After hearing that one of my favourite dystopian books and film series had been brought to life, I knew I had to see it, writes Cara Simmonds.
The Hunger Games: On Stage pushes the boundaries of your typical London theatre production, with plenty of action, huge set pieces and enough surprises to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
Just a five-minute walk from Canary Wharf station, the purpose-built Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre comes into view and I realise that this isn't going to be like a typical West End show.
Built especially for the production, it's clear from the moment you arrive that they've gone all out, complete with the large mockingjay pin on the roof.
The moment the lights go down, you're immediately transported to District 12.
It's dark, industrial and bleak - exactly how I'd imagined while reading Suzanne Collins' books as a teenager.
The story follows Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers to take her sister’s place in a morbid televised competition, where children are pitted against each other and have to fight to the death in an arena.
I’ve been a longtime Hunger Games fan, so I think it was fair to admit I was slightly apprehensive and curious to see how the story would be adapted for the stage.
One thing that stood out was how closely it sticks to the original book.
Katniss narrates the story out loud, so you're seeing events through her eyes and hearing her inner thoughts as things happen.
First off, the cast is absolutely excellent.
Effie Trinket (Ruth Everett) is wonderfully over-the-top but doesn't feel annoying, while Peeta Mellark (Euan Garrett) brings plenty of warmth and charm.
Stavros Demetraki was another standout for me, throwing himself into the role of Caesar Flickerman with infectious energy and making every scene he appeared in impossible to ignore.
He really managed to hype up the crowd during the tributes' interviews, which made it feel like we were part of the show within the show.
Then comes the introduction to the Capitol - a burst of colour and outrageous costumes.
A massive contrast to the District 12 scenes, it really packed a punch.
Some of the characters even interacted with the audience and at one point, ended up sitting on the stairs just a metre away from us.
What really sets this production apart, though, is the theatre itself.
Because the seats move... I know, I wasn't expecting that either.
Entire sections rotate throughout the performance, depending on how much space is needed for each scene. It’s so cleverly done.
At times there was so much happening I didn't know where to look, but that only added to the excitement.
Rather than sitting back and passively watching, you're constantly drawn into the action.
Even during the interval, pieces of the cornucopia slowly begin to appear, with large knives and spears, backpacks and food hanging from the ceiling.
Without spoiling too much, the arena scenes are incredibly impressive. The creative team has found some seriously inventive ways to recreate moments that, from the book and film, seem almost impossible to put on stage.
It's ambitious, immersive and often surprisingly tense.
Despite all the technical wizardry, which I imagine was incredibly complex and took many hours to rehearse, the heart of the story remains intact.
The relationships, sacrifices and emotional moments that made so many people fall in love with the world of the Panem, Katniss and Peeta are still front and centre.
I'll keep the rest under wraps because this really is a show best experienced for yourself.
Iliffe Media may receive a small commission from any sales generated by this story
Comments
This article has no comments yet. Be the first to leave a comment.