Review – 2:22 A Ghost Story ★★★★☆

Review – 2:22 A Ghost Story

Halloween may have been and gone but that other time of year when a decent ghost story is traditional is almost upon us. Luckily, Buxton Opera House is offering the perfect opportunity to get your supernatural fix. Hailing from London’s West End no less, 2:22 A Ghost Story is on every night this week, Monday to Saturday, and there’s also matinee performances on Thursday and Saturday too, at 2.30pm. The show promises an “adrenaline-filled night” so we asked our reporters to put on their strongest pants and go along.

The cast is a little surprising and at first glance, about as far away from scary as you could possibly get. It stars Kevin Clifton, most famous for being one of the professional dancers on Strictly Come Dancing, and Stacey Dooley, well known for investigative journalism, as well as being a Strictly contestant. Kevin and Stacey are a real life couple playing a couple on stage and no strangers to a live audience, so they have the credentials. We guess their portrayal of an ordinary family is part of the overall strategy, it lulls the audience into a false sense of security.

A surer sign that we’re heading into full on scare territory is the writer Danny Robins, creator and presenter of cult podcast Uncanny, which is now also a BBC TV series and a book. Always armed with both a “team believer” and a “team sceptic”, Danny’s investigations into the paranormal are balanced, but no less puzzling and terrifying, and his involvement is the strongest reason to go and see this hit show. If you’re an Uncanny fan, we’ll wager you’ve already got tickets!

Unsurprisingly, the believer vs. sceptic clash is the foundation for most of the drama in 2:22 with some of the characters convinced the house is haunted and others searching for a more rational explanation. Despite being set in modern times (there is some social commentary amongst the things that go bump in the night), the story follows in the literary footsteps of classic ghost story tellers like M.R. James, where the characters are struggling to make sense of something that doesn’t fit in with their view of the world. To say anything more about the plot would be mean, it relies on no prior knowledge of what’s about to happen, which must be tricky for a play that’s done the rounds a few times. Suffice to say, strong pants was good advice.

So again, without any spoilers, what did our reporters think? They were struck by the lighting and sound design, which pull you into the action. One of our reporters described it as “immersive” and you may find yourself a bit jumpier than usual afterwards. Anyone hoping to keep this ghost story at a cosy arm’s length should think again. It may sound rude but they were also impressed by the acting, given the principal players are famed for other pursuits. It’s well worth mentioning that the play is actually a four piece, and not just about Stacey and Kevin. Grant Kilburn who plays Ben and Shvorne Marks who portrays Lauren are great too. Some moments are belly-laugh funny which is reminiscent of BBC scriptwriter of the macabre Nigel Kneale’s infamous tactics, who often used humour to disarm the audience before delivering the horror. It’s a dirty trick but it works.

Buxton Opera House is the ideal setting for a ghost story. Designed by celebrated theatre architect Frank Matcham and opening in 1903, the place undoubtedly has a few spooks of its own and the antiquated grandeur lends the performance an extra layer of ambience. So not only do we recommend the show, but we also suggest seeing it here. Buxton’s famous theatre is an award-winning charity so you can catch a West End show and support a worthy cause at the same time. What are you waiting for?

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2:22 A Ghost Story runs at Buxton Opera House until Saturday 22nd November 2025.

How to Book Tickets

Tickets are priced from £25 with various discounts available.

To buy tickets and for more information call the Box Office on 01298 72190 or visit buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/events/222-a-ghost-story-2025