2:22 - A Ghost Story Reviews
Broadway World- Somewhat Recommended
"...It's not a bad set-up for a horror-thriller. The problem is there's no horror and almost no thrills in 2:22 A GHOST STORY. The arguments for and against the supernatural are not compelling or original. We've heard them all a million times. (Even the title conceit of something ghostly-or not-happening at exactly the same time each day has been done over and over.) It's essentially four people bickering for an hour and forty-five minutes and then a twist that comes out of nowhere and is thusly not earned. It's not like it suddenly all makes sense and you can think back on everything that came before and connect the dots. There are no (or at least not many) dots to connect."
Stage and Cinema- Somewhat Recommended
"...The play’s scares are yet another missed opportunity. It’s not enough to fear an alleged ghost. In order for an audience to be scared for any particular character, we first have to be invested in them. The most compelling thing 2:22 has to offer in this regard is the threat to an innocent (offstage) baby. The plot, too, is lackluster. From the start, it’s clear that 2:22 is destined for a specific target: 2:22 a.m. Until then, we wait. And wait. All while watching the clock. It’s not until the last half of the second act that things actually get exciting. Before then, the play kills time with unrelated subplots, like having characters share scary stories from their past rather than dealing with the actual ghost story at hand. This isn’t a “slow build,” it’s a “no build.”"
LA Splash- Recommended
"...Skillfully directed by Matthew Dunster, 2:22 – A GHOST STORY slowly builds tension as the two couples try to sort out this paranormal puzzle. The talented cast work to keep the audience off-balance as the story builds. Is the presentation scary? Rather call it intriguing and sometimes fascinating. The focus of the play is on plot, with characters drawn somewhat superficially – chess pieces to keep the questions coming. It is rare that ghostly stories hit the stage – even though audiences find them interesting and entertaining."
Stage Scene LA- Highly Recommended
"...October may be over, but it’s still Halloween season at the Ahmanson as Center Theatre Group treats theatrical thrill seekers to the U.S. premiere of the West End phenomenon that is Danny Robins’ scrumptiously scare-packed haunted house chiller 2:22 – A Ghost Story."
ArtsBeatLA- Somewhat Recommended
"...I’m a horror film fan. I probably see 75-100 horror movies a year, and have done so for a long, long time. So I can state with certain knowledge that the cheapest of all scares is the jump scare. I have nothing against them – when a jump scare is well done, it can be a thing of beauty. But a lazy, unmotivated jump scare, just to get a visceral response AAAAAAAAA!!!! (please imagine that this is someone suddenly screaming into your ear at top volume) can be irksome. I wanted to like the new Ahmanson production of Danny Robins’ 2:22 – A Ghost Story more than I did, but a surfeit of the same jump scare over and over and a goofy twist kept my enjoyment of the show mild."
Entertainment Weekly- Recommended
"...At its outset, the play is a frightening theatrical experience, but one that is also invested in metaphysical questions of belief and our need to project our fears, our loss, our loves, and our frustrations onto a spectral presence. But it ultimately pivots away from these larger questions of why we believe in ghosts and whether we should to satisfy a hunger for a conclusive explanation. It fails to recognize that the most haunting thing of all are life's questions for which there are no easy answers."
Stage Raw- Somewhat Recommended
"...2:22- A Ghost Story has all the makings of a thrilling night at the theatre. Robins’ snappy dialogue is at times overwritten and the characters too often fall into argument as a means of building suspense rather than actually adding depth or perspective to the story. But the play certainly achieves tension and there is an element of mystery that unfolds rather unexpectedly. Upon leaving the theatre I was left with more questions than answers, mostly about the plot, but all part of the fun of a psychological thriller"
Haines His Way- Somewhat Recommended
"...The acting is fine although it substitutes lots of yelling and screaming for character development. Robins’s script could be trimmed by at least thirty minutes and its intermission and provide a tighter experience. As is, 2:22-A :2Ghost Story is an empty sheet awaiting some ectoplasm."
Ticket Holders LA- Highly Recommended
"...It is this perhaps that unwelcome-yet-welcome familiarity with the darkest corners of the unknown that makes 2:22 - A Ghost Story such an indelible and enjoyable—yet unsettling—experience."
Its Not About Me- Recommended
"...Because “thriller” is totally my genre, I was soooo looking forward to seeing 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Ahmanson last week. And guess what? I loved every second of it!!! Yay! I’m happy to report that, for once, something lived up to my high expectations."