Everything You Need to Know About THE HUNGER GAMES: ON STAGE

What is The Hunger Games about?

Suzanne Collins’ best-selling young adult book series is set in a dystopian future where each year children from the twelve districts of Panem are reaped to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal fight to the death watched by hundreds of bloodthirsty citizens in the Capitol. When Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her sister’s place in the Games, she’s forced to fight for her survival while inadvertently becoming the face of the rebellion.

The original trilogy was published in the mid-2000s, with two prequel standalone novels following in 2020 and 2025, one chronicling the rise of the villainous President Snow and the other following Katniss’s mentor Haymitch Abernathy. The books have also been adapted into a film franchise produced by Lionsgate. The Hunger Games: On Stage, playing at the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre, is the first stage adaptation, written by Conor McPherson in collaboration with Suzanne Collins herself, and directed by Matthew Dunster.

Is the play faithful to the books?

Like the Lionsgate films, and any other book adaptation, the stage play inevitably cuts out a number of plot points and characters from the books in the name of condensing the story into a runtime of two and a half hours.

But it also incorporates some new scenes and elements, making the most of the fact that we’re not confined to Katniss’s point of view throughout, as we are in the books. This becomes particularly thrilling in the second act, during the Games themselves, where we’re able to observe what the other tributes are doing, see the Gamemakers manipulating the arena, and hear Caesar Flickerman’s commentary and the reactions of spectators to what's happening in the arena.

Theatre is a very different medium to film, and McPherson and Dunster lean heavily into a sense of theatricality and spectacle, with big crowd scenes, dance performances, and musical numbers. These feel a little cheesy in some places, but the sense of high camp also feels very apt for the eccentric, outlandish aesthetics of the Capitol. Performance is an important theme in the books, and music plays a significant role, so these creative choices flesh out the worldbuilding of The Hunger Games in a way that feels unique to theatre, even if it takes some liberties with the original source material.

The play also throws in some nods to later books in the series - we get a mention of Reaping Day being Haymitch’s birthday, which was revealed in the prequel novel Sunrise on the Reaping, and a haunting rendition of 'The Hanging Tree' which is sure to send chills down your spine.

What does the seating plan mean?

One of the things that got audiences particularly excited was the revelation that the seats in the auditorium would be arranged according to the districts of Panem. It’s a fun element, but what does it mean for you when you’re picking your seat?

The Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre features an in-the-round, arena-style design, which means you’ll have a good view no matter where you sit. But be aware that the stage is rather long, with action often happening on all sides, so if you’re focused on one end, you may miss what’s happening on the other. For that reason, seats in Districts 1 and 2 (fittingly the wealthiest districts in Panem) have the best and closest view, and move around as well when the stage changes, while the higher-up seats in District 1 offer sweeping panoramic views.

It’s also a fun idea to make a note of what district you’re sitting in so you can cheer along when it’s mentioned in the play. A red spotlight flashes over your seat when a tribute from your district dies, adding to the sense of being a spectator to the real-life Hunger Games.

Mia Carragher and Euan Garrett in The Hunger Games: On Stage. Photo by Johan Persson.

Is the show immersive?

The Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre is a purpose-built venue designed specifically to host The Hunger Games: On Stage, and the jaw-dropping, detailed set designs and state-of-the-art stage effects make it feel as if you’ve been thrust into the centre of the action throughout. Aerial stunts frequently happen overhead, as tributes leap around on ziplines and Katniss and Peeta’s flaming chariot soars over the stage. President Snow, played by John Malkovich, cuts a menacing figure appearing larger-than-life on a massive screen and looming over the other characters, reminding us that Panem is very much a surveillance state.

The storytelling leans into this immersive, interactive element, with commentator Caesar Flickerman engaging directly with the audience and teleprompters urging us to laugh and cheer along while he interviews the tributes. All this together adds to the sense of being part of the story, as if you’re a Capitol citizen with front-row seats to the Hunger Games. It plays cleverly into the books’ themes of prettying up bloodshed with the veneer of spectacle, and how easily the Capitol is able to repackage a brutal fight to the death between children as sheer entertainment value.

Will fans of the books enjoy The Hunger Games: On Stage?

For book fans, there’s a definite thrill in experiencing this beloved story play out through the medium of live performance, in seeing the colourful, vivid, and terrifying world of Panem up close, and all your favourite characters in a brand new light. Joshua Lacey and Tamsin Carroll as Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket, in particular, feel as though they’ve jumped right off the pages. Mia Carragher and Euan Garrett, meanwhile, fall slightly short of capturing the depth and intricacies of Katniss and Peeta’s characters and their unique love story, especially when compared to Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson's performances in the films.

If you’re a book purist, you may walk away a little disappointed. The play is heavily action-driven, focused on spectacle and visual elements, so that some of the emotional depth and critical nuances of Collins’ storytelling sometimes get left to the wayside, including the quieter moments of character development and the clever social commentary.

But if you take it for what it is, the play is a solid piece of entertainment that stays true to the spirit of the books if not their tone.

What do critics think?

Critical reception to The Hunger Games: On Stage has been largely mixed. While the majority of theatre critics praised the cast’s performances and particularly their physicality during action sequences, many felt that it often sacrificed storytelling in favour of entertainment, and failed to do anything vastly different or more interesting than the film adaptations. You can read our full round-up of all the major reviews here.

Will the rest of the books be adapted for the stage?

The Hunger Games: On Stage only covers the events of the first book in the original trilogy, so will we ever see stage versions of Catching Fire and Mockingjay, or either of the prequels, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Sunrise on the Reaping? Nothing’s been confirmed yet, but The Hunger Games remains a hugely influential pop culture phenomenon even almost two decades after it was first published, with a film adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping coming this autumn and more books possibly in the works. That means there’s a strong appetite for more Hunger Games content, and with the success and popularity of The Hunger Games: On Stage, we wouldn’t be surprised if there’s more on the horizon.

Should you watch The Hunger Games: On Stage?

If you loved the books and films, it's definitely worth checking out the stage play, as long as you go into it knowing not to expect a beat-by-beat retelling of the original story. Even if you haven't read the books or seen the films, you're sure to enjoy the immersive set design, stunning costumes, and thrilling action sequences.

On the look-out for more shows to watch this year? Check out our list of the 8 Best New London Theatre Openings in May.

The Hunger Games Tickets