Keep an eye out for flickering lights, distorted walls and strange creeping tendrils. The portal into 1985 Hawkins at Troubadour Brent Cross Studios in London closes very soon, on January 8, and time is running out to get tickets for the immersive adventure. Stranger Things: The Experience invites fans of the show to pull up their retro sports socks, steel their nerves and step through the screen to become part of the supernatural story. You’ll encounter fan-favourite characters, explore iconic sets, uncover hidden secrets and even tuck into some totally tubular themed food and drink.
First things first, don’t hold back with your attire. You can dress for the old-school occasion with fitting ‘80s-style outfits: take your cues from Dustin’s trucker cap and Eleven’s paint-splatter shirt – paired with suspenders and a scrunchie of course – or step it up a notch with a Hawaiian shirt and moustache a la Hopper. You’ll thank yourself for it, because a host of brilliantly immersive photo ops await inside.
Be warned before you enter, while this quaint Midwestern town might seem inconspicuous enough at first glance, it hides some dark secrets of the mind-flaying, lab-coat-wearing variety. You can follow in the bicycle tire tracks of El and the gang by paying a visit to Hawkins lab, where there’s been whispers of some unearthly happenings. Once inside, look out for any interdimensional entities that might be roaming the halls and be prepared to partake in the occasional test, analysis or even the odd psych evaluation. It’s all safe though of course, perfectly safe…
Saving the world from evil can be hungry work. Luckily, tasty themed food is at hand to fuel your immersive journey and you’ll have unlimited time to spend among the neon-bathed delights of the Mix-Tape Area. Cool off with a creamy treat from Scoops Ahoy or swing by the Stranger-Things-inspired bar for delicious concoctions before exploring the medley of iconic locations you’ll no doubt recognise from the show.
It wouldn’t be Stranger Things without its pint-sized protagonists and unlikely heroes. You’ll be happy to hear they haven’t slacked on their world-saving duties either, they’ll be at hand to guide you through the narrative and shine a torch light on any puzzling conundrums. This is an unmissable chance to be immersed in the spellbinding universe of the sci-fi-meets-horror Netflix hit, make sure you’re part of the story by grabbing tickets now.