There’s something quietly thrilling about walking into a theatre knowing that, at some point before the night is out, an entire audience will jump in unison. That collective gasp has become part of the ritual of 2:22 A GHOST STORY, now haunting the New Theatre in Cardiff for the rest of this week as part of its latest UK tour. Years on from its West End premiere, the show has lost none of its nerve. If anything, it feels sharper than ever.
Written by award winning writer DANNY ROBBINS, creator of the hit BBC podcast and TV series Uncanny, this is a ghost story from someone who understands exactly how to get under an audience’s skin. Danny has built a career on exploring the space between scepticism and belief. In 2:22 he distils that fascination into a tight, funny, unsettling night in the theatre. If anyone knows how to tell a good ghost story, it’s him.
Directed by MATTHEW DUNSTER, this touring production proves why the play has developed such a devoted following. Winner of Best New Play at the Whats On Stage Awards, it has already enjoyed seven West End seasons, a record breaking UK and Ireland tour and more than thirty productions worldwide. That kind of success can sometimes dull a show’s edge. Here, it only adds to the anticipation. Long time fans arrive knowing the beats they love. Newcomers arrive curious about the hype. Both leave buzzing.
The premise remains deceptively simple. Two couples gather for dinner in a stylish London home. Jenny believes the house is haunted. Her husband Sam does not. Their guests, old friend Lauren and her new partner Ben, bring their own views and tensions to the table. Over food, wine and pointed conversation, they agree to stay up until 2:22am, the time Jenny insists something happens each night.
That ticking clock is not just a plot device. It is a presence. Always visible, always inching forward, it creates a low level hum of dread that sits beneath even the funniest exchanges. The audience cannot forget where the night is heading. Every laugh is followed by a glance at the time. Every heated exchange feels like it pushes the hands forward just a little faster.
The set design plays a huge part in that immersion. The living room is beautifully realised, detailed without feeling cluttered, and completely convincing as a space people actually live in. From the sleek kitchen area to the large windows that hint at the darkness outside, the design draws you into the domestic world of these characters. You are not watching a ghost story in an abstract space. You are sitting in their home, listening to their arguments, noticing the small cracks in their relationships. It makes what follows all the more unnerving.
This cast meets the material head on. JAMES BYE, known to many from EastEnders, brings an appealing mix of charm and stubborn rationality to Sam. NATALIE CASEY, familiar from Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, gives Jenny a brittle intensity that keeps you guessing whether fear has sharpened her instincts or distorted them. GRANT KILBURN, returning to the play, and SHVORNE MARKS, known for Three Little Birds, round out the quartet with performances that balance humour, vulnerability and bite.
One of the pleasures of 2:22 is how funny it is. The script bristles with sharp observations about class, belief, relationships and the stories we tell ourselves. The dinner party format allows secrets to surface gradually. Old grievances resurface. New doubts creep in. The supernatural question hovers over it all, but the real drama is rooted in recognisable human tensions.
And yes, there are jump scares. Proper ones. The kind that make you clutch your armrest and then laugh at yourself a second later. Matthew Dunster handles these moments with precision. They never feel cheap, and they never overwhelm the story. Instead they punctuate the evening, reminding you that beneath the arguments about science and superstition, something else may be waiting.
It’s worth saying clearly that this review is entirely spoiler free. Part of the joy of 2:22 A Ghost Story is not knowing where it will take you. The final stretch, as the clock edges closer to its promised moment, is genuinely nerve shredding. The tension in the Cardiff audience on press night was palpable. You could feel people leaning forward, holding their breath, counting down in their heads.
What makes the show endure is that it respects its audience. It doesn’t talk down. It doesn’t offer easy answers. It invites you to pick a side, to question your own beliefs, and then quietly unsettles them. That’s why it continues to pull in both loyal fans and first timers. Word of mouth has kept it alive, and productions like this remind you why.
In a theatre landscape crowded with revivals and adaptations, 2:22 still feels like an event. A smart, tightly crafted ghost story that delivers genuine shocks alongside smart writing and strong performances.
If you are tempted, go in knowing as little as possible. Take your seat. Watch the clock. And wait. 2:22 is a nerve shredding night where the clock ticks louder than your heartbeat.
2:22 – A GHOST STORY is at the New Theatre in Cardiff through to Saturday 21st February. Performances are at 7:30pm each evening with a 2:30pm matinee on Wednesday and Saturday. For more details and tickets, go HERE.
The show was last at the New Theatre in January 2024. You can watch the audience reaction from that production HERE.
And you can read our show feature HERE.
