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A powerful portal to yet another dimension of Hawkins has opened up and it’s hilarious and unmissable. Powerhouse performances and sublime comic talent.Summary
Rating
Excellent
A magnetic and powerful portal has opened up in the underground networks of Waterloo known as The Vaults, so grab your walkie talkie, Eggos and slingshot because Will needs rescuing and we’re going upside down…
If you’re a fan of the hit Netflix TV show Stranger Things, you are going to love this show. If you’ve never seen it, you’re going to be pretty lost – but there’s no doubt you’ll be absolutely wowed, as this is the best musical parody you’ll see in Indiana this fall!
My 12 year-old and I have grabbed the bikes and are venturing out on a school night on our inaugural visit to what has to be one of the coolest venues the London fringe has to offer. Nestled in a maze of disused railway arches, The Vaults’ box office space instantly feels immersive and theatrical and we’re taken aback to enter the auditorium via the stage. This is a little thrilling and adorned with everything you’d see at the Byers’ house or Mike’s basement; from the Dungeons and Dragons board game, to Joyce’s Christmas lights adorning every hangable nook.
The set design by Justin Williams is absolutely perfect and this, coupled with genius direction by Ellis Kerkhoven writes the most fantastic love letter to the show. Every creative on this production deserves congratulations. I especially loved the costume design by Ellie Farrow who had a huge task but recreated the look of the world brilliantly.
The fantastically funny script by Jonathan Hogue (who has also penned the music and lyrics), the irrepressible powerhouse performances and the sublime comic talent are all so invigorative. The cast have Saturday Night Live level talent for mimicry, with awesome vocals. There are so many genuinely funny jokes, including Will as a puppet yearning for better things in Fraggle Rock or Sesame Street, the feminist uprising of Barb and the frustration for Joyce of trying to fix her magnets to a wooden cabinet. I’m holding back slightly on the star rating as the Duffer brothers have done a bit of the leg work here, but my daughter was in a five stars Hawkins heaven.
I was worried they might over-ridicule a TV show that has bridged a gap between the generations, but this Hawkins has plenty of heart. So join Mike, Eleven, Dustin, Lucas, Will and the rest of the gang for a night of eighties nostalgic joy, dancing demogorgans, pop culture references and maybe even #justiceforBarb. We exit via the amazing Leake Street graffiti tunnel, founded by Banksy and now home to an ever-changing tube of artwork. It was our first visit to The Vaults but we can’t wait to go back.
Book, music & lyrics by Jonathan Hogue
Produced by The Vaults & Susannah Bond
Directed by Ellis Kerkhoven
Assistant Directed by Madeleine MacMahon
Set design by Justin Williams
Lighting design by Clancy Flynn
Costume design by Ellie Farrow
Sound design by Daffyd Gough
Musical Supervisor Adam Gerber
Choreographed by Lucinda Lawrence
This review of Stranger Sings! was from its run at The Vaults at the end of 2022. The show has now announced a new run at Southwark Playhouse from 13 December 2023 to 6 January 2024. Further infomation and bookings for the new dates can be found here.
