I saw the first film at 14, became instantly obsessed, and tore through Suzanne Collins’ trilogy in a matter of days.
When I get hooked on something, I go all in: googling character backstories, imagining life in Panem, even wearing my hair in a Katniss braid.
My mum once bought me a bow and arrow set… which tells you everything you need to know about my social life at the time.
That obsession spiralled into every dystopian world going – Divergent, The Maze Runner, anything with a brave hero and a corrupt government – and eventually into the fantasy books I devour today.
I stopped reading for a few years in my late teens, trying too hard to be “cool,” but I’ve since returned to the thing that has always grounded me: stories.
So, when an invitation landed for the Gala Night of the all-new The Hunger Games on Stage in Canary Wharf, it genuinely felt like a full-circle moment.
The brand-new Troubadour Theatre – built entirely around this production – is immediately striking.
A huge Mockingjay pin crowns the building, foreshadowing the rebellion to come.
Inside, the audience is divided into “Districts” from 1 to 11, spiralling down towards the central stage: District 12.
We were seated in District 2, home to the Games’ formidable career tribute, Cato.
For anyone who’s somehow missed the global phenomenon, the story follows Katniss Everdeen, a teenager from the poorest district in a dystopian nation called Panem.
Each year, the Capitol forces the districts to send one boy and one girl to fight to the death in a televised arena – entertainment for the rich, punishment for the poor.
When Katniss volunteers in place of her sister, she’s thrust into a brutal battle for survival that sparks the seeds of rebellion.
The stage version begins just as the book does.
We meet Katniss – played with grounded strength by Mia Carragher – alongside her long-time friend and questionable love interest Gale Hawthorne (Tristan Waterson) and Primrose Everdeen (Sophia Alley).
Soon we’re introduced to Effie Trinket (a brilliant Tamsin Carroll), Haymitch Abernathy (Joshua Lacey), and Peeta Mellark, played by Euan Garrett – who looks so much like Josh Hutcherson it startled me.
The production design is astonishing.
When the District 12 tributes travel to the Capitol, the stage lifts to reveal a post-apocalyptic train beneath them.
Sets shift constantly – from coal-mining bleakness to glossy Capitol excess.
My favourite element, though, was the movement of the theatre itself.
If you sit in District 1 or 2, your entire seating block rotates and separates to form a rectangular arena.
It’s thrilling and unlike anything I’ve experienced in theatre.
The only aspect I wasn’t sold on was the costumes.
The tributes’ training gear was bright purple, and a few outfits were questionable, but it didn’t detract from the story.
Katniss and Peeta’s “Girl on Fire” moment was spectacular, with chariots rising above the audience in literal flames.
The tributes were strong across the board, I only wish we had more time with Rue (Aiya Augustin) and Thresh (Marcellus Hill), who were both excellent.
Choreographed sections added flair – especially Katniss preparing for her interview with Caesar Flickerman, played by the outstanding Stavros Demetraki.
The interval was the only real pain point.
With District 2 positioned furthest from the bar, we had a two-minute scramble for drinks after queuing through packed corridors.
A teething issue for a new venue but nothing to do with the show.
The second half launches us straight into the Games.
The action doesn’t let up – tributes scale the actual theatre walls, Katniss climbs a towering pole, and the tension never drops.
John Malkovich appears as President Snow via screen projections – a great touch, though part of me wished he’d been physically on stage.
Even though I knew what was coming – the berries, the Capitol outrage, the rule change – watching it unfold live was unexpectedly emotional.
The final scene’s staging is stark, tense and powerful, humming with the first spark of rebellion.
Leaving the theatre was, again, a little hectic as all districts funnel out the same way – but with a brand-new venue and a sold-out gala night, it’s to be expected.
Walking back into the lights of Canary Wharf, I felt a rare mix of nostalgia, adrenaline and genuine awe.
This production doesn’t just retell The Hunger Games; it reminds you why it mattered.
It captures the grit, heart, politics and spectacle that made so many of us fall in love with the story.
For anyone who grew up with Katniss and Peeta – or anyone who loves bold, ambitious theatre – this show hits you right in the childhood.
Consider the odds officially in its favour.
