'Stranger Things' star Linnea Berthelsen lands powerful new role on London stage

Solo production inspired by historic industrial tragedy will tour England after London opening

Linnea Berthelsen is preparing to take on a completely new challenge in her career, with the Stranger Things actress set to make her U.K. stage debut in Darkling, a powerful solo production that will premiere at London's Bush Theatre before embarking on a nationwide tour. 

Berthelsen is widely recognised by global audiences for portraying Kali Prasad, also known as 008, in the second season of Netflix's hit science fiction series Stranger Things. While her television work introduced her to millions of viewers around the world, her latest project marks a significant milestone as she steps onto a British stage for the first time.

Presented by Actors Touring Company and co produced with Bush Theatre, Darkling has been written by playwright Titas Halder and directed by Olivier Award winning artistic director Matthew Xia. The production has been described as an epic story centred on a life devastated by ecological disaster, combining deeply personal storytelling with broader social and environmental themes.

The play draws inspiration from the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster in India, one of the world's deadliest industrial catastrophes. Through a single character's experiences, the production explores memory, trauma and loss while examining the lasting human consequences of environmental negligence and corporate malpractice. According to the official description, the story also highlights the unequal impact industrialisation has had on poorer nations while raising questions about accountability and justice.

Speaking about joining the production, Berthelsen said collaborating with Xia had been a long held ambition. She also praised Halder's writing, describing the script as nuanced, deeply human and full of life. The actress said she immediately recognised the opportunity as something special after becoming familiar with Halder's earlier work, Foal, and expressed excitement about working alongside the creative team.

Director Matthew Xia also welcomed Berthelsen's casting, saying it was a privilege to work with an actor capable of bringing both emotional intensity and intimacy to the demanding solo role. He praised Halder's script as poetic and expansive while noting that Darkling reflects Actors Touring Company's commitment to producing globally relevant contemporary theatre that encourages audiences to engage with important international issues.

Halder echoed those sentiments, saying he never imagined the play would eventually be realised by such an accomplished creative team. He described Berthelsen as a mesmeric performer and expressed confidence that she would bring profound emotional depth to a work that follows one family's experience across an entire lifetime.

Darkling will officially open at Bush Theatre on September 5 before travelling to Birmingham Rep, The North Wall Arts Centre in Oxford and HOME Manchester. The production is scheduled to tour until November 14, giving audiences across England the opportunity to experience the play.

The production has been supported by Arts Council England alongside Cockayne Grants for the Arts, Royal Victoria Hall Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, John Ellerman Foundation and the Wates Foundation, reflecting broad institutional backing for its themes and artistic ambitions.