Stranger Things: The First Shadow Reviews: What the Critics Say
The First Shadow opened at the Phoenix Theatre in December 2023 to some of the loudest reviews of the decade, won the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment, and closes on 27 December 2026. Here is what the critics said, in one place, spoiler-free.
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The Critics' Verdict
Four five-star reviews from the major critics, and the word they kept reaching for was the same: nothing like this had been put on a West End stage before. The Telegraph called it the event of the year; the Guardian called it breathtaking; the Standard said it was streets ahead of anything else as total theatre; WhatsOnStage completed the set of fives. The dissent was real but specific: Time Out (3/5) and The Times (2/5) both wanted a better script under the spectacular staging.
What the Reviews Praised
The staging, unanimously and at length. The Telegraph (Dominic Cavendish, 5/5): "a game-changing experience... a suspenseful flow of jaw-dropping coups", ending with a line critics rarely write: "Standing ovations are ten a penny these days but this show thoroughly deserves the one it gets." The Guardian (Arifa Akbar, 5/5): "breathtaking theatre... one coup de theatre after another and immense craft in Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin's co-direction", singling out Miriam Buether's "nimble set" and Jon Clark's "stunning lighting". The Evening Standard (Nick Curtis, 5/5): "comparable to the theatrical alchemy of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, but far more technically sophisticated." Both the Guardian and Standard made the same practical point: you do not need to know the TV series to have a great night.
Where Reviews Were Mixed
The script. Even the Telegraph's five stars came with "as a piece of drama... high-class hokum"; the Standard noted "a couple of lip-pursingly unlikely plot twists" pushing the evening past three hours, before deciding "it scarcely matters". For Time Out (3/5) it did matter, and The Times (2/5) found the drama wanting altogether. Nobody, in any review, faulted the effects.
Is The First Shadow Right for You?
If you want spectacle, scares and the biggest technical show London has staged, the critics are near-unanimous: go, and go before the December rush. If a watertight script matters more to you than staging, the three- and two-star reviews are the honest counterweight. Fans of the series need no persuading; newcomers, per the Guardian, will find it "still irresistible". On the fence? Call us on 020 7193 9050.
Book First Shadow Tickets
The First Shadow plays at the Phoenix Theatre until 27 December 2026, and the final weeks will be the run's busiest. Prices run from around £35 up to around £110 for prime seats, with premium seats from £150, and with us the price you see is the price you pay, with nothing added at checkout. First Shadow tickets are bookable online, or call us on 020 7193 9050.
Sources: The Telegraph, The Guardian, Evening Standard, WhatsOnStage, The Times, Time Out.