The bloodcurdling screams still echo on in my head and although the show over, and my mind is eager to recall the certain scenes, 2:22: A Ghost Story will stay with me for some time!
I was thoroughly excited about watching this production, a supernatural drama that premiered in London in 2021 but since then has expanded internationally, and finally landed in Oxford this week. Promising to be a modern ghost story with a cast of prominent actors (including Walford’s finest James Bye (mega Eastenders fan here!), this show kept the audience enthralled from the first scene, an eerie moment that was just an indication of how the rest of the show was going to pan out - in chilling style.
The story tells of a married couple and their friends at a dinner party, culminating in ghostly going-ons at 2.22am. The tension builds up as time races towards the dreaded hour, becoming more fast paced and frantic, as a once jovial evening becomes more and more sinister by the minute. The jump scares are welcomed, as are the moments of humour, of which there are many, lightening the load off to make it less heavy a play. The acting was superb, I actually felt like I was observing someone’s dinner party - it was all so natural that I felt intrusive at times. James Bye as Sam particularly stood out for me. His character had many dimensions and took me on a roller coaster of emotions towards him; frustration, sympathy and fondness all in a short time. Natalie Casey was also superb, as the seemingly carefree Lauren, whose more complex layers start to reveal throughout the evening, leaving a more vulnerable character than I had initially perceived.
The only slight negative I have is that there was some, in my view, unnecessary swearing in certain scenes. That is probably just my personal preference but I felt it bought the fear factor down a little.
The entire show takes place on one set but the use of lighting, and special effects meant this worked really well. The creepiness of a dark corridor, and the strange reflections of an innocent patio door, all led to maintain the increasing restlessness and fear that built up in the audience.
I don’t want to give any hints of spoilers, but the audience waited with baited breath in the last few scenes - and were not disappointed with a spectacular ending.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this show - I would love to watch it again. Definitely a modern classic masterpiece. Go and have a spine tingling evening out!