Review: 2:22 - A Ghost Story at Newcastle Theatre Royal

2:22 - A Ghost Story 

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until Saturday 18 April 2026

2:22 A Ghost Story returns to Newcastle’s Theatre Royal for a week of screams, spooks and surprises. The production, which premiered in London in 2021, has already enjoyed incredible success, including a record-breaking UK tour in 2023-24 and the all-time record for the most transfers of a production in the West End. 

With all that success, I’m not really sure how I hadn’t already seen it - perhaps an avoidance of ghost stories, the big wimp that I am. Nevertheless, I finally put my big girl pants on and braved the spooky tale - and, despite a few hairy moments where I genuinely jumped out of my seat, I was pleasantly surprised by the experience. 

The show revolves around Jenny and Sam, a young couple who have recently moved into and renovated a flat in London, where they live with their young daughter. Jenny invites over an old friend, Lauren, and her new partner, Ben, under the guise of dinner and to meet the baby, but Jenny has an ulterior motive. For the past few days, she has been convinced of a presence in the house, and that every night, at 2:22 precisely, she can hear footsteps circling the cot of their daughter. Sam, ever the rational scientist, is entirely unconvinced, attempting to explain away all of Jenny’s concerns. Lauren and Ben commit to staying up with Jenny until 2:22, to work out once and for all just what is happening. 

What ensues is an alcohol-fuelled evening of suspense, exploring each person’s own personal beliefs about the supernatural, whilst uncovering the tensions and intricacies of the intertwined relationships. Expect seances, jump-scares and remarkably smooth scene changes that will make you question whether they really do have a ghost working with the stage crew. 

One thing that 2:22 has become synonymous with is celebrity casts. Previous companies have included journalist and presenter Stacey Dooley, Kevin Clifton of Strictly fame and TV presenter Laura Whitmore, with Newcastle’s own Cheryl treading the boards in the 2023 Lyric Theatre run. Whilst such star names have certainly brought in big audiences, I was quietly pleased to have a more traditional cast of theatre and TV actors, the most well-known of the cast probably being James Bye, famous for his decade-long stint as Martin Fowler in Eastenders. Without big celebrity names whose faces and indeed voices I was familiar with, the show for me was a blank canvas, allowing me to fully focus on the show and experience itself. 

The show itself is gripping, and at just 50 minutes per act, is really the perfect length for a ghost story. The play moves at a good pace, though I would have liked the two couples to have experienced a couple of evenings (and a couple of 2:22am frights!) together, rather than just the one night. The clocks on stage really do add to the tension - you find yourself clinging tighter to your glass of wine as the time ticks ever onwards towards the show’s eponymous witching hour. As you would expect, there is a big twist - but I won’t be giving you any clues! I certainly didn’t see it coming, and it does tie the play up rather nicely - if a little too neatly for my liking. 

   

As a self-confessed wimp, ghost stories are something I tend to avoid, but I cannot deny that I thoroughly enjoyed my evening at 2:22. Whilst I could have done without the blood-curdling screams that accompanied every blackout, I was intrigued and, most-importantly, entertained throughout - I even managed to sleep reasonably well afterwards! Whether you are a fan of ghost tales or simply braving something new, 2:22 A Ghost Story is a gripping show that will keep you guessing until the very end. 

Review: Hannah Daglish

Photos: Helen Murray

Tickets:

2:22 - A Ghost Story plays Newcastle Theatre Royal Monday 13 – Saturday 18 April 2026. Tickets can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 0191 232 7010.