Development
A stage adaptation of The Hunger Games was first announced in 2014 by Lionsgate Films, the studio behind the film adaptation. At the time, the play was expected to open in 2016 at a purpose-built theatre next to Wembley Stadium, with Robin de Levita serving as one of its producers. [2] However, this play did not materialise. [3] In 2018, producer Tristan Baker had a meeting with Lionsgate about a different project, and began developing the adaptation after a suggestion from a studio executive. [4] Baker had worked with McPherson on Girl from the North Country , a musical based on the works of Bob Dylan, and thought he would be interested in adapting The Hunger Games. Coincidentally, McPherson's daughter was reading the novel at the time. [4] Baker asked Matthew Dunster to direct, whose children were also reading the novel at the time; Baker and Dunster had previously collaborated on a production of 2:22 A Ghost Story . [4]
McPherson and Dunster's involvement was announced in October 2023, with the show scheduled for a premiere in London in the second half of 2024. At the same time, members of the creative team were announced, including Miriam Buether as stage designer and Charlotte Broom as choreographer. [5] McPherson received permission from Collins to incorporate details from later novels in the series, including prequel Sunrise on the Reaping (2025). [4] Collins also had conversations with McPherson about the motivations of various characters and the philosophical bases of the story, including Thomas Hobbes and David Hume. [3] In addition, some scenes are new to the play and some of the original novel's unnamed characters are given names. [4] The production's premiere was later delayed to the following year, with the venue announced as the purpose-built Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre. [6]
London production
Previews for the London production began on 20 October 2025, with opening night on 12 November, [7] and a run extended through to 18 November 2026. [8]
Staging
Due to the rigging system and stage lifts needed for the production, the play's creative team explained that it was easier to create their own venue than use an existing West End theatre. [4] Plans for the theatre first started in 2020, but were interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic; construction on the site began in early 2025 and took place over eight months. [9] [10] The Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre is a theatre-in-the-round that has a capacity of 1,200, covers 2,250 m2 (24,200 sq ft), and reportedly cost £26 million to build. [11] It was constructed on reclaimed land and made use of six cranes to piece together 42,000 pieces of steel. [12] It contains London's largest hydraulic stage and its ceiling contains a lattice of metal rods capable of supporting up to four tonnes. [11] Audience seats—some of which move during the show—are located in specific districts, with the stage being District 12. [4] There are no wings, which means that most of the cast members and sets appear from above or under the stage. [9] In addition, the production incorporates scenes that make use of pyrotechnics. [11] [13] After the production closes, 95% of the theatre can be packed up into 150 lorries and moved to another location. [11]
Casting
I very quickly got the idea that if the young people that play the tributes were also pretty much playing everyone else, then you would fall in love with them as performers. Then the horror that is visited upon them would be even more devastating.
A workshop was held with an ensemble cast in 2022, while the lead roles were cast in early 2025. A pool of around 200 dancers was narrowed down to 50 for fighting workshops, which eventually became 10 possible actors. [4] Collins and Lionsgate were involved in the final decisions for casting. [4] In July 2025, it was announced that Mia Carragher would play the lead role of Katniss Everdeen. [14] The rest of the cast was announced the following month, including Euan Garrett as Peeta Mellark, Joshua Lacey as Haymitch Abernathy, Tristan Waterson as Gale Hawthorne, Tamsin Carroll as Effie Trinket, and Stavros Demetraki as Caesar Flickerman. [15] With the exception of Carragher and Garrett, all cast members play multiple roles. [4] Carragher underwent vocal coaching and archery training to prepare for the role. [13] Workshops were held starting in August 2025 at the Sadler's Wells before the Troubadour was ready. [13] In October 2025, it was announced that John Malkovich would portray Coriolanus Snow for the production in a pre-recorded on-screen appearance. [1] Malkovich's scenes were filmed in one session, with the other cast members present for the shooting. [4]
Critical reception
The London production received mixed reviews from critics. [16] Arifa Akbar of The Guardian praised the costumes and staging but says "the emotion gets lost amid the action". [17] Sarah Hemming of Financial Times also felt there was a lack of emotion, calling the show "a curiously empty spectacle". [18] Katherine Cowles of The Observer complimented the "technically impressive production" but felt it prioritised "experience over heartfelt drama or storytelling". [19] Writing for The Independent , Alice Saville shared this sentiment and felt underwhelmed by the production's staging. [20] Claire Allfree of The Telegraph was more critical, calling it a "depressingly bad adaptation", feeling that the "unexciting production fails to reimagine and revitalise its source material". [21] Clive Davis of The Times was also disappointed, and criticised its slow pacing, calling it "oddly underpowered". [22] Fiona Mountford of The i Paper was similarly critical, calling it "an underwhelming trudge". [23] Andrzej Lukowski of Time Out called the production "solid", but felt that having Katniss be both the protagonist and narrator hindered the pacing. [24]
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