'Stranger Things' Comes to the London Stage
by EG
Have you been dying to see what a live theatrical version of the Netflix series Stranger Things would look like? If so, you'll get your chance to see soon. Of course, you'll have to wait until late this year and you'll have to travel to London to see it (at least to start). The stage play will be produced by an award-winning team, so it might be worth the wait and the trip. Read on for details.
The world of Stranger Things is expanding -- to London’s West End.
A play based on the Netflix hit is set to make its debut at London’s Phoenix Theatre late in the year. It’s called Stranger Things: The First Shadow and written by Kate Trefry, a writer and co-executive producer on the series, from an original story by Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, Jack Thorne (Enola Holmes) and Trefry.
Emmy, Tony and BAFTA winner Stephen Daldry (The Crown, Billy Elliot) will direct, with co-direction by Justin Martin. Netflix, making its first foray into live theater, and Sonia Friedman Productions are mounting the play, with series executive producer Shawn Levy’s 21 Laps serving as associate producer. The formal announcement comes a day after a cryptic teaser released on social media Tuesday. No casting has been announced yet.
“We are beyond excited about Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Collaborating with the brilliant Stephen Daldry has been nothing short of inspiring, and Kate Trefry has written a play that is at turns surprising, scary and heartfelt,” the Duffer brothers said in a statement. “You will meet endearing new characters, as well as very familiar ones, on a journey into the past that sets the groundwork for the future of Stranger Things. We’re dying to tell you more about the story but won’t -- it’s more fun to discover it for yourself. Can’t wait to see you nerds in London.”
Here’s the description for The First Shadow: “Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy … and the shadows of the past have a very long reach. Brought to life by a multi-award-winning creative team, who take theatrical storytelling and stagecraft to a whole new dimension, this gripping new adventure will take you right back to the beginning of the Stranger Things story -- and may hold the key to the end.”
Get the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.