Hunger Games On Stage

Troubadour Theatre Canary Wharf

Booking until 25th October 2026

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Photo credit: Johan Persson

Review - Final preview performance

A stage adaptation of the book and movie, the story follows Katniss Everdeen (Mia Carragher), a young girl living in the rural District 12 of a dystopian nation, Panem. After volunteering to take her sister’s place, Katniss is sent alongside Peeta Mellark (Euan Garrett) as tributes of the 74^th Hunger Games, where contestants from all twelve districts engage in a death battle, leaving a single survivor who will be crowned as the winner.

Conor McPherson’s adapted script stripped much of the political and social nuances, and instead, engages the audience with the brutality of the games. Within this enormous arena, the creatives and cast struggle to fill the space, with giant screens on either side, the stage often feels too large for what is being performed and is overwhelmed with a sense of unjustified emptiness. Though it is debatable as to whether the stage is used effectively, Miriam Buether’s set combined with Lucy Carter’s lighting create an undeniably cool and futuristic environment.

The political oppression is so intricately linked to the purpose of the games, severing this connection dampens the impact of numerous events throughout the show. For example, the riot Katniss incites following the death of Rue (Aiya Agustin) from district 11 who helped Katniss in the games and Katniss’s attempt to deny the capitol of a winner. Although these actions could be easily interrupted as simple defiance to authority, these are actually signs of revolt, undermining President Snow’s (John Malkovich) power and his authoritarian control over the districts. Without this political focus, the play lacks the ability to fully communicate the games’ purpose beyond mere entertainment for the capitol denizens.

McPherson’s attempt to tell the story through Katniss’s lens is an admirable and sensible approach to translate this complex story. Though Katniss details her confusion, panic and helplessness, the government oppression and socioeconomic differences between those who live in the capitol and the districts are rarely touched upon. However, the latter is somewhat compensated by the capitol residents’ lavish fashion designed by Moi Tran.

Beyond the script, the play is also littered with direction issues. Under Matthew Dunster’s direction, there is palpable stiffness in the actors’ performance across the board. In my opinion, the delivery struggles to convey the weight of the dialogue and the story, whether it is Peeta’s affection towards Katniss, Rue’s innocence or the Career tributes’ pride and superiority. Granted that running away is key to Katniss’s survival, she does indeed spends a lot of time running in circles, which unfortunately adds little to the overall delivery of the story.  

The creatives’ decision to remove President Snow’s physical presence from the show and display him through pre-recordings is perhaps an attempt to create a character that is out of our reach. While this is a tried and tested approach, there is significant delivery issues and Malkovich’s performance is perhaps the most disappointing and wooden of all. Even when he witnessed Katniss’s actions, he barely showed any signs of dissatisfaction or a sense of urgency in his speeches.

Of note, the initial slaughter of contestants by the Career tributes ought to have been some of the tensest moments of the show. Instead, the audience bear witness to a choreographed dance fight scene by Charlotte Broom. While it manages to convey the brutality of the event, it does little beyond this. In fact, I was not convinced that the actors were completely clear on what they should be doing either. During a few moments of this fight, I caught a number of actors standing and just looked around and waving the weapon in their hands aimlessly as if they had forgotten what the next the steps are. Funnily, a few of the contestants rejoins the dance after getting killed, and so the number of contestants barely reduced during that scene. It would have been more apt to see a gradual reduction in the number of dancers and a growing pile of bodies instead.

Playing in a brand-new custom-made theatre, the Hunger Games On Stage promises to deliver grandeur and spectacle. However, the end product is bitterly disappointing. Rather than leaving the audience hungry for more, it is starving the audience of any sense of tension and excitement.

Creatives

Author: Suzanne Collins

Adapter: Conor McPherson

Director: Matthew Dunster

Set Designer: Miriam Buether

Costume Designer: Moi Tran

Choreographer: Charlotte Broom

Lighting Designer: Lucy Carter

Sound Designer: Ian Dickinson

Video Designer: Tal Rosner

Illusions: Chris Fisher

Fight Director: Kev McCurdy

Producers: Tristan Baker, Oliver Royds, Charlie Parsons, Runaway Entertainment, Bos Productions, Isobel David, Timothy Laczynski, Umeda Arts Theatre