The long-awaited stage adaptation of Suzanne Collins' dystopian novel The Hunger Games has opened in London to decidedly mixed reviews from the nation's top theatre critics. The production, housed in a purpose-built theatre at Canary Wharf, will run until October 2026, giving audiences plenty of time to judge the spectacle for themselves.
A Spectacle of Staging and Athletic Performance
Critics universally praised the production's visual elements and physical performances. Mia Carragher, daughter of former footballer Jamie Carragher, earns commendation for her "indefatigable" performance as protagonist Katniss Everdeen, despite the challenges of McPherson's "bewilderingly clunky script."
The staging itself represents a significant technical achievement. Miriam Buether's fast-changing set design and Charlotte Broom's energetic choreography create an immersive environment. Eight vertiginous banks of seating - some mechanically movable - transform the space from runway to killing field, while set pieces rise from beneath the arena-like stage and props descend from above.
Technical elements received particular acclaim, with Ian Dickinson's sound design bringing audiences closer to the action through atmospheric effects like the flutter of birds' wings. Kev McCurdy's fight direction orchestrates "gasp-worthy duels," and Chris Fisher's illusions make arrow shots convincingly hit their targets.
Narrative Shortcomings and Moral Questions
Despite the visual spectacle, several critics identified significant flaws in the storytelling. The first half "lacks tension" according to the Guardian's Arifa Akbar, failing to generate the necessary dread as characters prepare for the deadly gameshow.
Claire Allfree of the Telegraph raised more serious concerns, suggesting the production "fails to critique the queasy subject matter" and doesn't adequately establish audience complicity in watching children kill each other for entertainment. She described this as "almost a moral problem" given the story's premise.
The casting of a pre-recorded John Malkovich as President Snow also drew criticism, with Time Out's Andrzej Lukowski finding it "somewhat disorientating" and noting that scenes where Malkovich interacts with live performers "feel a bit of an odd thing to be watching."
A Dystopian Setting in Modern Dystopia
The production's location in Canary Wharf provides an ironic backdrop, with Patrick Marmion of the Daily Mail noting the "chrome-and-glass dystopia of Canary Wharf in east London" surrounding a theatre where "most of the money looks like it's been blown on creating a hi-tech colosseum."
Playwright Conor McPherson and director Matthew Dunster have set the dystopian tale in "a drab, delicately evoked version of Depression-era America," according to Alice Saville of the Independent. The inhabitants of District 12 are portrayed as "powerless and adrift" through Charlotte Broom's "evocative movement sequences."
While the production delivers spectacular visuals and committed performances from its athletic cast, many critics concluded that Dunster and McPherson's production fails to reimagine and revitalise its source material, leaving audiences with a visually stunning but narratively unsatisfying adaptation.
