Phoenix Theatre
Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0JP
Phoenix Theatre Tickets
Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Phoenix Theatre
4.7 221 reviews 4.7 221 reviews Tickets from £25.00If you loved the Netflix series, Stranger Things: The First Shadow takes audiences back to Hawkins in a breathtaking stage prequel that uncovers dark secrets and untold origins. Be brought closer to the supernatural events that shaped Hawkins long before Eleven and her friends, see you in the errie world of the Upside Down!
- Booking until: Wednesday, 23 December 2026
- Running time: 3hr. Incl. 1 interval.
- Playing at: Phoenix Theatre
- Booking until: Wednesday, 23 December 2026
Phoenix Theatre Facilities
- Air conditioned
- Bar
- Disabled toilets
- Infrared hearing loop
- Member of Q-Park scheme
- Toilets
- Wheelchair/scooter access
Phoenix Theatre Access Tickets
Disabled theatregoers and their carers can get discount tickets. Please phone the Phoenix Theatre access line on 0800 912 6971.
Phoenix Theatre Location
Travel Information
Nearest Tube station
- Tottenham Court Road
- Leicester Square
Nearest Rail Station
- Charing Cross
Tube lines
- Central
- Northern
- Piccadilly
Day buses
- (Charing Cross Road) 14, 24, 29, 176; (Shaftesbury Avenue) 19, 38
Night buses
- (Charing Cross Road) 14, 24, 176 N29, N41, N279; (Shaftesbury Avenue) N5, N19, N20, N38
Phoenix Theatre Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get to the Phoenix Theatre?
The Phoenix is on Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0JP, at the Tottenham Court Road end. Charing Cross, Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road stations are all five to ten minutes' walk. The building has a second face on Flitcroft Street behind, which is where the step-free entrance is.
Is the Phoenix Theatre an accessible space?
Yes, by the Flitcroft Street entrance at the back, which leads step-free straight into the Dress Circle foyer — not the Stalls, which catches people out. From there a lift reaches the toilets and bars. Wheelchair spaces are in Box C, and transfer seating is at Dress Circle A27 and A28. Say what you need when booking so you are placed where the level route reaches.
What time should I arrive at the Phoenix Theatre?
Thirty minutes before the start. Charing Cross Road is busy and the entrance opens straight onto it, so the bag-check queue forms on the pavement. Arriving early leaves time for the five bars and the kiosks, and for a look at the auditorium, which is a good deal more elaborate than the plain exterior prepares you for.
Can I buy food and drink at the Phoenix Theatre?
Generously. Five bars are spread across the stalls, dress circle and grand circle plus two foyers, serving licensed drinks including cocktails, and snacks that run from hot dogs and pretzels to cookies, doughnuts and soft-serve sundaes. Drinks can come into the auditorium in plastic cups, and a delivered-to-seat service saves the interval queue altogether.
Can I buy merchandise and souvenirs at the Phoenix Theatre?
Yes. Programmes and merchandise for whatever is playing are sold from kiosks at every bar and along the Charing Cross Road foyer, before the show, at the interval and after the curtain falls. With a counter on each level there is no need to come downstairs for one.
Can I take photographs inside the Phoenix Theatre?
Not once the performance begins — no photographs, no filming. Before it, afterwards and during the curtain call you are welcome to. Productions here often rely on effects that depend on darkness, which is the practical reason a lit screen matters more than politeness alone.
Does the Phoenix Theatre have a cloakroom, and is there a charge?
Yes, though a limited one, for coats and small bags for the duration of the performance, at a small charge per item. Larger bags and suitcases are not accepted and space runs out, so hand things in when you arrive rather than after a drink.
Phoenix Theatre history
From the outside
With a magnificent entrance on the corner of Charing Cross Road and Flitcroft Street, the Phoenix Theatre presents an impressive rotunda with four huge columns above the canopy. Inside there’s a wonderfully ornate Italian-style scarlet and gold interior with a gorgeous reproduction of a painting by Italian master Jacopo del Sellaio, called The Triumph Of Love.
Phoenix Theatre architecture and history
Before the Phoenix arose from the ashes, there was a music hall on the current site, the Alcazar, which presented three acts at once each night. Over time it became a gambling den, then spiralled further downwards to become a peep show!
In 1930 the original premises was demolished, to be replaced by the current building, built in 1930 and designed by Giles Gilbert Scott, Bertie Crewe and Cecil Masey. First opening with Theodore Komisarjevsky as the Art Director, the venue struggled at first, showing a mixture of plays and variety shows. But it was Noel Coward’s plays that brought it to life. Noel Coward's Private Lives, with Coward himself playing a part and starring giants Gertrude Lawrence, Adrienne Allen and Laurence Olivier, premiered there and set the stage for its future success.
Noel Coward and the Phoenix Theatre went hand in hand for some time. The great man was fond of the venue and in 1936, three years after the theatre’s opening, his production of Tonight at Eight Thirty hit the big time. Over the years his plays made such an impact that the theatre named the foyer bar, which he opened himself in 1969, after him to recognise his contribution, to mark his 70th birthday.
There’s also a beautiful little quiet space, the Phoenix Garden, built behind the theatre on an old car park, open to the public.
Hauntings at the Phoenix Theatre!
The Phoenix, like many of the West End’s theatres, is apparently haunted. Various ghostly presences have been seen and felt in the theatre’s toilets, the balcony and in backstage areas and it’s thought to be the reason why the balcony is locked up during most of the theatre’s performances!
Past shows at the Phoenix Theatre
The Phoenix Theatre enjoyed a succession of hit productions over the years including John Gielgud's Love for Love, staged during World War Two, a full season of plays by Paul Scofield and Peter Brook in the ‘50s. The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer's famous book, was put on stage as a musical for the first time in 1968 and ran for more than 2000 performances. In the ‘80s and ’90s award winning shows like The Baker's Wife by Stephen Schwarz and a popular run of Shakespeare plays played The Phoenix. But musicals are the Phoenix’s theatre’s real stock in trade.
Phoenix Theatre access
There’s easy access for wheelchair users via the Flitcroft Street entrance. While there are no transfer seats available, there is a wheelchair space in Box C and two chairs in the Box.
Phoenix Theatre tickets
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