Jake Wood will step into the role of Ben in the current engagement of Danny Robins’ 2:22–A Ghost Story beginning January 26 at the West End's Lyric Theatre.
Wood, who was part of the original 2021 cast of the supernatural thriller at the Noël Coward, replaces Hugo Chegwin, who withdrew from the production due to illness during rehearsals. Understudy Ben Cutler will play the role in the interim.
Chegwin said in a statement, "I’ve had the flu. Due to being poorly during the rehearsal period, I’ve had to pull out of the play. I’m absolutely gutted about this, and I wish everyone involved in the play the best of luck. The cast are truly amazing."
Wood added, “It was an honor to originate the role of Ben at the Noël Coward, winning the What’s On Stage best supporting performer in a male identifying role in a play award for 2021, and I am so excited to be rejoining the cast until the end of April. Danny Robins’ script is funny, touching, and so entertaining and easily the best play I have ever read. If you’ve seen the show before, come back and see it again and I promise that you will enjoy it just as much as I know I will the second time around."
2:22–A Ghost Story, recently seen at London's Criterion Theatre, transferred to the Lyric January 21. The hit production will officially open its 13-week engagement at the Lyric February 1.
The cast also features Cheryl as Jenny, Louise Ford as Lauren, and Scott Karim as Sam. Matthew Dunster directs.
In the thriller, 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. Belief and skepticism 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.
The hit play began life in summer 2021 at the Noël Coward Theatre, starring Lily Allen, Julia Chan, Hadley Fraser, and Jake Wood, subsequently transferring to the Gielgud for 10 weeks in December 2021. That production, which continued through February 12, 2022, starred Stephanie Beatriz, James Buckley, Elliot Cowan, and Giovanna Fletcher. 2:22–A Ghost Story reopened at the Criterion in May 2022 with Tom Felton, Mandip Gill, Sam Swainsbury, and Beatriz Romilly and then featured Laura Whitmore, Matt Willis, Felix Scott, and Tamsin Carroll, who continued for the remainder of the Criterion run, which ended January 8, 2023.
The production also has set design by Anna Fleischle, costume design by Cindy Lin, lighting design by Lucy Carter, sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph Sound, illusions by Chris Fisher, and associate direction by Matt Hassall.
2:22–A Ghost Story is produced by Tristan Baker and Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Isobel David, and Kater Gordon.
Visit 222AGhostStory.com.
