If you know what a Demogorgon is then you’re amongst the millions of people worldwide who have tuned in to one of Netflix’s most viewed series, Stranger Things, and undoubtedly fall into the target audience for the new West End stage version, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which had its world premiere tonight at London’s Phoenix Theatre.
Fans of the Netflix show will feel right at home here, as the world of Hawkins, Indiana is recreated beautifully on the stage. It’s written and presented like a TV episode (or perhaps more accurately several episodes), and cuts between scenes quickly, circumventing the more traditional way you might expect to watch theatre. This isn’t surprising as producers, The Duffer Brothers, commissioned long time Stranger Things writer Kate Trefry to write the stage play.
This means that it links exceptionally well to it’s small screen counterpart, there are plenty of references and nods to the series for fans to enjoy. But equally, this has been written as a stand alone play, and if you’ve never watched an episode of Stranger Things, then The First Shadow will still make sense thanks to Trefry’s electric storytelling.
It could be described as a prequel, but more accurately it’s an origin story. The murderous Henry Creel, a human with psionic abilities turned diabolic being was introduced in the fourth season of the show and in Stranger Things: The First Shadow we meet the teenage Henry and his family as they move to Hawkins from Nevada following an ‘unfortunate’ incident.
At Hawkins High, Henry meets and befriends Patty Newby (Ella Karuna Williams) adopted sister of Bob Newby (Christopher Buckley), because yes, all of our favourite characters are here but in teenage form. Joyce, played with incredible similarity to Winona Ryder by Isabella Pappas, is directing the school play, hoping to win a scholarship that will get her out of Hawkins, and casts Henry and Patty in the lead roles.
As you would expect, strange things start to happen around town, and Joyce, Bob and Hopper Jr. (beautifully played by Oscar Lloyd) start to investigate. In these scenes we see how the adult cast of the TV series bonded by being outsiders, just as the younger characters also did. We might be in the fifties for this Stranger Things outing, yet it still manages to retain that vibe of the 1980’s that has charmed so many viewers, not least because of D.J. Walde’s iconic original music that seems to both fill and transform the theatre into an immersive experience.
Whether it’s a prequel, an origin story, or both, Stranger Things: The First Shadow turns your expectations of theatre upside down. Needless to say the show has some big players backing it, and they don’t disappoint, this is theatre meets theme park with fantastical and almost unbelievable things happening on the Phoenix stage. Jamie Harrison and Chris Fisher’s illusions and visual effects are stunning and you genuinely think you’re watching a TV show, it’s only when you find you can’t rewind to try and see something you missed on Miriam Buether’s cleverly designed rotating set that you realise this is happening live in front of you.
And it’s not just on the stage where wonder can be found, the entire theatre becomes a playground for these talented creatives, led by director Stephen Daldry who sprinkles even more magic on this bingeworthy theatre production.
Like four seasons of Stranger Things, The First Shadow seamlessly blends sci-fi, nerdy comedy and horror – expect plenty of jump scares throughout. It also shares the same high production values and just as the TV show has made stars of it’s cast, this new stage play demonstrates some of the finest acting talent in the country. Making their stage debut as Henry Creel Louis McCartney is jaw-droppingly good. This is a tough role and McCartney ensures the audience feels every emotion of the character, it’s a startling performance to watch and audiences will come away in awe of what they’ve just seen.
While you can absolutely enjoy this as a stand-alone play, it’s the way it’s been so cleverly intertwined with the TV series that makes it a really compelling piece of theatre, you could hear audible gasps around the theatre as secrets were revealed and loose ends tied up. Visually, it’s stunning in every possible way and undoubtedly Stranger Things: The First Shadow sets a new standard for what we can expect from theatre.
