All my adult life, I chalked out watching a play because I hate musicals (except for Moulin Rouge), and I ignorantly assumed a play would be similar.
Still, while in London, it felt foolish not to check out a play just because it’s London, the mothership of theatre. So, one night while lying on the hotel bed and watching Come Dine With Me, I browsed for cheap tickets on the Last Minute website and booked the cheapest show available the next day, The Ghost Story 2:22.
I then told Fafa, who hates anything ghost related, that it’s (a part of) my birthday gift; therefore, he must come.
2:22 A Ghost Story Play in a London Theater
The play was at the more than a century-old heritage building, Criterion Theatre, located right smack in the middle of Picadilly Circus. So after having an early dinner at the UK fast-food Five Guys (which used to be the location of the 1884 Charring Cross Road bookstore), we made our way there.
The London theatre, though old, held an undeniable magnetic charm, and I began to understand why watching a play has been such a thing.
We made a beeline to our M11 and M12 seats and sat quietly while people-watching. The theatre started to get filled while some chatted around the seats with drinks in their hands.
Eventually, the show started…
Okay, the thing is, I can’t tell you much about the show because they told us not to, but you can read some non-spoiling reviews if you want.
All I can say was, OMG, 100% a must-watch. It received a standing ovation — twice. I was blown away, and it completely changed my mind about watching a play. It was like a new passion had been unlocked in my brain.
Still high from how good the play was, I googled another play to watch before leaving London while Fafa went deep into Reddit to read the discussions of the play (don’t do it if you plan to watch it — and you should watch it).
If you have the chance to watch a play, please do even if you don’t think it is your cup of tea, especially in the London theatre! Watching 2:22 A Ghost Story Play has changed our perceptions of a play.
