Stranger Things: The First Shadow

A stage prequel to the Netflix series Stranger Things, set in the town of Hawkins in 1959, staged at the Phoenix Theatre in London.

This production returns to the beginnings of the Stranger Things story, showing the town of Hawkins in 1959, before the events of the television series. Its characters include Jim Hopper, Bob Newby and Joyce Maldonado, who are dealing with everyday problems such as a broken-down car, a radio show nobody takes seriously and the wish to leave town after graduating. The plot turns when new student Henry Creel arrives, and his family discovers that starting again is harder than expected, as the past keeps its hold on them.

The play is written by Kate Trefry, from an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry, and is directed by Stephen Daldry. It is based on the Netflix series created by the Duffer Brothers, and its staging relies on theatrical storytelling and stagecraft, with the production presented as a link to the series'final chapter. Viewers familiar with the programme will recognise its setting and mythology.

The Phoenix Theatre, where the show is staged, is a London venue that hosts concerts and shows. The production suits anyone interested in the origins of the Stranger Things story, and it is set within the world and mythology of the series.