• Venue Phoenix Theatre, London
  • Performance dates Booking to 20 December 2026
  • Running time 3 hours (including interval)
  • Age guidelines 12+. Under 5s not permitted. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult

Book tickets for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre and step into the supernatural world of the hit Netflix series, now live on the West End stage.

Stranger Things on the West End stage.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a major new stage production set in the world of the hit Netflix series, directed by award-winning filmmaker Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot the Musical, The Crown) and creatively overseen by Matt and Ross Duffer — the Duffer Brothers.

An original story conceived by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry, it is a gripping supernatural thriller that takes theatrical storytelling to a whole new dimension.

The play serves as a completely standalone story that works for both devoted fans of the Netflix series and those coming to the Stranger Things universe for the very first time.

Book Stranger Things tickets

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is playing at the Phoenix Theatre, London, booking to 20 December 2026. Book through our secure booking calendar for live seat availability, transparent pricing, and any exclusive offers.

About Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Hawkins, Indiana. 1959. On the surface, it looks like any other small American town — young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister refuses to take his radio show seriously, and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get out. But when a new student named Henry Creel arrives with his family, searching for a fresh start, it becomes clear that the shadows of the past have a very long reach indeed.
Written by Kate Trefry and based on an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry, The First Shadow is set decades before the events of the Netflix series — a prequel that reveals the origins of the Stranger Things story and may hold the key to how it all ends.

Produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Stephen Daldry and Netflix, the show features extraordinary stagecraft, illusions and theatrical effects that have made it one of the most talked-about productions in the West End.

★★★★★
“A phenomenon”
The Sunday Times
★★★★★
“Breathtaking theatre”
The Guardian
★★★★★
“Netflix gives the West End its event of the year”
Telegraph

Videos & Photos

Performance Information

Check booking calendar for full details

Tickets by Month
Nov 2026
Dec 2026

Stars and Creatives

Paddy Bever in Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Paddy Bever in Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Stewart Clarke
Stewart Clarke

Who is in the cast of Stranger Things: The First Shadow?

Stranger Things Principal cast

  • Henry Creel: Paddy Bever (from 12 June)
  • Dr Brenner: Stewart Clarke
  • Patty Newby: Avril Maponga
  • Bob Newby: Max Potter
  • James Hopper Jr.: Adam Wadsworth
  • Joyce Maldonado: Edie Wright
  • Charles Sinclair: Ammar Duffus
  • Walter Henderson: Jack Gardner
  • Victor Creel: Andy Langtree
  • Virginia Creel: Lauren O’Neil
  • Principal Newby: Rufus Wright
  • Alan Munson: Maximilian Graham
  • Sue Anderson: Anastasia Koloko
  • Lonnie Byers: Joshua McElroy
  • Claudia Yount: Grace Alice Murray
  • Ted Wheeler: Tom O’Brien
  • Karen Childress: Freya Taylor-Lester
  • Chief Hopper: Andrew Whipp
  • Henry Creel Alternate / Swing: Stanley Treshansky

The role of Alice Creel is shared by Maya Guinoubi, Tabitha Morley, Phoenix Hamer and Emilia Rose.

The cast also includes Lola Adaja, Bronte Alice-Tadman, Aoife Browne, Kaylah Copeland, Alex Dargie, Adéoré Edwards, Vanessa Fisher, Kieran Garland, Ross Green, Brandon Kimrayo, Ben Skym, Leah St Luce, and Selena Thompson.

Who are the creative team of Stranger Things: The First Shadow?

  • Written by: Kate Trefry
  • Original story by: The Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry
  • Director: Stephen Daldry
  • Co-director: Justin Martin
  • Set design: Miriam Buether
  • Costume design: Brigitte Reiffenstuel
  • Lighting design: Jon Clark
  • Sound design: Paul Arditti
  • Illusions design: Jamie Harrison and Chris Fisher
  • Video design: 59 Productions
  • Movement direction: Coral Messam
  • Wigs, hair and make-up: Campbell Young Associates
  • Casting: Charlotte Sutton CDG
  • International casting consultancy: Jim Carnahan
  • Technical director: Gary Beestone (Gary Beestone Associates)
  • Produced by: Sonia Friedman Productions, Stephen Daldry and Netflix, with 21 Laps as associate producers

Important Notes

Photos: Feature current and past casts

Content warning: This production contains gunfire audio, loud noises and explosions, haze and smoke, flashing lights and strobe, and strong language. There are depictions of various mental health conditions and disorders.

Venue Information

Phoenix Theatre , Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0JP

Nearest Tube or Train: Leicester Square (Piccadilly line, Northern line), Tottenham Court Road (Central line, Northern line)

Nearest Buses: 19, 22, 24, 38, 40, 176

Directions

Google Apple

Critics' reviews of Stranger Things: The First Shadow

★★★★★ “A phenomenon” The Sunday Times

★★★★★ “Breathtaking theatre” The Guardian

★★★★★ “Exhilarating live theatre” Financial Times

★★★★★ “As a piece of total theatre, this is streets ahead of anything else” Evening Standard

★★★★★ “Netflix gives the West End its event of the year” Telegraph

★★★★★ “As close to a rollercoaster experience as the West End can provide” Whatsonstage

★★★★ “It's thrillingly done – magic and dramatic” Daily Mail

★★★★ “Netflix explodes into the West End with thrills galore” The Independent

★★★★ “Mesmerising” i News

★★★★ “This is Theatre of Sensation, Grand Guignol for the modern age” Express

★★★★★ “Theatre at its very best” AllThatDazzles

★★★★★ “There’s nothing quite like it” Theatre and Tonic

Also see: Stranger Things: The First Shadow Reviews Round-up

Frequently Asked Questions

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is playing at the Phoenix Theatre in London
The running time of Stranger Things: The First Shadow is 3 hours (including interval)
The age recommendations for Stranger Things: The First Shadow are: 12+. Under 5s not permitted. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult
To buy official London Theatre tickets to Stranger Things: The First Shadow, click on the Get Tickets button at the top of this page. You will be able to access the booking calendar to check live ticket availability and prices and see any exclusive offers or discounts. You will be purchasing tickets from an authorised retailer and member of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers.
Yes, Stranger Things: The First Shadow has matinee performances on the following days: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set in Hawkins, Indiana in 1959 — decades before the events of the Netflix series. It follows young Jim Hopper, Joyce Maldonado and Bob Newby as the arrival of a mysterious new student, Henry Creel, sets in motion a chain of supernatural events with consequences that will echo across the entire Stranger Things story.

No — Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a play, not a musical. It is a full-length supernatural thriller featuring extraordinary stagecraft, illusions and theatrical effects, but no songs or musical numbers.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow contains supernatural themes, tension and some frightening sequences in keeping with the tone of the Netflix series. It is recommended for ages 12 and over. If you or someone in your group is sensitive to jump scares or horror elements, it is worth bearing this in mind — though the show is a theatrical thriller rather than outright horror.

No. Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a standalone story that can be fully enjoyed without any prior knowledge of the Netflix series. Fans of the show will recognise familiar characters and storylines in a new light, but newcomers will find an equally gripping and complete theatrical experience.

News about Stranger Things: The First Shadow

More Great Family Shows

See all