Behind-the-scenes photos have been released of rehearsals for the forthcoming Stranger Things stage prequel Stranger Things: The First Shadow, coming to the West End’s Phoenix Theatre in London.
The hugely anticipated stage show, featuring an original new story that pre-dates the Netflix series by being set in Hawkins in 1959, starts its run at the Phoenix Theatre next month, on 17 November 2023.
The first rehearsal images for the show, taken by Manuel Harlan, feature cast members including Louis McCartney (Game of Thrones) as Henry Creel; Isabella Pappas (Finding Alice) as Joyce Maldonaldo; Oscar Lloyd (The 47th) as James Hopper Jnr; Christopher Buckley (David Copperfield) as Bob Newby; and Ella Karuna Williams (The Equalizer) as Patty Newby.
Also in shot is the director of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Olivier, Tony, BAFTA and Emmy Award-winner Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot The Musical, The Crown).
This Stranger Things stage spin-off also stars Shane Attwooll (Wonder Woman 1984) as Chief Hopper; Christopher Buckley (David Copperfield) as Bob Newby; Michael Jibson (The Essex Serpent; Hamilton) as Victor Creel; Patrick Vaill (Oklahoma!) as Dr Brenner; and Lauren Ward (Dear Evan Hansen) as Virginia Creel; alongside Kemi Awoderu (Sue Anderson), Chase Brown (Lonnie Byers), Ammar Duffus (Charles Sinclair), Gilles Geary (Ted Wheeler), Florence Guy (Karen Childress), Max Harwood (Allen Munson), Matthew Pidgeon (Father Newby), Calum Ross (Walter Henderson) and Maisie Norma Seaton (Claudia Henderson); and an ensemble and swings that include Tricia Adele-Turner, Lauren Arney, Reya-Nyomi Brown, Patricia Castro, Lydia Fraser, Isaac Gryn, Mark Hammersley, Tom Peters, Kingdom Sibanda, Tiana Simone, Danny Sykes and Meesha Turner.
Producer of the show Sonia Friedman told the LA Times today that, “We’re about to bring the actors, who’ve just been in this cocoon of a rehearsal room for seven weeks, into [the theater]. We’ve been making sure it can stand alone without the special effects, because it’s all about story. We are going to blow people’s minds. We are going to terrify with some of the most startling, extraordinary things with the physical production.”
Stranger Things: The First Shadow – First day of rehearsals
Creator of Stranger Things Matt Duff also tantalisingly says in the piece that writer Kate Trefry, who also writes on the TV show, “cross-cut scenes as she would in the show and wrote crazy visual effects sequences as she would in the show. She wasn’t limited by that because it then just presented a challenge for Stephen to solve, which is fun. The opening sequence of the play — I don’t think anyone even knew if it was possible. I’m still not sure how they’re doing it.” Kate adds that “It’s scary like ‘Stranger Things’ is scary. There’s a little bit of like guts and gore, and then there’s also real trauma — people dealing with real stuff.”
Late last month the producers of the show also dropped a behind-the-scenes video of the cast promotional photoshoot for the new show, with interviews Louis McCartney, Isabella Pappas, Oscar Lloyd and Christopher Buckley and more. Christopher teased in the video that, “I don’t think audiences will be fully prepared for what this show is going to do. Like, there are these huge, amazing sequences being played out on stage that haven’t been seen anywhere.”
Video: Meet The Cast
Based on the Netflix series Stranger Things created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things: The First Shadow is written by Kate Trefry (Netflix’s Stranger Things), and has an original story by the Duffer Brothers, award-winning writer Jack Thorne (The Motive and the Cue), and Kate Trefry.
Joining Stephen Daldry in the creative team are co-director Justin Martin, set design by Miriam Buether, costume design by Brigitte Reiffenstuel, lighting design by Jon Clark, sound design by Paul Arditti, illusions design by Jamie Harrison & Chris Fisher, video design by 59 Productions, movement direction by Coral Messam, wigs, hair and make-up design by Campbell Young Associates, casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG, international casting consultancy by Jim Carnahan, and Gary Beestone for Gary Beestone Associates is Technical Director.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow is playing at the Phoenix Theatre from 17 November 2023 to 25 August 2024, produced by West End and Broadway impresario Sonia Friedman (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Book of Mormon), alongside Daldry, the Duffer Brothers and 21 Laps.
The show is hotly tipped to transfer to Broadway.
Check out more photos of the cast here.
Book tickets to Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre in London
Phoenix Theatre, London
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