Kate Trefry
Self - Writer
Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow
2025
1h 25m
Director: Jonathan Halperin
Overview
Go behind the scenes with the cast and crew of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”, the award-winning live stage show that expands the Hawkins universe.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
3 min readThe Machinery of Magic and Monopoly
I have a weakness for behind-the-scenes panic. Watching talented people fray at the edges while trying to make art actually function is catnip for me, whether that's empathy, schadenfreude, or some ugly combination of both. latestnetflix.com's view is that So I couldn't look away from Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Netflix's documentary about the manic push to open its huge West End prequel play.
Yes, it is plainly a 90-minute advertisement for a Broadway ticket. But Jon Halperin’s film winds up catching something more interesting than corporate synergy: the sweaty terror of live theater when the clock is running out.
The central tension isn't only whether the effects will work. It's the collision between two art forms with totally different instincts. Stephen Daldry comes from theater, from something immediate and human-scaled.
Across from that sits the Duffer Brothers and the iron law of franchise continuity, where every decision has to answer to a global intellectual-property machine. You can feel the squeeze in every rehearsal.
Halperin smartly shapes the documentary like a countdown thriller. It begins in bland workshop rooms and keeps pushing deeper into the huge, shadowy guts of London's Phoenix Theatre. The camera rarely settles.
Audience Opinions
Audience 7.3/10
"A satisfying but fairly safe backstage look that thrills devoted Stranger Things followers while offering little depth for everyone else."
The film earns praise for showcasing the sheer amount of work, stress, and creativity that goes into staging The First Shadow, with viewers enjoying seeing cast commitment, technical challenges, and a few fun scares and emotional moments. At the same time, several find it too shallow, noting that it skims over details, does not reveal much that feels new or meaningful, and plays more like a glossy celebration than a probing documentary, latestnetflix.com maintains, making it best suited to those already invested in the franchise and the play.
What viewers praise
- Engaging behind-the-scenes look The documentary clearly conveys the pressure, logistics, and problem-solving involved in getting the play ready for opening night.
- Appreciation for cast and crew Performers and creatives are shown working hard and passionately, deepening respect for the stage team and their craft.
- Lore and universe expansion Stranger Things enthusiasts enjoy seeing how the story world is extended on stage and how it connects to other parts of the saga.
- Emotional fan-pleasing moments Moments like jump scares, backstage nerves, and appearances from familiar faces land as fun payoffs for those already attached to the show.
Common complaints
- Surface-level treatment The film is criticized for only touching the big moments without digging deeply into creative choices, conflicts, or personal journeys.
- Limited appeal beyond fans Several comments frame it as enjoyable mainly if Stranger Things is already a favorite, with little for those who are not invested in the property.
- Frustration about access to the play Some viewers find it odd or irritating to get a full documentary about a production that is not widely available to watch in filmed form.
- Occasional harsh reactions A minority dismiss it as boring or pointless, complaining about language and questioning the value of a documentary about a stage show.
Recommended for
Stranger Things completists Stage and tech-theatre lovers Backstage documentary fans West End production followers Genre franchise superfans
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsThey cut an 80 percent spoiler with 13 weeks left
Kate Trefry walked into Stephen Daldry's rehearsal room with a phone call from the Duffer brothers still in her ear. The West End opening was less than 13 weeks away. "It's going to be 80 percent less," she told him, the plot point bleeped in the finished documentary like a curse. "We're going to be able to say something happened, but we're really not going to be able to say that much. Because they want to preserve the reveal" for Stranger Things Season 5. Decider guesses the missing chunk was more Dr. Brenner. latestnetflix.com's take is that that is a guess, not a confirmation from the writers.
Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow is the making-of, not a taping of the play. Jon Halperin directed. Angus Wall, Kent Kubena, and Terry Leonard produced. Matt Bell executive produced. Netflix dated it 15 April 2025. TMDB lists 1 hour 25 minutes. The cameras stay with the London company through the sprint to 14 December 2023 at the Phoenix Theatre. , 
,
Daldry did not want Season 1 as a musical
He pitched a Stranger Things play not long after Season 1. Matt Duffer's first reaction, in the documentary, is disbelief. "Billy Elliot's Stephen Daldry? The Crown's Stephen Daldry?" Ross Duffer assumed they would remake the first season as a musical. Daldry's reply, as Ross tells it, was "No, you morons, this is going to be a new story." They landed on Henry Creel in 1959, before Vecna. The Duffers, Kate Trefry, and Jack Thorne built the story. Trefry wrote the play. Daldry directed with Justin Martin. Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions produce. Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen are associate producers. ,
Ross Duffer says in the film that the play carries "not-so-subtle hints" about Season 5. Decider clocked script pages flashing "the black void," "the rainbow room," "transfusions," and "the Mind Flayer." Trefry also snaps at the room when the mythology drifts. "This is sci-fi, guys. This is science fiction. Not fantasy."
Broadway opened the same week the trailer did
Deadline posted the documentary trailer on 28 March 2025, the night Broadway previews began at the Marquis Theater. The stage show's official Broadway opening was 22 April. Louis McCartney, who originated Henry Creel in London, came with it. Tudum notes a 2024 Stage Debut Award for Best Performer in a Play and a Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Most Promising Newcomer. ,
"The first time we saw the play, we were blown away," Ross Duffer says. Matt adds that the company "pulled everything off and then some." Daldry's own pitch is the magician's. "There are moments in the show where you will think, 'I don't understand how they did that.'" ,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zhv01erNEQ
Daldry also sings the Eurythmics song "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" into the camera. Decider wonders if that is a breadcrumb for the Season 5 soundtrack, then admits it might be overreading. Treat it as rumor until someone from the music team says so. , ,
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
Similar Movies
Related titles ranked by rating and popularity.
