★★★☆☆
Stepping into the purpose-built Troubadour Canary Wharf for The Hunger Games: On Stage immediately sets the scene: this is not your typical theatre experience – it’s a whole event. The 1,200-seat arena-style space is designed to pull you directly into Panem, even sorting you into Districts based on your seat. Being in District 2 felt particularly alive – our entire seating block literally shifted to reconfigure the stage, making the environment feel as dynamic as the Capitol itself.
The plot stays faithful to Suzanne Collins’ hit novel and the 2012 film starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen: in a dystopian future society dubbed “Panem,” Katniss is one of 24 teenage “tributes” who must compete in a televised arena death match. This annual fight to the death serves to entertain the rich and powerful of the Capitol, and to deter the “districts” from revolting.
Technically, the show is a powerhouse, with moving platforms, towering screens, and those shifting seats blending to create a cinematic scale. The iconic “Cornucopia” bloodbath at the start of Act II (in which the tributes viciously scramble for supplies and weapons at the start of the Games) is a masterclass in stagecraft, featuring impressive stunts and intricately choreographed fights that showcase the ensemble’s athleticism. The costume design, particularly the playful silhouettes for Cinna and Effie (who both bring a campy flair to their comic relief), feels both fresh and faithful to the source material.
The cast works tirelessly to ground the spectacle. Mia Carragher brings a relentless, wiry energy to Katniss, while Euan Garrett’s Peeta is earnest, sweet, and easy to root for. Joshua Lacey’s Haymitch offers a much-needed blend of grit and wit, and Stavros Demetraki captures the oily, high-gloss charisma of Caesar Flickerman perfectly – a take comparable to Stanley Tucci’s in the film.
However, beneath the pyrotechnics and moving floors, the heart of the story occasionally skips a beat. The dialogue can feel stiff, often leaning into on-the-nose exposition that lacks the subtlety of the novels. While the physical action is breathless, the emotional connection between Katniss and Peeta doesn’t always spark, leaving some of the bigger dramatic moments feeling a bit hollow.
Then there’s the Malkovich Factor. Seeing John Malkovich as President Snow on screen rather than in the flesh is a distracting choice – it feels more like a celebrity cameo than a looming dictatorial threat.
Ultimately, this show is an ambitious, thrilling feat of engineering that franchise fans (as well as those going in blind!) will undoubtedly enjoy, but it hasn’t quite figured out how to translate the internal ache of Katniss’ world to the stage. While there are flashes of genuine theatre magic here and there, the spectacle of it all does some heavy lifting, with the stunted dialogue and wavering chemistry keeping it from reaching its full potential.
That said, long-term fans and curious newcomers alike will find enough to enjoy, and the arena staging and commitment to spectacle make it a must-see in London’s evolving theatre scene this season. Would make a fun family outing!
The Hunger Games: On Stage is currently running at Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre until October 25.
JADAR 