Express & Star

'A quirky, funny and mind-boggling twist on the hit Netflix show' – Our review of Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre

Any Stranger Things fans eagerly awaiting the fifth and final season?

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Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Well if you are – this fearless, musical parody may be just for you. Imagine seeing everything you thought about the TV hit turned upside down on the theatre stage.

Yes that's right, there's dancing demogorgon's, an ode to the classic characters of Winona Ryder and the widest array of crazy wigs you ever did see.

Stranger Sings is on tour and stopping of at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre until Wednesday. It is a quirky, mind-boggling twist on the hit series that is great fun, really funny and a more than a bit crazy.

Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Stranger Sings at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

This stage show, which is based on just the first season, takes you back to Hawkins at some point in the 1980s, nothing ever happens there (until it does, as fans of the show know too well).

Assuming most people who would buy a theatre ticket to it would be a fan of the show, there's no need to go too much into what happens but the stage shows follows the plot from when 12-year-old Will Byers vanishes, his friends Mike, Lucas and Dustin decide to go looking for him in the woods where they meet escaped patient ‘Eleven’. To be honest, you’ll be lost if you’ve never seen the TV show.

The boys, Will’s mum Joyce and local cop Hopper all quickly discover that nothing is quite as it seems, they find about another dimension called the Upside Down and a secret Government facility – and , well, you know the rest.

Stranger Sings is packed with pop culture references which are filtered throughout the script and songs. But what makes it stand out is that it ridicules the TV show in a really funny, clever way.

The stage is simple, detailed but effective, and inspired by the Byers house in the show (with A-Z on the walls, Christmas lights etc) , the soundtrack is heavy synth as expected and the extremely talented all-singing and dancing cast is small with actors playing multiple roles.

Stand out stars are Verity Power as chain-smoking, mother-of-the-year Joyce who performs an outstanding ode to the classic characters of Winona Ryder. Phillipa Leadbetter is Barb, who finally gets her justice and is truly the most hilarious character throughout.​

Anna Amelia plays the roles of Eleven, Nancy and Robin and her vocals are amazing. Jesse Jae Davis plays Lucas and the dancing demogorgan- again, really funny.

"Token victim" Will Byers is played by a puppet, the plot is twisted around to make Barb a central role and there's just so many moments it makes fun of the really far-fetched elements of the TV show (not that another world dimension and demogorgan's are realistic in anyway).

Written by Jonathan Hogue, Stranger Sings subverts the genre and offers a fun evening out for anyone who enjoyed the TV show and would like to see that transformed into an alternative theatre production. It makes you laugh, while reminding you of all the sci-fi fabulousness that the Netflix hit offers its audience.

Running at Wolverhampton Grand on January 16 and January 17, the show is age 14 plus and is two hours long. Visit grandtheatre.co.uk/whats-on/stranger-sings/ to book. The show is on at theatres around the UK including Shrewsbury visit strangersingsuk.com/