Now entering its second year, this adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ phenomenal hit has the feel of a tourist attraction. The show has its own purpose-built venue, with plenty of merchandise and costumes on display. It might lack charm, but it is impressive; even some of the seats move (although I’m not sure what that adds). If you like your shows spectacular, then an in-the-round arena is a good place to start.
The setting and grandeur make sense for the story. This teen drama sees youngsters fighting to the death, their sacrifice serving as a form of political control as well as entertainment. The story, and its adaptation by none other than Conor McPherson, has a cynical edge with broad appeal. The villain, President Snow, is a good baddie. I’m just not sure videos of John Malkovich are worth sacrificing a live performance for.
The audience, who seem to have travelled from all over the world, clearly know what is coming, being stalwart fans of the franchise. Our brave heroine, Katniss, has romance to contend with, as well as fellow competitors trying to kill her. And that dastardly President Snow has it in for her, too. There is a nice line in presenting The Hunger Games as a twisted reality TV show, which provides some food for thought.
People do want to see on stage what they have already read and seen in the cinema. There is little point in asking McPherson for a more radical adaptation: his edits are good and the exposition is swift, all capably handled by director Matthew Dunster, with plenty of special effects. The music and choreography are highlights. This would have been exciting to explore more, but, ho hum. The important thing is to keep Collins’ dystopia dark, and that is achieved.
Character and emotion are sacrificed to the breakneck pace and the desire to include all the fan-favourite moments. The cast is capable. Vinnie Copeland and Nathan Stokes make strong leading men, competing for Katniss. There is also a trio of supporting performers who help things along, with varying degrees of success: Isabel Della-Porta and Theo Ogundipe manage to find some depth, while Neil McDermott is too indebted to the screen performance of his character.
Elizabeth Anderson, as Katniss, has little opportunity to establish much connection with the audience, although she can probably lay claim to being the hardest working actor around. She runs laps around the stage, climbs the scaffolding and is repeatedly lifted into the air. Much of it seems to be about being in the right spotlight at precisely the right time. But there are moments when she really moves, and it is a shame there aren’t more of them. Since the audience is already invested, this lack of emotional connection goes largely unnoticed. It’s all very impressive, an essential experience for fans, but unlikely to satisfy anyone who isn’t already interested.
Currently booking until 14 February 2027.
Photo by Johan Persson