TV presenter and journalist Stacey Dooley is set to make her acting stage debut in the supernatural thriller “2:22 A Ghost Story” at the Gielgud Theatre in London next month. The 37-year-old broadcaster, known for her BBC documentaries and winning Strictly Come Dancing, will play the character of Jenny in the play.
Dooley expressed her excitement about the role, saying, “Delighted to be involved in the next adaptation of 2:22. Made up! I fell for the play when I went to watch it in 2022. All four characters feel so familiar, which means the subtle ‘ghost story’ just works so brilliantly.”
“Can’t wait to bring Jenny back to life. Let’s go.”
Dooley’s casting follows a line of notable actresses who have portrayed Jenny, including Cheryl, Lily Allen, Mandip Gill, Laura Whitmore, and Jaime Winstone.
The production, directed by Matthew Dunster, sees the character of Jenny raising concerns about her home being haunted. As tension builds, Jenny and her husband Sam argue with their dinner guests, an old friend Lauren and her new partner Ben, as belief and skepticism clash.
James Buckley, known for his role in the comedy “White Gold,” will reprise his role as Ben, which he played in the Gielgud Theatre’s first run in 2021/22. Buckley expressed his enthusiasm for returning to the cast, saying, “I’m so excited to be rejoining the cast of 2.22. It’s such a brilliant play and to be back in such a brilliant theatre.”
“It will be great to… play Ben again and now all I need to do is make sure I remember the lines. Can’t wait to see everyone there.”
The production premiered in 2020 at the Noel Coward Theatre, starring Lily Allen, Julia Chan, Hadley Fraser, and Jake Wood, and won the WhatsOnStage award for best play. Previews at the Gielgud Theatre begin on May 25, and the 10-week run will end on August 4. Tickets are on general sale from Wednesday.
