- JAMES BYE WILL PLAY SAM, NATALIE CASEY WILL PLAY LAUREN, GARY LUCY WILL PLAY BEN AND SHVORNE MARKS WILL PLAY JENNY
- THE TOURING PRODUCTION IS DIRECTED BY MATTHEW DUNSTER & GABRIEL VEGA WEISSMAN AND WRITTEN BY AWARD-WINNING WRITER DANNY ROBINS
Runaway Entertainment is delighted to announce the new cast members for the 2026 UK tour of the critically acclaimed, smash hit, supernatural thriller 2:22 – A Ghost Story. James Bye who played the role of Martin Fowler in EastEnders for over ten years, will play Sam, Natalie Casey (Hollyoaks; Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps) will play Lauren, Gary Lucy (Hollyoaks, The Bill, EastEnders) will play Ben and Shvorne Marks – currently playing Lauren in the UK tour, will change roles and play Jenny.
2:22 A Ghost Story will embark on its fourth extensive UK-wide tour opening at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate on 8 January, continuing through to June.
James Bye said: ‘I’m over the moon to be joining 2:22 – A Ghost Story as Sam. It’s such a clever, brilliantly written show, and I can’t wait to get started.’
Natalie Casey said: ‘I’m thrilled to be tingling spines and facing existential fears up and down these fair isles as Lauren in the chilling, modern classic; 2.22.’
Gary Lucy said: ‘I’m genuinely excited to be joining 2:22 A Ghost Story. It’s such a sharp, brilliant show — the kind that keeps you and the audience guessing right to the end.’
Shvorne Marks said: ‘I’m so excited to play Jenny – It’s not often you get to play two great roles in the same show! I have absolutely loved playing Lauren and I still enjoy coming to work everyday – so I’m really happy my journey with 2:22 isn’t over yet.’
2:22 – A Ghost Story’s phenomenal success includes three years in the West End over seven seasons. There have been twelve replica productions worldwide and the show has been seen by over 1.1 million people in seventeen different countries across 5 continents.
In 2023/24 2:22 – A Ghost Story embarked on its first extensive, hugely successful UK tour which was followed by another successful tour in autumn 2025. For 2026 the production is back on the road revisiting some cities due to popular demand, and also visiting new places where audiences can enjoy the thrill the show delivers for the very first time!
The production began its life in the summer of 2021 at the Noel Coward Theatre, starring Lily Allen, Julia Chan, Hadley Fraser and Jake Wood, and where it won the WhatsOnStage award for Best Play. It then transferred to the Gielgud Theatre for 10 weeks from 4 December 2021. The production there starring Stephanie Beatriz, James Buckley, Elliot Cowan and Giovanna Fletcher completed its run on 12 February 2022. For the first season at the Criterion (May – September 2022) the cast was Tom Felton, Mandip Gill, Sam Swainsbury and Beatriz Romilly. In late September that year Laura Whitmore, Matt Willis, Felix Scott and Tamsin Carroll took over. At The Lyric Theatre from January – April 2023 the cast included Cheryl, Scott Karim, Louise Ford and the return of Jake Wood. The production then moved next door to the Apollo where the cast included Sophia Bush, Ricky Champ, Clifford Samuel and Jamie Winstone. Frankie Bridge took over from Sophia Bush in July of that year. Then in May – August 2024 the show returned to the Gielgud Theatre with Donna Air, James Buckley, Stacey Dooley and Joe McFadden.
For its first UK tour the 2023 cast featured Joe Absolom, Charlene Boyd, Nathaniel Curtis and Louisa Lytton and the second leg in 2024 saw Vera Chok, Jay McGuiness, George Rainsford and Fiona Wade take up the roles. In summer 2024 a run at the 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin Ireland tour featured the return of Laura Whitmore (this time playing Lauren) with Shona McGarty, Jay McGuiness, and Colin O’Donoghue. The 2025 tour, which ends in Peterborough on 29 November, features Kevin Clifton, Stacey Dooley, Grant Kilburn and Shvorne Marks.
2:22 is written by award-winning writer Danny Robins, creator of the hit BBC podcast and TV series Uncanny, and is directed by Matthew Dunster; it’s an adrenaline-filled night where secrets emerge and ghosts may or may not appear…
What do you believe? And do you dare discover the truth?
“THERE’S SOMETHING IN OUR HOUSE. I HEAR IT EVERY NIGHT, AT THE SAME TIME”
Jenny believes her new home is haunted, but her husband Sam isn’t having any of it. They argue with their first dinner guests, old friend Lauren and new partner Ben. Can the dead really walk again? Belief and scepticism clash, but something feels strange and frightening, and that something is getting closer, so they’re going to stay up… until 2:22… and then they’ll know.
“A slick, chilling, romp of a play” The Guardian
“A modern classic” Sunday Times
2:22 – A Ghost Story features set design by Anna Fleischle, costume design by Cindy Lin, lighting design by Lucy Carter, sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph Sound and illusions by Chris Fisher. 2:22 – A Ghost Story is produced by Tristan Baker and Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Isobel David and Kater Gordon.
