Interview with THE HUNGER GAMES: ON STAGE's Aiya Agustin

Set in a dystopian future where each year children from the twelve districts of Panem are reaped to fight in a brutal death match, The Hunger Games follows Katniss Everdeen as she struggles for survival in the arena while inadvertently becoming the face of a revolution.

Aiya Agustin originated and now returns to the role of Rue, a twelve-year-old tribute from District 11 with a knack for climbing, who forms an alliance and a powerful bond with Katniss during the Games. Aiya answers our questions below, sharing what she loves about Rue's character and what it's been like bringing her to life onstage.

What was it like stepping into a character that audiences will have been familiar with from the books and films? Did you deliberately try to distinguish your interpretation from the versions audiences already know?

Stepping into Rue shoes has been such a fun and rewarding experience. I’m so grateful to be looking after her for this next cast! Knowing how much she is loved and cherished by this fandom made me excited about bringing her to life on stage! Rue’s innocence, wit and caring nature were always something I wanted to bring to the stage.

How much did you revisit Suzanne Collins' novel or the films when preparing for the role?

Preparing for Rue meant diving deep into The Hunger Games lore again! I actually read The Hunger Games for the first time in a Year 8 dystopian class for English, and I’ve always loved Rue’s character! Her relationship with Katniss really stuck with me, so getting this role years later was honestly a full-circle moment! I rewatched the films and reread the first book. Rue and Katniss’ plan to blow up the supplies, where we learn Rue is the oldest of six, so she too holds that responsibility to protect in the same way Katniss does, is so admirable. Alongside that, Sunrise on the Reaping had recently come out and reading Haymitch’s relationship with Ampert immediately reminded me of Rue and Katniss. The parallels between them were truly heartbreaking.

Has your understanding of Rue changed since you first started playing her? Does it feel different coming back to a role you already know compared with starting something completely new, especially now that you’re performing with a completely new company?

The more I played Rue, the more I got to know her. My understanding of Rue has grown over the months from when I first started playing her: I wanted to portray that innocence and wit in the way my body moved and in the intonation of my voice. Being on stage as Rue made me realise her own cleverness and her agility to escape up into the trees, her kindness towards Katniss, and, in return, finding a big sister she never had in her. All of these things seem to grow, and I’m excited to see how they develop with a new company and what new interactions they will bring!

Rue and Katniss’s bond is one of the most powerful and heartbreaking relationships in the story. How did you and Elizabeth Anderson approach bringing their dynamic to life on the stage?

Elizabeth is an incredible Katniss; the way in which she is so welcoming and open in everything she does makes it so easy to feel safe and protected when I’m being Rue. We wanted to humanise our characters’ interactions, especially in such a blood-filled and horrific situation.

For people who know the books and films very well, what do you think the stage production offers that they might not expect?

I think the stage production offers a very different experience to the books and films! Being immersed in an arena setting to witness the fight scenes and drama live in person is something you can’t really prepare yourself for! People fighting upside down, on walls. The flying and the fire too!

The Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre was purpose-built for the production, with the audience surrounding the arena. How does performing in that space affect the way you approach a scene?

Performing in this theatre has felt so surreal, witnessing the seats moving to create tension from a small enclosed arena to a fully open traverse stage! Sometimes the enclosed space makes for a more intimate atmosphere, but it can equally emulate the harsh arena environment in which the tributes are being watched by the Capitol. I think the diversity the staging brings to the atmosphere is what makes performing each scene so interesting!

Just for fun - if you could play any other character in The Hunger Games, who would you want to play?

If I could play any character in The Hunger Games, honestly, Cinna for his speech to inspire and encourage Katniss before entering the games. He says, ‘Then trust me because I’m your best chance’ he’s Katniss’ first ally in the Capitol, and I think it would be fun to portray an ally from a different perspective entirely. If I had to pick a tribute role, someone like Cato or Clove, I think stepping into their shoes and seeing how the quote unquote ‘villains’ in the arena act when they too are just a pawn of the Capitol’s entertainment and control would be so interesting to explore. Also, physically, in this show, their fight scenes are incredible, and the power and stage presence it takes to play them is amazing!

Keep an eye out for our next two cast interviews. You can also check out our feature piece that answers all the questions you might have about The Hunger Games: On Stage.

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