By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: **

WHEN?: Friday 2 October 2026, booking through 17 October 2027

It must have all looked so promising on paper.

• Read on for reasons including how we’re in the front row but couldn’t feel further from this uninvolving spectacle lacking in emotion

The Hunger Games is a series of young adult dystopian novels by American author Suzanne Collins that have sold more than 100 million copies.

Jennifer Lawrence starred in the films – the 21st highest-grossing film franchise of all time – with the next The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping in which Lawrence is rumoured to return out in the UK 20 November.

But this theatrical version opened last year to middling reviews and so – with ticket prices reducing – we decided to check out The Hunger Games: On Stage to see whether it’s regained an appetite or is still running on empty.

We were immediately impressed on arrival to the purpose-built 1,200-seater £26m Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre which offers plenty of room, merchandise, bars and even costumes from the film to keep fans of the franchise happy before curtain up.

The arena-style seating places audiences in different ‘districts’ in keeping with the Hunger Games world where representatives of different parts of Panem compete to the death on TV until only 1 survivor remains as part of their subjugation following a failed rebellion.

The good news is that Hunger Games: On Stage concentrates on the series’ 1st novel focusing on the story of Katniss Everdeen, played by Lawrence in the films.

It’s adapted by Conor McPherson (The Weir, Harold Pinter Theatre) and directed by Matthew Dunster (Red Speedo, Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond) who’ve great work on their CVs although we suspect they won’t much be featuring this misfire their much.

We love the venue which creates a gladiatorial arena suited to the franchise’s dramatic aerial sequences, athleticism and bold visuals.

But in so doing it neglects the need for theatre to feel immersive, for us to see the expressions on the faces of beloved characters as the familiar story unfolds.

We’re in the front row but we couldn’t feel further away from this uninvolving spectacle lacking in emotion.

The great John Malkovich even phones it in appearing on a screen as the villainous Snow underlining perhaps that this is 1 arena best avoided if you want to keep your Hunger Games appetite.

• Main pictures by via Facebook courtesy Troubadour Theatre Tickets
• Have you seen a Hunger Games show or film before and what did you think of it? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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