The Hunger Games: On Stage is now running at Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre, and in a state of the art venue created for the production.
This is the first theatre adaptation of the first of the three Suzanne Collins' novels and the first of the film trilogy that followed.
And while I realised The Hunger Games was never going to be a bundle of laughs or a carefree evening in the theatre, I did discover a startling and fast-moving piece of theatre that uses advanced theatrical technology to very great effect.
Think gladiators/cum Greek tragedy and Shakespear in a future 'Big Brother' world of the haves and have nots.
(Images Johan Persson)
Panem comprises 12 'dust-bowl' poor districts under the oppressive control of The Capitol and its leader, President Coriolanus Snow.
Each year one boy and one girl from each of the districts are selected by lottery to compete in the televised Hunger Games.
This sees the chosen youngsters forced to fight to the death in an enclosed arena for a the thrill seeking gore of a television audience.
The eventual winner gets food, supplies and riches for themselves and their district.
A real theatrical feat
Staging The Hunger Games without enlisting the readers imagination or cinematic CG must have risked disappointing fans of these genres or confusing those, like me, who were coming to it afresh.
Happily, it does neither.
That said, if you are bot acquainted with the plot I have attached the Wikipedia synopsis (below), and it really helps..
The Hunger Games: On Stage makes for gripping theatre, achieved as much by the dramatic, athletic efforts of an excellent cast as by the state-of-the-art effects.
One has to mention Mia Carragher, who excels as Katniss Everdeen, the story's lynch-pin, and Stavros Demetraki as Caesar Flickerman, the Hunger Games MC, who is just this side of being deranged and all the more disturbing for it.
And John Malkovich as President Snow, who is only seen on screen, fits seamlessly into proceedings.
The Hunger Games: On Stage is not going to appeal to everyone but, those who are intrigued will be rewarded by something that is not your usual theatrical fare.
https://thehungergamesonstage.com
Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre
Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre, a 1,200 seat, in-the-round venue in London's financial district, was purpose built to host the world premiere of the The Hunger Games : On Stage.
https://www.troubadourtheatres.com/canary-wharf-theatre
Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
The sister Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre is currently staging Starlight Express :
https://www.allwaystraveller.com/ashleys-post
https://www.troubadourtheatres.com/wembley-park-theatre
Troubadour Greenwich Peninsula Theatre
The Troubadour Greenwich Peninsula Theatre will open in 2026.
https://www.troubadourtheatres.com/greenwich-peninsula-theatre
The Hunger Games plot
Panem is a dystopian nation divided into twelve districts ruled by the Capitol.
As punishment for a failed rebellion 74 years earlier, each district must annually select two tributes, a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18, to fight to the death in the Hunger Games until only one survivor remains.
The event is televised nationwide.
Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12 with her younger sister Primrose.
When Primrose is selected for the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her place.
She and her fellow district tribute, Peeta Mellark, are escorted to the Capitol, accompanied by mentor Haymitch Abernathy, the only living victor from their district.
Haymitch stresses the importance of gaining sponsors, as they can provide resources during the Games.
During a televised interview, Peeta confesses he loves Katniss, which she initially sees as an attempt to attract sponsors; she later learns his feelings are genuine.
When the Games start, half of the tributes are killed in the initial brawl for supplies around a central structure called the Cornucopia.
Katniss flees into the forest, being hunted by the career tributes, who are volunteers from the wealthier Districts 1 and 2 who trained for years for the Games.
They track her down and she climbs a tree in desperation. Peeta, seemingly allied with the Careers, suggests they wait her out.
Hiding in the next tree, Rue, the District 11 girl, attracts Katniss's attention to a nest of poisonous tracker jackers, which are genetically-modified wasps and she cuts a branch, dropping the nest on the sleeping Careers.
Glimmer, one of the Careers, is killed, but the others escape.
Katniss retrieves Glimmer's bow and arrows but is disoriented from tracker-jacker venom. Peeta returns, urging her to flee before escaping from the Careers.
Later, Rue finds Katniss, helps her recover, and they become friends. Rue distracts the Careers while Katniss destroys a supplies stockpile with mines.
Marvel finds and kills Rue before Katniss shoots him.
Panem president Coriolanus Snow is greatly displeased with how things are turning out, as the Games are designed to dissipate dissent, not focus it, and warns Seneca Crane, who runs the Games, to "be careful".
Haymitch persuades Crane to allow two victors if they are from the same district, suggesting it would appease the audience.
Katniss finds Peeta severely wounded and takes him to a cave.
When it is announced that what each survivor needs most will be provided at the Cornucopia, Katniss leaves to get medicine for him, despite his protests.
She is ambushed and pinned by Clove, who gloats about Rue's death.
Before Clove can kill her, Thresh, District 11's male tribute, appears and kills Clove. He spares Katniss once for what she did for Rue.
The medicine heals Peeta overnight.
While hunting, Katniss hears a cannon blast signaling a death. She rushes to Peeta, who unknowingly collected deadly nightlock berries.
They find the District 5 girl dead from eating the berries after secretly watching Peeta.
With only four tributes remaining, Crane unleashes genetically-engineered dog-like Mutts, which kill Thresh.
Katniss, Peeta, and Cato, the last survivors, flee to the roof of the Cornucopia.
Cato holds Peeta hostage until Katniss shoots his hand, enabling Peeta to push Cato down among the Mutts.
Suddenly, Crane revokes the two-victor rule change.
Peeta urges Katniss to shoot him, but Katniss suggests they eat nightlock berries instead and deprive the Capitol of a winner.
Just before they do, Hunger Games announcer Claudius Templesmith declares them co-victors.
Although both of them receive a hero's welcome as a couple, Katniss is warned by Haymitch that the Capitol may take action against her for her defiance.
Along the way back to District 12, Peeta is heartbroken to learn that Katniss's actions were part of a calculated ploy to gain sympathy.
Katniss, however, is unsure of her own feelings and her future.
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