Harry Potter and the Cursed Child or The Hunger Games: On Stage - Which Book-to-Stage Adaptation Should You Watch?

Shehrazade Zafar-Arif 29 May, 2026, 16:52

Harry Potter and The Hunger Games are two of the biggest franchises in the world, both based on beloved book series that spawned film adaptations before making their way to the stage. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child premiered in the West End in 2016, with The Hunger Games: On Stage arriving in London in 2025. Both have drawn high ticket sales and acclaim from critics and fans alike. But which of these two iconic book-to-stage adaptations should you watch?

harry potter or hunger games Take a trip to Panem or journey to Hogwarts? Photos provided by productions.

Summary

Fans of the Harry Potter books will delight in seeing the magic of the wizarding world onstage through special effects and stagecraft.
Lovers of The Hunger Games will be thrilled to experience the extravagent world of Panem through spectacle and breath-taking sets.
If you prefer whimsical fantasy, watch The Cursed Child, and if you'd prefer something darker, opt for The Hunger Games.

What is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child about?

An original sequel to the best-selling Harry Potter books by J K Rowling, The Cursed Child takes place nineteen years after the end of the series and the defeat of Voldemort. Harry’s youngest son, Albus, has just begun his first year at Hogwarts and is desperate to step outside his famous father’s shadow. Sorted into Slytherin, he befriends Scorpius Malfoy, the son of his father’s old rival, and the two embark on a deadly journey through time in a quest to right a wrong that was committed years before they were born.

Where is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child performed?

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is performed at the Palace Theatre, which can be found at 109-113 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 5AY. Leicester Square (Northern & Piccadilly lines) and Tottenham Court Road (Central & Northern lines) are the nearest Tube stations.

Why do people love Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?

The play captures the same whimsical, fantastical tone of the books we all grew up loving, filled with spell-casting and magical creatures. It's a thrilling opportunity to revisit locations like Hogwarts, and to see beloved characters like Harry, Ron, and Hermione once more - this time in a brand new light, as adults with children of their own. The production also uses dazzling special effects and illusions to create the impression of flight, spells, and apparation and disappartion, and bring the wonder and spectacle of the wizarding world to life, making it feel as though you've stepped right into the pages of a Harry Potter book. For those who've missed the thrill of opening a new chapter in Harry's adventures since the series ended, it's a joyful chance to revisit the world and watch the story continue.

Katniss or Harry: who's your favourite hero? Photos provided by productions.

What is The Hunger Games: On Stage about?

Based on the first book of the young adult book series of the same name by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games is set in a dystopian future version of America called Panem, which is divided into twelve districts ruled by the oppressive Capitol. Every year, two children are reaped from each of the districts and forced to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. When Katniss Everdeen’s little sister is reaped, she volunteers to take her place. In the midst of fighting for her survival in the deadly arena while hundreds of citizens across Panem watch, she finds herself unwittingly becoming the face of a rebellion.

Where is The Hunger Games: On Stage performed?

The Hunger Games: On Stage is performed at the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre, on Water Street, E14 5GX. The nearest Tube station is Canary Wharf, which is on the Jubilee line. Fun fact: The venue is purpose-built and was designed specifically for this production.

Why do people love The Hunger Games: On Stage?

For fans of the books, it's a thrilling opportunity to see your favourite characters like Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch come to life, in an often different way to how they were portrayed in the books. The production's sense of spectacle and theatricality also brings the colourful, eccentric world of Panem to life in vivid detail, with lush sets and extravagent costumes. The venue's arena-like design immerses you into the action, making you feel like a spectator in the real-life Hunger Games - with fun details like the seating layout being arranged according to the districts. Jaw-dropping special effects allow you to see iconic scenes like Katniss and Peeta's flaming chariot ride up close and personal, and the games themselves take place with heart-stopping choreography that includes aerial stunts and fight sequences.

Get reaped for the Games or go on an adventure with the Golden Trio? Photos provided by productions

What are the key differences between Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and The Hunger Games: On Stage?

The main difference, of course, is that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a sequel to the Harry Potter series, set nineteen years after the seventh book, and an original story penned by J K Rowling herself alongside Jack Thorne and John Tiffany. The Hunger Games: On Stage, meanwhile, is an adaptation of the first book in The Hunger Games saga, adapted for the stage by Conor McPherson, with some input from Suzanne Collins.

Although they’re both based on popular book series, they belong to vastly different genres: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is fantasy, with a strong focus on magic and the supernatural, while The Hunger Games belongs to the dystopian genre, set in a futuristic but vaguely realistic version of America. The storytelling differs tonally as well - The Cursed Child is lighter and more whimsical, with strong humourous elements, while The Hunger Games is darker and overall more serious in tone, with themes of death and violence.

While both productions use stage magic and special effects to create a sense of spectacle and transport audiences into the colourful, breath-taking worlds they're set in, The Hunger Games is slightly more immersive. The theatre is built in-the-round to create the impression of being in an arena, and the characters sometimes address the audience.

Which one should you go see?

If you have a preference for which franchise you prefer, the answer is easy. But what do you do if you're a fan of both and have a limited budget or time in the city?

If you're a hard-core fan of fantasy, and love the idea of seeing how stagecraft can bring to life things like magic spells and Dementors and Quidditch, or if you're in the mood for something light-hearted and whimsical, opt for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. If you'd prefer something more grounded and serious, with a social commentary on themes of oppression and resistance, but you're still excited by the prospect of high-energy action sequences and a sense of spectacle, go for The Hunger Games: On Stage.

For these reasons, The Cursed Child might be a better fit for families with young children, as it has some frightening sequences, but less of the mature themes and violence that you'd find in The Hunger Games.

We hope that's made your decision easier! Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is playing until 27 June 2027, while The Hunger Games: On Stage is booking until 14 February 2027. Take advantage of our Summer Theatre Sale for special discounts on tickets and check out what other great shows you can watch this summer.