I took my parents to see Stranger Things: The First Shadow in London for my dad’s 60th, and it was so amazing I don’t even know where to begin. We’d all been really excited to see it and I guess I did have some pretty high expectations based on what I’d seen and heard, but it was actually the best show I’ve ever seen, and that’s really saying something.
About Stranger Things On Stage
If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll already know the storyline, and the stage version, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, is a brand-new story set in Hawkins before everything we see in the series. It’s basically a prequel, giving you a look at what life was like when Joyce, Hopper and Bob were at high school.
The show’s on at the Phoenix Theatre in London, and the whole thing feels like an experience from the second it begins. It’s quite dark, atmospheric and is truely impressive.
The Production and Performance
The production was insane. I don’t even know how to describe how good it was – the effects, the lighting, the sound effects and the music… all of it made it feel like you were watching a perfectly edited, post-produced episode rather than a live performance. There were so many moments where I actually had to remind myself that it was happening right in front of me, on stage, and not on a screen.
Final Thoughts
If you love Stranger Things, you need to see this show. You do need to have seen the TV series to really get it, but if you have, you’ll absolutely love it. It’s one of those rare things that actually lives up to the hype and I do want to go again because I know there will have been things I missed the first time around.
We all came out saying the same thing – 10 out of 10. It’s easily one of the best theatre experiences I’ve ever had and I’m telling everyone I see to go and see it!
