Stranger Things: The First Shadow Reviews

The New York Times- Recommended

"...As far as its plot is concerned, the play that just opened at the Marquis Theater fits neatly into the lore of "Stranger Things," a wildly popular Netflix series about a fictional Indiana town at the juncture of terrifying government experiments and supernatural forces. This production is big, loud, often ingenious and occasionally breathtaking, in a "how the hell did they do this?" kind of way."

New York Theater- Somewhat Recommended

"..."The First Shadow" might as well be StrangerCon. Netflix claims it is a "standalone adventure." This is simply not true, especially if they mean that theatergoers need not be familiar with the streaming platform's popular sci-fi horror series. "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" is strictly for fans of "Stranger Things," presenting both a prequel and an origin story that feature several characters from the series. Most baldly, the show serves as a teaser for the forthcoming fifth and final season."

New York Post- Somewhat Recommended

"...Some of the blaring special effects in director Stephen Daldry's dizzying and sometimes nauseating production from London are impressive, though they're nothing you haven't seen before. The coolest one, when a huge ship materializes magically, unfortunately happens in the first 10 minutes. Prime rib for the appetizer, lettuce to follow."

Washington Post- Somewhat Recommended

"...The streamer's Broadway behemoth, now in residence at the Marquis Theatre, is a chaotic fire hose of fan-service with enough sensory stimulation to make even the most experienced gamer want to puke just a little. Devotees of the byzantine fantasy series may even savor the confusion of trying to figure out, from one flash-bang moment to the next, what exactly is going on. And anyone who's dreamed of snuggling a Demogorgon can drop by the merch counter for a horrifying plushie."

Chicago Tribune- Recommended

"...Daldry and Martin are, of course, talented and highly experienced directors of major stage spectacles and "Stranger Things" is far from a hack job or mere brand exploitation. It has been forged with integrity, especially in the superior first act, before the show gets trapped in one of its bespoke devices: creepy stuff happening during the production of a high school play. I suspect everyone involved decided that since we were doing "Stranger Things" in a theater and the TV show always trafficked in nostalgia and Americana , the metaphor was apt. But it goes on and on and ends up overwhelming the actual sci-fi action inherent to the piece. To my mind, anyway. Nobody around me seemed to care."

Los Angeles Times- Somewhat Recommended

"...Unfortunately, "Stranger Things: The First Shadow," written by Kate Trefry from an original story she collaborated on with the Duffer Brothers (the series' creators) and Jack Thorne, also shows that the theater can be just as careless as any hyperactive action movie when it comes to plot. While seemingly unlimited resources are lavished on visual effects, the drama is allowed to tie itself into impossible knots. (Thorne, who won a Tony for "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" and obloquy for the Broadway bomb "King Kong," achieves a Hegelian synthesis with this potential blockbuster of dubious artistic purpose.)"