Review: 2.22 – A Ghost Story, Theatre Royal Bath – ‘Theatre of your dreams’

Lucky, lucky Bath. You are the first stop on the national tour of a fantastic show fresh from the West End. Get a ticket immediately, and if they’re gone, chase this show across the country ‘til you find one. Because this is the “night at the theatre” of your dreams. What kind of dreams I’m not cheeky enough to guess, but trust me: when we wistfully talk of “that” great theatre night, THIS IS IT.

The house was packed, and the second the play was underway, the air was utterly electric. I even thought, during one fantastic (how can that be?!) scene-change, “this audience buzz – all of us seizing short seconds to whisper to our neighbour – must be like theatre was before telly!” I kid you not. (Have you booked your seat yet?)

What’s the story? I don’t want to say – if I tell you where the action happens, you’ll all think it’s boring! OK – it’s –  I know, I know – it’s at a dinner party. How ‘theatre’ can you get, right? But no… like all the best drama (remember that dinner at the start of Fleabag Season 2? Or the agonising reveal-all Doctor Foster dinner?), this is a dinner party with not much dinner, and a whole lot of full-to-bursting attention.

Louisa Lytton as Jenny

Jenny’s painting her house in the very early hours. A baby gurgles through a baby monitor. It gets a bit weird, and then, at 02:22 (a couple of handy digital clocks are nicely visible), it all goes a little bit scary! But then – phew – all is normal in the next scene. Lauren and Ben are here for dinner, as is Jenny’s husband, Sam. When the conversation turns to Jenny’s creepy experiences (and we learn this was not the first time it happened), Sam’s highly educated, middle-class certainty banishes all talk of creepy. But Jenny challenges them all – stay tonight until 2:22, and see for yourselves.

What follows is nothing short of top-of-their-game stage-craft. A fantastically written script from Danny Robins – full of wit, realism, superb characterisation – is delivered to us by an outstanding team. Matthew Dunster and Isabel Marr’s direction keep us fully engrossed and believing throughout. The sound (Ian Dickenson), lighting (Lucy Carter) illusions (Chris Fisher) and costume (Cindy Lin) sink us further and further into this world.

And then, there’s the cast. What an ensemble – if you know an actor, old or young, do a good thing and treat them to a ticket; this is a masterclass. Louisa Lytton plays Jenny and what a performance. Thinking back, she could have got whiny, but no – not ever. Sympathetic, convincing, engaging – what a lead.

Louisa Lytton as Jenny and Nathaniel Curtis as Sam

Then there’s Lauren (Charlene Boyd): a pitch-perfect depiction of the ‘husband’s best college friend’ if ever I saw one: tolerated, a bit ‘much’, a shagger, a drinker. But kind, a mental health worker, brittle – if not broken, and yet still very likeable.

And then, the men! Jenny’s husband Sam (Nathaniel Curtis) is horribly familiar – likeable at first through his charming manner, but ultimately controlling, smug, sneering and a snob. Rubbing right up against him, the excellent Joe Absolom, Lauren’s multi-layered builder boyfriend, easily as smart as Sam – and in many ways, smarter.

This quartet is a joy, and this night out, a delight. I want to go again – and I’m racing you to the box office….

Joe Absolom as Ben

The first UK tour of 2.22 – A Ghost Story opened at Theatre Royal Bath, where it is playing from September 1-9 at 7.30pm, with additional 2.30pm matinee shows on Thursday and Saturday and a post-show discussion on September 7. Tickets are available at www.theatreroyal.org.uk.

Now playing its sixth season in the West End, 2:22 – A Ghost Story can also be seen currently at London’s Apollo Theatre.

All photos: Johan Persson

Read more: Review: An Inspector Calls, Theatre Royal Bath – ‘A script that’s so clever, it’s timeless’

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