The play Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a prequel to the Netflix show Stranger Things, which has captivated millions of viewers across the world with its gripping story line and emotional depth. The live theatre production not only offers viewers insight into the background of some beloved characters from the show but also delivers an unforgettable, immersive experience that takes you deeper into the Upside-Down universe.
References to War and the Upside Down
The play references experiments and massive naval operations from the Second World War, and a fight with creatures in the water that look all too familiar – the terrifying Demogorgons – thus introducing the first interaction with those awful creatures from the Upside Down.
Henry Creel at the Centre
At the centre of the story is freshman Henry Creel, a lonely and awkward newcomer at Hawkins High who has recently moved to town with his family. He wants nothing more than to be normal – aside from the fact that he occasionally kills pets throughout the show and collects spiders in the attic.
His father, Victor Creel, still suffers from PTSD from the war. His mother seems afraid of Henry, while his sister is the only one who notices that he is no longer himself once the Mind Flayer possesses him. The only friend Henry makes at school is Patty Newby, another outcast who becomes his anchor throughout the play.The Mind Flayer’s Role
Henry can enter a realm where he hears other people’s thoughts and sees what they are doing, which frightens him at first. His journey takes a dark turn when the Mind Flayer – a creature without a corporeal body – attaches itself to his mind while in this other realm. The creature has no good intentions and appears to take control of its host with parasitic tendencies, much like in the TV show when it attaches itself to Will Byers and later Billy Hargrove.
Investigations into the Pet Killings
At the end of year school play we're introduced to Joyce Maldonado, Will Byers’ mother. A witty character who shows great potential for the future – aside from choosing Lonnie Byers (Will’s father) as her boyfriend, a washed-up 25-year-old who occasionally gets arrested.
Joyce directs the play and later becomes part of a group investigating the pet murders, which have strangely all targeted members of the school theatre group.
Edie Wright plays Joyce convincingly. Like in the TV show, she is headstrong and unafraid to chase the action. She joins high school senior Jim Hopper (played by Adam Wadsworth), also called Hopper Junior – a rebellious teen clashing with his sheriff father, who is too indifferent to investigate the murders himself. The group also includes Bob Newby, a witty and geeky radio host hopelessly in love with Joyce, who builds the device that leads them to the Creel mansion.
Supporting Characters
While their children are the main characters in the TV show, their theatre counterparts serve as supporting roles that help build backstories and connect to the Netflix series.
- Ted Wheeler and Karen Childress – Parents of Mike and Nancy Wheeler. Ted is portrayed as a dim-witted school athlete, while Karen is a provocative cheerleader. Both have small parts, like their roles in the TV show.
- Claudia Yount and Walter Henderson – Later parents of Dustin Henderson. They become the first victims of the pet killer when Henry kills their ginger cat.
- Sue Anderson and Charles Sinclair – Parents of Lucas and Erica Sinclair. Sue acts as Henry's peer mentor and shows him around and introduces him to the other students at Hawkins High, while Charles is a ladies’ man whose advances Sue initially rebuffs.
- Alan Munson – A comic, punk, eccentric character who calls himself a method actor who has an unapologetic essence. He plays a gruesome looking creature with feathers and a mask in Joyce’s play and is Eddie Munson’s future father.
Experiments, Control and Power
Dr Brenner, also known as Papa in the TV show, appears throughout the play. Though his backstory is not explored, we learn that Henry’s mother sends him to Brenner for help. Brenner and his team experiment on Henry, hurting him until he reaches out to Patty, who helps him escape. Before leaving, Henry kills more animals in the facility and nearly kills a prisoner – someone Brenner rationalises as expendable. Brenner shows no remorse about his treatment of Henry, justifying his experiments as necessary for the greater good of medicine and technology.
This becomes the catalyst for Henry’s descent from killing animals to committing murder. Though he does not kill the prisoner, his inability to control his temper leads to the deaths of his mother – who wants to send him back to the facility – and his sister, who realises he is possessed and is no longer the brother she once knew.
Special Effects and Immersive Theatre
The special effects set this production apart, showcasing theatrical innovation at every turn.
- Actors run through aisles and interact with the audience using flashlights. Hazmat-suited figures shine beams into the stalls, pulling viewers into Hawkins’ eerie atmosphere.
- Sparks fly, lights explode, and disfigured bodies shock the senses. Time-lapse effects add to the theatrical magic.
- Makeup and transformations convincingly depict possession and the Upside Down.
- Animatronics and live animals heighten the shock factor, making chilling scenes even more disturbing.
- Constantly shifting sets, red frames that mimic the Stranger Things TV Show intro and scene changes, newspaper clippings projected on big screens, and the Mind Flayer’s synaptic network all blend modern technology with traditional theatre.
At the end of the play, a projection of the Stranger Things Season 5 trailer makes the audience feel as though they are in a movie theatre.
Building the Bridge to the Netflix Show
The play concludes at the facility, where a grown-up Henry, under Dr. Brenner's (Papa’s) control, is introduced to a new recruit in Brenner’s experiments – a young child who becomes Eleven. This moment builds a direct link to the first season of the Netflix hit.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow is more than a stage adaptation – it’s an immersive expansion of the Hawkins’ universe. With layered storytelling, strong performances innovative stage design and jump-scare effects, the play successfully recreates the eerie atmosphere of the beloved screen production.
Find out more about Stranger Things: The First Shadow and see how it all began before the Netflix premiere of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things airs in the UK on 27 November 2025 at 1am GMT.