‘Stranger Things’: Comedy, titled ‘The First Shadow’, to debut in London later this year

In July of last year, the Duffer brothers announced that they had created their own production company, Upside Down Pictures, with which they would develop several projects related to the ‘Stranger Things’ universe, among them a play that already has a title and a premiere date (at least very approximate).

As reported by Deadline, the work is called ‘The First Shadow’ and can be seen at the Phoenix Theater in London’s West End later this year, just as the season of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ with Paul Mescal ends. The story is set a quarter of a century before the events of the series, in 1959. and the official synopsis reads like this: “Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister doesn’t take her radio show seriously, and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate high school and leave town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family learns that a new beginning is not so easy and that the shadows of the past have a very long reach”. A small teaser trailer was also released along with the announcement:

A team from another world

‘Stranger Things’ screenwriter Kate Trefry is writing the screenplay, based on an original idea by Jack Thorne (‘Dark Matter’) and Duffer herself. Acclaimed playwright Stephen Daldry directs and is produced by Justin Martin and Sonia Friedman (‘The Book of Mormon’, ‘Ghosts’). Miriam Buether is responsible for set design, Brigitte Reiffenstuel for costumes, Jon Clark for lighting and Paul Arditti for sound design. As of now, no cast members have been revealed.

According to the outlet, Daldry allegedly spent a year developing magic tricks and special effects for the show with professional illusionists. “Collaborating with the brilliant Stephen Daldry has been nothing short of inspiring and Kate Trefry has written work that is at once startling, terrifying and moving”say the Duffers in a statement, “You will meet new and captivating characters, as well as others that will seem very familiar to you, on a journey into the past that sets the stage for the future of ‘Stranger Things’. We can’t wait to tell you more, but we won’t, it’s more fun to find out for yourself. Can’t wait to see you nerds in London!”