Theatre Review: Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Stage magic in the Upside Down
This week I’ve been spending my time in the company of two cats in Sheffield while their owners went to see puffins* in Pembrokeshire. I happened to arrive during a gap in the schedule of Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre and went an entire week without seeing a single play. It was a rare pause in my usual theatre routine.
Luckily, less than 24 hours after getting back to London, I was safely seated in the Phoenix Theatre yesterday alongside my sister and brother-in-law for Stranger Things: The First Shadow. It was my first time returning to the show since catching it in previews at the end of 2023, and I’m pleased to report that the play has only improved since. All the effects are running smoothly now, and a fresh cast have brought new life to the show.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow - Phoenix Theatre
Kate Trefry - Writer & Original Story
The Duffer Brothers - Original Story & Creative Producers
Jack Thorne - Original Story
Stephen Daldry - Director
3 hours
In the opening moments of The First Shadow, the creatives prove they know exactly what they are doing. In the opening scene we are treated to impressive stage effects, live demogorgons, and that iconic theme tune. Before the play even reaches Hawkins, the audience is pleasantly scared, bursting into cheers and applause as they settled in for whatever was to come.
This iteration of Stranger Things is set decades before the Netflix series, and focuses on events set in the 1950s, when a young Henry Creel arrives at the same high school as Joyce, Bob, and Hopper. Previously glimpsed in onscreen flashbacks, this is the origin story of the adult characters of Stranger Things, the big bad Vecna, and of the Upside Down itself.
If most of that paragraph doesn’t make sense, then this really isn’t the play for you. The show is designed to build on the mythology of the series, and would make for an unfulfilling introduction for newcomers. Both times I’ve seen the play, I found myself on the Stranger Things Wiki after the show to fill gaps in my memory and understanding. Considering it’s been three years since the most recent episode landed, with more to come this year, you will be forgiven for needing a refresher on the broader context of the series.
As a standalone play, it doesn’t really work. But as a bonus feature, a spin-off theatrical event, and a lavishly produced piece of entertainment, it is a huge success. For fans of the series this is not a cheap cash-grab but a heartfelt, albeit incredibly profitable, offering to fans. Despite being set in the universe of Stranger Things, the play does its own world-building and introduces us to a wide set of characters alongside more familiar faces. It also doesn’t forget to deliver laughs and heart, while some truly horrific events - and limbs - unfold.
What makes this production worth a visit is not the familiar characters, the mythology reveals, or the merchandise - it is the stagecraft. The show knows it’s a stage play and makes the most of performing to a live audience. Not only does the plot include a Shakespearean play-within-a-play device, the creative team has really delivered with dazzling on-stage special effects. There are multiple stage illusions whose mechanics still baffle me, even after a second visit. With special effects in film and TV often reduced to CGI filler, it is a delight to sit and be baffled by a large-scale practical effect. It is the sort of stage spectacle that gives me chills and can only be experienced in the flesh.
Even casual fans won’t be disappointed by The First Shadow. Its long running time might give you sore joints, but you will have plenty to discuss as you get the blood flowing again and leave Hawkins behind and step into the chaos of Tottenham Court Road. In short: a thrilling spectacle for fans, less so for newcomers.
Seat: Dress Circle, A15
We were seated either side of the aisle, right at the front of the dress circle. A slight barrier at the front of the aisle meant the seats were marked as “limited view”, but it could not have been less intrusive. From this vantage point you get a perfect view of all the special effects and in the intimate space of the Phoenix can see facial expressions too.
Show: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Seat: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Stranger Things: The First Shadow runs until 9th November 2025
Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow - Netflix
To complete the experience I spent the early hours of this morning watching the comprehensively titled Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Netflix. This documentary follows the creative team as they work to get the show from page to stage. As a theatre fan it is a fascinating look at how a show can change during previews and, in this specific case, how Netflix and the show’s creators impacted the shape and content of the play, right up to the last minute. It’s not quite warts-and-all, but it offers a less varnished glimpse behind the curtain than we usually get.
*As a treat for making it to the end, here are the aforementioned puffins:
