The Upside Down will turn upside down as Stranger Things gets a fresh cast. The gang is all prepared to battle it out on the West End!
Quite a lot is new in Hawkins, clearly. A prequel to the 1980s TV show, Stranger Things: The First Shadow gives us insight into what Hawkins was before things turned upside down.
What's new in Hawkins
To start with, Hawkins has a new town villain, with Louis Healy (The Full Monty) playing the role of Henry Creel. The newcomers are rounded out by Callum Maxwell (Peter Pan) and Miranda Mufema as the Newby siblings. In their teen avatars, the fan-favourite characters James Hopper Jr. and Joyce Maldonado will be played by George Smale (AS-NT) and Jessica Rhodes (The Tempest), respectively. Luke Mullins (The Tempest) steps into Dr. Brenner's shoes. The new cast will take over from 14 November 2025.
Who’s that in the shadows?
The principals are joined by a gifted ensemble that includes:
- Shane Attwooll (Chief Hopper)
- Jack Crumlin (Lonnie Byers)
- Rhianna Dorris (Sue Anderson)
- Ammar Duffus (Charles Sinclair)
- Jack Gardner (Walter Henderson)
- Andy Langtree (Victor Creel)
- Betsy Mayle (Claudia Yount)
- Michael Murray (Alan Munson)
- Lauren O'Neil (Virginia Creel)
- Matthew Pidgeon (Principal Newby)
- Barney Wilkinson (Ted Wheeler)
- Edie Wright (Karen Childress)
Alternating the roles of Alice Creel are:
- Scarlett Davies
- Olivia Miller
- India Moon
- Pixie Robbins
They are joined by:
- Chloe Akuma
- Harry Ames
- Sophie Atherton
- Levi Bent
- Mat Betteridge
- Amara Campbell
- Lois Churcher
- Flora Dawson
- Benjamin Lafayette
- Jake Mavis
- Karen Mavundukure
- Chris Porter
- Marianna Scott
- Jonny Warr
Kate Trefry is the genius behind the story - who also penned the script for the TV series. This prequel is spun from an original story by the Stranger Things creators, the Duffer Brothers, with the sci-fi stagecraft coming from Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) and Trefry. The stage production promises bloody noses, sinister turns of events, and of course, telekinesis (even without Eleven!).
Stranger Things have happened in London
The stage production opened to thunderous, bone-chilling applause: a testament to the allure of Hawkins, in spite of its monstrous underground. Stranger Things: The First Shadow shows us that Hawkins really is quite a dangerous place to live in, no matter what era.
In less than a year, the production won two Olivier awards, for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play and Best Set Design. The production also won Best New Play in the WhatsOnStage Awards. Stranger Things was never a stranger to the laurels as the Netflix show has been nominated for 57 Emmy awards and won a whopping 12.
An action-packed universe filled with familiar faces, new plot twists, heart-stopping jump scares, and some fun awaits you in Stranger Things: The First Shadow.
Check out the Phoenix Theatre seating plan to get the best seats.
More West End Guides
For more West End information, here are some helpful quick links!
Be sure to check out our guide on the seating plan for West End theatres!
