Lily Allen has made her West End stage debut in the new play 2:22 - A Ghost Story at the Noel Coward Theatre. The singer and actress, who now lives in the US, is in London for the 10-week run, which she describes as a mix of 'excitement and terror'. During rehearsals, she tweeted about finding a dead mouse in her dressing room, adding a touch of realism to the theatrical experience.
The play is one of the first brand new productions to open in the West End since 19 July, when theatres were allowed to reopen at full capacity. Allen joined the cast after a casting director sent her the script while she was in New York. She and her husband, actor David Harbour, were impressed, and she was in London six weeks later.
Allen plays Jenny, a woman who believes her house is haunted. Every night at 2:22am, she hears sounds through her child's baby monitor. During a dinner party, she persuades her partner and friends to stay up until the early hours to prove she is telling the truth. Playwright Danny Robins says the play balances psychological suspense, jump scares, and humour.
Robins began writing the play five years ago after asking Twitter followers about ghost sightings. The response led to his podcast series Haunted and a Radio 4 series, before he completed 2:22. The production has taken precautions against Covid-19, with Allen noting the small cast of four helps maintain a 'relatively small bubble'.
