2:22 A Ghost Story
Intimate plays with a small cast and a tightly focused storyline can be very compelling. 2:22 A Ghost Story falls squarely into that category with its contemporary supernatural narrative. Written by Danny Robins, of the Uncanny podcast fame, this is a tight 100 minutes tale of the perennial clash between those who believe in the supernatural versus those who maintain a logical and rational perspective. The set in a recently renovated house, the story unfolds in a single room; a modern living room diner. The protagonists become aware of some potential supernatural activity that takes place at 2:22 AM and decide to see for themselves what will or won’t happen. This is a dialogue driven story which covers a lot of ground and sometimes strays into wider social topics. There have been multiple UK productions since the plays London debut in 2021 as well as several notable international performances. I saw 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley on Monday 15th June.
Intimate plays with a small cast and a tightly focused storyline can be very compelling. 2:22 A Ghost Story falls squarely into that category with its contemporary supernatural narrative. Written by Danny Robins, of the Uncanny podcast fame, this is a tight 100 minutes tale of the perennial clash between those who believe in the supernatural versus those who maintain a logical and rational perspective. The set in a recently renovated house, the story unfolds in a single room; a modern living room diner. The protagonists become aware of some potential supernatural activity that takes place at 2:22 AM and decide to see for themselves what will or won’t happen. This is a dialogue driven story which covers a lot of ground and sometimes strays into wider social topics. There have been multiple UK productions since the plays London debut in 2021 as well as several notable international performances. I saw 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley on Monday 15th June.
New Mother Jenny (Shvorne Marks) is alone at home with her baby. The house is still in the middle of being renovated and her husband Sam (James Bye) is currently away, working on the island of Sark. At 2:22 AM she here’s footsteps in the baby’s room as they pace round the cot. She also hears someone crying. Several days later her husband returns in time for a dinner party with two guests. Lauren (Natalie Casey) is an old friend of Jenny and Sam’s from university. She is accompanied by her latest boyfriend, Ben (Grant Kilburn), who lives locally in the village that Jenny and Sam have moved to. When Jenny reveals her supernatural experience, Sam being an academic is sceptical. Lauren is curious, while Ben is positively supportive, coming from a family of Christian Spiritualists. The two couples heatedly debate the tropes associated with hauntings and tempers begin to fray as 2:22 approaches. Events escalate raising the stakes and leading to a shocking revelation.
2:22 A Ghost Story initially wrong foots audiences by starting in a very light hearted manner. There is a lot of humorous banter between the main characters but as the story progresses, the dialogue focuses on discussing such matters as the afterlife, the nature of ghosts and why people want to believe. There is some astute social commentary about gentrification and class culture associated with housing. As the play progresses a palpable atmosphere of disquiet grows and it feels like things are heading in a bad direction. The story is regularly punctuated with jump scares, usually at the end of a scene. This initially works well but it does become somewhat repetitive. The main set is well designed and conveys the intended surrounding well, allowing the audience to clearly focus on the four main leads. 2:22 A Ghost Story is effectively streamlined, telling its tale in two 50 minute halves. There are several low key visual effects that work well within the confines of the story.
2:22 A Ghost Story feels like it is a very much of the moment. There has been an interesting resurgence in reports of paranormal activities since lockdown and the success of previous productions of 2:22 A Ghost Story shows there is a lot of interest in the subject. The current tour has a strong cast apart from Natalie Casey’s performance, which is somewhat underwhelming. Overall 2:22 A Ghost Story is a sound play with a supernatural theme. That said, there is more than just a haunted house mystery going on. Much of the plot is musings on the nature of the supernatural, its role in our society and why that is relevant to our lives. The main characters lean more towards archetypes, though this is necessary to explore some of the themes. As for the play’s ending, genre fans may be able to predict it although this doesn’t diminish its effectiveness. For those wanting a thoughtful exploration of the supernatural and a few scares, 2:22 A Ghost Story delivers both.
Local Theatres
Over the course of the last year and a half, I’ve started going to the theatre more often. Mainly because contemporary cinema has less and less to offer me as an adult. Over 18 months I’ve seen half a dozen shows of various kinds. Dance, dramas and standup comedy. One of these was a West End show, in central London, to see The Lion King (which was very entertaining and lived up to the hype). The others have all been at local theatres. Either the Churchill Theatres in Bromley, the Orchard Theatre in Dartford or the Orchard West. All of these venues are easily accessible by public transport or car and offer a wide variety of entertainment at “reasonable” prices, compared to the premium shows in London which have very high prices. So far, all of the six shows I’ve seen have proven entertaining and good value for money. I’ve also learned that theatre has changed a lot to suit the tastes of the modern audience.
Over the course of the last year and a half, I’ve started going to the theatre more often. Mainly because contemporary cinema has less and less to offer me as an adult. Over 18 months I’ve seen half a dozen shows of various kinds. Dance, dramas and standup comedy. One of these was a West End show, in central London, to see The Lion King (which was very entertaining and lived up to the hype). The others have all been at local theatres. Either the Churchill Theatres in Bromley, the Orchard Theatre in Dartford or the Orchard West. All of these venues are easily accessible by public transport or car and offer a wide variety of entertainment at “reasonable” prices, compared to the premium shows in London which have very high prices. So far, all of the six shows I’ve seen have proven entertaining and good value for money. I’ve also learned that theatre has changed a lot to suit the tastes of the modern audience.
I can remember going to the Young Vic Theatre, London, in 1983 to see a production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. The trip was organised through my school and was part of the course work for our English Literature exam. Being 15 years old at the time and ambivalent to the merits of Shakespeare and this “comedy”, I remember becoming bored once the novelty of seeing Blakey from On the Buses (actor Stephen Lewis) on stage wore off. However, I think that my overall experience accurately reflected the prevailing stereotypes about theatre at the time. Traditional content made up the majority of productions and prevailing theatre culture was rather formal, aloof and not really aimed at the “hoi polloi”. My recent forays into the world of local theatre highlights how this has changed and that giving the public what they want, rather than what you think is good for them, is now the cornerstone of business.
When booking shows at both my local theatres what has struck me is the variety of content and the types of productions available. There are traditional plays and musicals on offer throughout the year but there is also a lot of live comedy, contemporary “jukebox” musicals and themed events. For example, I recently saw a live version of the Uncanny podcast. There are also authors on promotional tours, sports retrospectives from retired pundits and sportsmen and a great deal of content specifically aimed at children. Theatres also seem to showcase a lot of tribute bands and events that are clearly intended to include audience participation. I am not going to argue either way regarding artistic merit and cultural value. Such things are highly subjective and couched in other complex societal issues such as respective wealth and class. The simple fact remains that such productions sell and keep the theatres open.
Another minor change I noticed at my two local theatres is that they’re both now “cashless”. Drinks, food and merchandise can only be purchased by card or phone. Furthermore, although you can visit the theatre in person to book tickets for future shows, the majority of business is conducted via an online box office. There are associated apps and membership is encouraged to gain advance booking access to forthcoming shows. On a more subjective note, the venues themselves exude an atmosphere of modernity and the old, stuffy ambience has been dispelled. This informality is welcome but it also means that the notion of “dressing up for the theatre” is less prevalent. I’m sure there are naysayers out there decrying this cultural change but for me it makes the theatre a more inviting prospect, compared to how it was four decades ago. Plus you can still find old school, traditional plays, as I have booked tickets to see Robert Bolt’s A Man For all Seasons in November.
Uncanny: Fear of the Dark
Since its launch in 2020, the paranormal investigation show Uncanny, has become one of the most popular podcasts in the UK. It also has a substantial international audience. As a result, Uncanny has transitioned to television with two seasons being broadcast on BBC Two. Presenter Danny Robins has also written a tie-in book and there have been two previous Uncanny conventions, with a third scheduled for November this year at the ICC Birmingham. The fact that it is being held in an arena gives some indication as to the continuing interest in this show and its subject matter.
Since its launch in 2020, the paranormal investigation show Uncanny, has become one of the most popular podcasts in the UK. It also has a substantial international audience. As a result, Uncanny has transitioned to television with two seasons being broadcast on BBC Two. Presenter Danny Robins has also written a tie-in book and there have been two previous Uncanny conventions, with a third scheduled for November this year at the ICC Birmingham. The fact that it is being held in an arena gives some indication as to the continuing interest in this show and its subject matter.
Tonight, I had the great pleasure of seeing Uncanny: Fear of the Dark; a live stage show version of the podcast that at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley. This tour that has been travelling around the UK since November 2025. I was fortunate to buy the last two tickets to this event. Again, the full house reflects the popularity of the podcast. The audience was quite diverse with a broad range of ages. They were also quite lively and more than willing to enter into the spirit of the proceedings, screaming at the right parts and ironically going “ooh” whenever Danny eluded to something sinister or potentially scary.
Uncanny: Fear of the Dark follows the format of the podcast, with six cases being recounted and subsequently being analysed by Paranormal Psychologist Evelyn Hollow and Psychologist Dr Ciarán O’Keeffe. Video segments are shown and there are props and sets to recreate some of the aspects of the experiences being recounted. The show also includes a Q&A session with the team, as well as stories of a paranormal nature from audience members. All of which is efficiently covered in a two hour running time.
A major contributory factor to the popularity of Uncanny is writer and presenter Danny Robins. He is a likeable individual who excels at listening and giving his guest a sympathetic ear. He strives to be objective but regularly acknowledges the emotional power of the stories being told and recognises the difficulty and trauma that his guests have undergone. Whether the tales are truly paranormal is at times irrelevant, as it is abundantly clear that the experience has had a long and negative impact upon those who endured it. That facet of Danny’s personality was front and centre in tonight’s show but as this was a live event in front of an audience of fans there was a lot more levity and banter. However, this was not to the detriment of the show, in fact it helped defuse some of the tension that arose from some of the cases discussed.
As to the new cases under scrutiny, there were six. These varied from poltergeists activity, a UFO sighting and an encounter with a cryptid. Perhaps the most dramatic of these was a rather tragic tale of a husband whose wife was terminally ill in hospital and how he was awoken one night while at home, by her talking to him. This allegedly took place at the exact time that she died according to the doctors and nurses that attended to her. I’ll say no more as these cases will no doubt feature in the next season of the podcast but they were an interesting and varied selection.
Naturally, it was the elements that arise from this being a live show that made it entertaining and a slightly different beast to the TV and podcast versions of Uncanny. During the first case, as Danny was narrating an increasingly creepy tale, a fly landed on the digital projector and so the audience was treated to the silhouette of a fly crawling over the various images on the screen, much to the amusement of the audience. I immediately thought of The Amityville Horror from 1979. The stories from the audience were somewhat eclectic with one tale proving to be quite lengthy and possibly overblown in scope. I personally prefer more understated anecdotes as these seem more plausible. The show also featured more relaxed input from Evelyn and Ciarán. Both shared humorous stories and were more jovial than usual.
There were a few minor issues with the evening’s entertainment that weren’t quite to my liking. Prior to the show beginning, a compilation of songs with a supernatural theme were played. These tended to be rock and soft metal. Sadly, this idea didn’t really work instead of invoking a suitable atmosphere, it was simply low level noise on the periphery of your hearing. May be it was due to the acoustics of the venue. I also could have done without the audio based jump scare that punctuated the climax of some of the cases. These loud screams were a cheap trick and not quite in tune with the respectful tone of the show. There was also a sound glitch during the show which resulted in the proceeding being stopped for ten minutes. I’m sure I wasn’t the only audience member who thought this was some planned contrivance from Danny but it wasn’t.
Uncanny: Fear of the Dark was certainly an entertaining tangential version of the show and much of that was due to the enthusiastic audience and fans that attended. It is nice to be part of a community that can encompass a broad spectrum of opinions without it becoming acrimonious and partisan. Despite working within a clearly established formula, the diversity of cases keeps the show fresh and engaging. I certainly would go again to such a production and would even consider attending the convention later in the year. Fans of the show can also look forwards to a new official YouTube channel launching on April 9th. It will be hosting a new iteration of the show, called Uncanny Cold Case, in which classic paranormal cases such as Borley Rectory are explored. In the meantime, be you team sceptic or team believer, don’t have nightmares.
Dianne & Vito: Red Hot and Ready
At the beginning of April, Mrs P and I went to the Churchill Theatre in Bromley to see Speakeasy, a dance show starring Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez (of Strictly Come Dancing Fame). It was 100 minutes of Mamba, Salsa, Charleston, Foxtrot and Samba dance numbers and it was very well received by the audience. I don’t usually go to such shows but I enjoyed it because it was focused, dynamic and “did exactly what it said on the tin”, to invoke a cliché. As a result, we promptly booked tickets for a similar show that was scheduled for July. This one, Dianne & Vito: Red Hot and Ready, features Vito Coppola and Dianne Buswell, another two of the professional dancers from Strictly (as the cool kids call it). Once again the show was at the Churchill Theatre, which is proving to be quite a good local venue.
At the beginning of April, Mrs P and I went to the Churchill Theatre in Bromley to see Speakeasy, a dance show starring Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez (of Strictly Come Dancing Fame). It was 100 minutes of Mamba, Salsa, Charleston, Foxtrot and Samba dance numbers and it was very well received by the audience. I don’t usually go to such shows but I enjoyed it because it was focused, dynamic and “did exactly what it said on the tin”, to invoke a cliché. As a result, we promptly booked tickets for a similar show that was scheduled for July. This one, Dianne & Vito: Red Hot and Ready, features Vito Coppola and Dianne Buswell, another two of the professional dancers from Strictly (as the cool kids call it). Once again the show was at the Churchill Theatre, which is proving to be quite a good local venue.
Tonight we finally went to the show and I am happy to report that I enjoyed it even more than the previous one. I think what surprised me the most was that the format was different and although there were a lot of very well conceived musical numbers, there was also a great deal of interaction with the two stars and the audience. Tonally, this show was a horse of a different colour to the previous one. Speakeasy was very raunchy and hot, Dianne & Vito: Red Hot and Ready had more of a celebratory nature with several dance sequences focusing upon key aspects of the dancer’s lives. The first was a montage of Dianne’s life in Australia culminating in her following her dream to dance and move to the UK. The second was Vito’s love for his brother, which was depicted through some amazing physical interpretative dance with Brazilian dancer, Jaih Betote.
In between musical numbers Diane and Vito sat on a sofa facing the audience and indulged in some scripted banter. They leaned into comic caricatures of themselves and indulged in stereotypes associated with Australian and Italian culture. The ability to send one’s self up is a worthy skill and the pair were happy to do this. Not all the jokes landed but it was broadly amusing mainly due to Vito and Dianne’s personalities. It was interesting to see these two popular dancers branching out in this fashion. I suspect both stars have an eye to moving into other forms of entertainment and media. The audience certainly enjoyed these “off-piste” moments and it was clear that there was a substantial contingent of über fans attending this evening’s performance.
One of the standout aspects of Dianne & Vito: Red Hot and Ready, are the support dancers and musicians. The other dancers, Jaih Betote, Rose Carne, Lois Faith, Talia Fowler, Robbie Kmetoni, Harijs Locs, and Ana Riera are all outstanding in their field. The two singers, Sam Turrell and Lois Faith, also maintain a high standard of delivery throughout the show. Furthermore, the songs and music were all cleverly arranged by Gareth Weedon (who also played keyboards). Henry Soriano drove the beat of the show with his expert drumming and percussion. The set design was minimalist but still managed to lend itself to several scenarios. The lighting was dynamic and responsive to the mood of the various songs. My only complaint was that some of the lights would on occasion shine directly into the audience’s line of sight but it was not a major problem.
Dianne & Vito: Red Hot and Ready isa good show, which offers more than just the dancing. The numbers cover a variety of styles including ballet and contemporary and the choreography by Jason Gilkison is technically driven and interesting. The various members of the company get to show off their impressive skills, with everyone contributing to the overall experience, rather than competing. As such, this show is a celebration of the two stars’ passion for dance and the opportunities that it has brought them. Upon reflection, some of the comedic asides need some fine tuning but I appreciate that the two stars have chosen to broaden the established format of such musical dance productions. Overall, Dianne & Vito: Red Hot and Ready is an uplifting two hour experience and a great showcase of their talent.
