Interview: ‘It’s Such a Ride': Actors Jessica Rhodes and George Smale on Making Their West End Debuts in STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW

Stranger Things: The First Shadow opened to critical acclaim in 2023 at The Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End and has since won several awards, as well as announcing an extended run until 6 April 2025.

Set in 1959, the show is a prequel to the beloved TV series and sees Henry Creel arrive in Hawkins, in a show that takes you right back to the beginning of Stranger Things.

BroadwayWorld sat down with Jessica Rhodes and George Smale, who have recently made their West End debuts in the show as Joyce and Hopper, to talk Stranger Things, bringing these beloved characters to the stage and the show’s incredible special effects…

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set in 1959 and is a prequel to the TV series. Can you tell us more about the theatre production and what audiences can expect?

Jessica: They can expect to see their beloved characters of Hopper, Joyce and Bob being just like their kids in the show - where the kids get it from - including Sue and Charles, Lucas’ mum and dad. Dustin’s mum and dad and Nancy’s - you can see where they get their characteristics from.

George: It’s very much within the Stranger Things universe, but it does stand alone. It does have its own flavour and its own narrative. Even people who aren’t familiar with the series will enjoy this spectacle. Its been interesting for us as actors to work on the past of characters. I think often when you’re playing roles you’re thinking about the past and how that informs the future and the present of these people. Although we have done a bit of that, we have such a wealth of research and source material in the show and what these people become. Trying to understand them as eighteen year olds on the cusp of adulthood, that’s a really interesting process for us and a challenge as actors. That’s been so wonderful to be a part of something, so useful to have all of that. It’s an interesting and unique challenge for us.

How have you approached your interpretation of the characters that fans of the TV series will already know?

George: We’re so lucky to work with such wonderful creatives, giving us the scope and the freedom to just interpret these characters how we want. We want to exercise our imaginations as actors as much as possible and bring our own selves to every part that we play, but I think it would be silly not to see or feel some level of responsibility to the audience of Stranger Things, to inhabit all of these characteristics. Not just from the character, but from the actor as well. I’ve looked into a lot of David Harbour to try and bring that to the role as well. Ultimately we are playing canon characters and they are already existing, so I’ve looked in depth at that and that’s been really fun - and again, a unique challenge.

Jessica: I did a similar thing. I’ve been looking at Winona [Ryder] and also I’ve looked at Winona’s catalogue in general. We all have little things that we do. She’s an incredible actress and the same with David, they’ve given such full people in the series. They’re such well rounded characters and it’s looking at ‘where did that come from?’

George: Kate [Trefry’s] writing is so incredible. It has created the atmosphere of the TV show and exploded it within the theatre production as well, so everything, all of the actions that we’re playing, the climate and atmosphere of the show is so Stranger Things. It’s so easy through the writing to adopt those characteristics. It’s fun.

Do you need to have seen the Stranger Things TV series to understand the plot of the theatre show?

Jessica: Thinking about this show, you don’t need to have seen Stranger Things to see it. It follows Henry Creel. Henry is an outsider. It’s kind of a story about feeling like that. A lot of the characters in the show, even Joyce and Hopper, they feel like outsiders. Ultimately he’s just trying to find love, safety and friendship - and he does. It just happens that there’s powers beyond his control that will dictate his life. At the end of it, the heart of the story is a very, very human one. It’s a very human story about trying to find yourself and find your people and wanting to be loved.

George: That’s the beauty of Stranger Things. It’s got this supernatural element to it. It’s this science fiction element to the show which is fun and incredible onstage. But at the same time, it’s very human and we’ve got an incredible company, incredible actors who are dealing with very real emotions. That’s the beauty - that blend together is what makes Stranger Things so incredible and this show.

There’s lots of incredible special effects in this production. What was your reaction when you first saw the special effects onstage?

George: It’s wild. What they can do is phenomenal. You are sat there, kind of being like, ‘how is that being done?’ It’s very, very technical and this show itself is a very, very technical show. There’s a lot going on and for us, it’s a challenge to make all those things land. It’s an integral part of the show and an integral part of the enjoyment of it. But it’s wild. It’s so impressive.

Jessica: Louis [Healy] and Miranda [Mufema] who are Patty and Henry, a lot of their scenes involve some of the most technical moments. It’s incredible watching them and Louis playing Henry, manage all of that at the same time and give an incredible performance.

George: The visuals, the lighting, all of that together. It’s such a ride when you watch it.

Is there anything you’d like to add about Stranger Things: The First Shadow?

Jessica: I’m very grateful, I think we all are, grateful to be in this world and be in such a great company. Such a great cast. The leaving cast have been wonderfully supportive for us as well. I think for all of us, at least for me and you, it’s the biggest theatre we’ve been in. It’s our West End debuts. I’m so excited. You’re in this amazing world, you’re being supported but also, you’re still able to develop your craft. I’m learning so much on this job. I’m really excited and the way the company is, it’s wonderful working with George and Callum [Maxwell] and most of my scenes are with them and the rapport that we have, I just can’t wait for it to keep developing. I’m very excited and I’m really looking forward to sharing this with and being this new Joyce for people. I’m excited for that.

George: I’ll second all of that. I’m super grateful and super fortunate to be telling this story. I’m so thankful that I get to do it with these lovely people, talented actors. I feel really lucky.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is booking at The Phoenix Theatre until 6 April 2025.

Main Photo Credit: Craig Sugden

Production and Rehearsal Photo credits: Manuel Harlan