Stranger Things: The First Shadow releases behind-the-scenes West End featurette

In celebration of Stranger Things Day, the fast-approaching world premiere of Stranger Things: The First Shadow has released a brand-new, behind-the-scenes featurette.

The West End production is scheduled to begin preview performances at the Phoenix Theatre on 17 November, ahead of an official opening night on 14 December.

Unlike the TV series, which grounds itself in 1980s pop culture, the stage production is a prequel set in 1959 with characters including a young Jim Hopper, Joyce Maldonado, Bob Newby and Henry Creel (played respectively by David Harbour, Winona Ryder, Sean Astin and Jamie Campbell Bower on screen).

Featuring an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry, Stranger Things: The First Shadow is penned by Trefry and directed by Stephen Daldry, with co-direction by Justin Martin. It is produced by Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions.

Leading the cast are Shane Attwooll (Wonder Woman 1984) as Chief Hopper, Kemi Awoderu (Arms and the Man) as Sue Anderson, Chase Brown (Mame) as Lonnie Byers, Christopher Buckley (David Copperfield) as Bob Newby, Ammar Duffus (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) as Charles Sinclair, Gilles Geary (Hangmen) as Ted Wheeler, Florence Guy (Tom Jones) as Karen Childress, Max Harwood (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) as Allen Munson, Michael Jibson (Hamilton) as Victor Creel, Oscar Lloyd (The 47th) as James Hopper Jr, Louis McCartney (Hope Street) as Henry Creel, Isabella Pappas (Appropriate) as Joyce Maldonado, Matthew Pidgeon (The White Card) as Father Newby, Calum Ross (Wednesday) as Walter Henderson, Maisie Norma Seaton (Shetland) as Claudia Henderson, Patrick Vaill (Oklahoma!) as Dr Brenner, Lauren Ward (Dear Evan Hansen) as Virginia Creel and Ella Karuna Williams (The Equalizer) as Patty Newby. 

Completing the company are 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.

The production also features scenic design by Miriam Buether, costume design by Brigitte Reiffenstuel, lighting design by Jon Clark, sound design by Paul Arditti, illusions design and visual effects by Jamie Harrison and Chris Fisher, video design and visual effects by 59 Productions, original music and arrangements by D J Walde, choreography by Coral Messam, movement direction by Lynne Page, and wigs, hair and make-up design by Campbell Young Associates. The technical director is Gary Beestone for Gary Beestone Associates, props supervision is by Mary Halliday, dialect coaching by William Conacher, fight direction by Kev McCurdy, casting by Jessica Ronane Casting CDG with additional casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG, and international casting consultancy by Jim Carnahan.