boyd) and Ben (Joe Absolom) arrive for dinner the debate intensifies as a number of unexplained noises and strange happenings convince the guests that Jenny could be right. In order to settle the matter Jenny convinces them to stay up until 2:22am in the morning to hear the ghostly happenings.
However, as the evening draws on, the relationships between the two couples and each other become increasingly strained as memories from the past resurface.
Set in a kitchen and living area of Jenny and Sam’s home, the gripping play captivates with its well-crafted storytelling and a thought-provoking narrative. Danny Robins masterfully tells a story that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, inviting them to question the boundaries the existence of the supernatural.
The strength of the play lies in its three dimensional characters who are superbly portrayed by the talented cast. The multi-layered set is cleverly designed with excellent use of lighting and sound effects which help create an eerie atmosphere leading to an immersive experience.
Throughout the play the audience are compelled to reflect on questions of life, death, and the paranormal, with a brilliant twist at the end of the evening. 2.22 A Ghost Story is a gripping and thought-provoking watch- and a brilliant way to celebrate the season of spooks and hauntings. Catch it at Southampton Mayflower until Saturday 21st October.
