The Hunger Games: On Stage Reviews: What the Critics Say

The Hunger Games: On Stage opened at the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre on 12 November 2025, and it split the critics. Nobody argued with how it looks. The debate was about whether a show this spectacular also tells the story well enough, and that's the question worth thinking about before you book.

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The Critics' Verdict

It landed somewhere between two and four stars. The Stage gave it four, and it was the most positive of the lot, saying there's "plenty to impress fans of the franchise". The Guardian, the Independent, Time Out, WhatsOnStage and the Daily Mail all gave it three. The Telegraph, The Times, the Financial Times and the i Paper gave it two.

So it's not a show the critics hated, and it's not one they raved about either. The three-star reviews are the best summary: impressed by the staging, less convinced by the storytelling. Audiences, on the other hand, have liked it a lot more, and the run has been extended twice.

What the Reviews Praised

The action. This is where the show wins, and even critics who gave it two stars said so. The fights are fast and physical, performers fly on wires, and arrows really do hit their targets. The Stage said Kev McCurdy's fight direction "orchestrates gasp-worthy duels", and WhatsOnStage called the fights "consistently inventive". If you're coming for spectacle, you won't be disappointed.

Feeling part of the Games. The Guardian's Arifa Akbar felt the auditorium "really does seem like a gameshow space, with us as its bloodthirsty audience", and the Financial Times compared the arena to "a modern-day equivalent of the Colosseum". You sit in a District, the seats move, and your section lights up when your tribute dies. For a lot of people, that's the reason to go.

The performances that break through. Stavros Demetraki's Caesar Flickerman was a hit with every critic who mentioned him. Even the Financial Times, one of the harsher reviews, said the show "is at its most moving when it becomes more intimate", singling out the quieter scenes with Peeta and Katniss.

Where Reviews Were Mixed

The narration. This was the biggest sticking point. Katniss tells a lot of the story straight to the audience, just as she does in the book. For several critics that was a problem: the Financial Times said it "has a flattening effect", and the i Paper felt there was "far too much exposition to plough through". The Stage saw it differently, describing a show that "shows more than it tells". If you know the story well, the narration is less of an issue. If you're new to it, you might find it helpful.

Spectacle versus emotion. A lot of critics felt the show looked brilliant but didn't hit hard enough emotionally. The Guardian summed it up as "all spectacle above emotion", and the Financial Times called it "a curiously empty spectacle". This is the real trade-off. If the book made you cry, don't expect the show to do the same.

Is the arena used well? Not everyone agreed. The Telegraph felt "startlingly little use is made of the hangar-like proportions" of the theatre, and The Times thought the team struggled to fill it. Others, as above, thought it was the best thing about the night.

Mia Carragher as Katniss. Most critics liked her physical, athletic performance, and WhatsOnStage called her debut "a genuine highlight". Time Out was the exception and felt a stronger lead would have made a big difference.

John Malkovich on screen. Most critics found his pre-recorded President Snow flat and remote. The Guardian called it "more a cameo than a character". He's never on stage in person.

Is The Hunger Games: On Stage Right for You?

Book it if you love the books or films. The show was made with fans in mind, and audiences have enjoyed it far more than the critics did.

Book it if you want a big night out. The staging, the fights and the moving seats make it feel very different from a normal trip to the theatre.

Think twice if you're going mainly for the emotion of the story, or if you don't like a character telling you what's happening. Those were the two biggest complaints.

One thing to bear in mind: all of these reviews are of the original cast, who stay with the show until 18 October 2026. A new cast takes over on 23 October.

Not sure which date or District to go for? Call us on 020 7193 9050 and we'll help you choose.

Book The Hunger Games: On Stage Tickets

At the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre, Water Street, booking to 14 February 2027. It runs 2 hours 30 minutes including a 20-minute interval, guidance is 12+, and tickets start from around £35. All-in pricing, so the price you see is what you pay.

The Hunger Games: On Stage tickets • Call us on 020 7193 9050

Sources

The Stage (Holly O'Mahony, 4/5) · The Guardian (Arifa Akbar, 3/5) · The Independent (Alice Saville, 3/5) · Time Out (Andrzej Lukowski, 3/5) · WhatsOnStage (Alex Wood, 3/5) · Daily Mail (Patrick Marmion, 3/5) · The Telegraph (Claire Allfree, 2/5) · The Times (Clive Davis, 2/5) · Financial Times (Sarah Hemming, 2/5) · The i Paper (Fiona Mountford, 2/5) · BroadwayWorld (Cindy Marcolina) · Theatre Weekly (Greg Stewart)