The Hunger Games: On Stage Review
JULY 15TH, 2026
When I first heard that there were plans to create a theatre version of ‘The Hunger Games’ (Suzanne Collins), I couldn’t believe it! I know that classic novels like Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera had been successfully recreated … I’ve even worked on a musical of Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 1927) – but The Hunger Games.
How could they possibly create the trials? The Capitol? Would Katniss use a bow and arrow?
Walking into the auditorium is like stepping into Panem. There’s a tension in the air. A feeling of anticipation and a little bit of dread. I’d made sure not to read anything about the show before going to see it. The audience settled. The lights went down, and the show started.
From the first second, The Hunger Games pulls you in and refuses to let go. The design is bold. The actors are brave. The staging is dazzling, just like Katniss Everdeen, and I’m happy to report:
It’s everything fans of the book could hope for.
On the night I went, Kiera Milward (1st understudy) played Katniss. Her performance was fierce, bringing Katniss to life in front of our eyes. I wanted to grab a weapon and join the fight. The entire cast was a fantastic ensemble. They lived and breathed Panem. John Malkovich was the perfect President Snow. Euan Garrett the faithful Peeta Mellark and Tristan Waterson the romantic Gale Hawthorne. Other shout-outs to Stavros Demetraki as Caesar Flickerman and Tamsin Carroll as Effie Trinket. Every glance, step and sprint through the arena feels authentic.
Even the stage is unique. The Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre has been built to create the world of The Hunger Games. It’s in the round and is huge but intimate at the same time. One moment you’re in the quiet woods of District 12, the next you’re surrounded by the glitzy chaos of the Capitol.
The set is minimal; scaffolding becomes a tree on fire (yes, real fire). The cast carries props and flats of scenery into the arena to create environments like Katniss's home. Projections enhance the drama; a memorable scene is the Tracker-jacker attack. The cornucopia rises from a central trapdoor to overshadow the final climactic scene with the mutations.
Everything is carefully choreographed to keep the story flowing with no obvious gaps. Graphics scroll across the set and appear on screens. The costumes are 100% authentic, even the dress that Katniss wears when she becomes ‘the girl on fire’.
I loved the action scenes. Actors run, climb and fight around the audience. It’s not just watching, it’s immersive – you are part of the story. Even the quieter moments fill the arena with emotion and tension that capture your heart.
I was curious to see if the creators of this show could actually bring The Hunger Games to the theatre. It’s such a beloved story. An iconic dystopian world. A classic all-time heroine. But I wasn’t disappointed - this show goes all in and creates an experience you can’t stop thinking about. I even bought a souvenir brochure and T-shirt!
If you’re a die-hard Hunger Games fan or new to the story, it’s impossible not to get caught up in this adventure. The whole experience was fun, exciting, and at times heart-wrenching. The Hunger Games is the kind of theatre that leaves you buzzing long after the lights go down.
The odds are definitely in your favour.
- Jane
Fiction Rebellion Heroine