‘The Hunger Games’ is set to take to the stage!
An adaptation based on the first of Collins’ best-selling novels will open in London in autumn 2024. The question is will the odds be in its favour?
The book is to be adapted by Tony Award and Laurence Olivier Award-winning playwright Conor McPherson and the film was directed by Matthew Dunster. Given the success of the book series and the popularity of the films, it’s likely that the adaptation will be a success. The book was full of action, romance, anger, and heartache, which captivated audiences worldwide. Now the world of Panem is to take to the stage from the hollows of District 12 to the grandeur of the Capital.
Of course, unlike the films the theatre adaptation would be unable to use special effects to the same degree to create the arena and the challenges the tributes face within it. Bringing the muts or tracker jackers to life may be a challenge, but perhaps not one which cannot be overcome. The play may rely heavily on new technology and a strategic and clever set design could certainly bring the arena to life.
The theatre adaptation, therefore, is likely to be vastly different to the film franchise and the biggest challenge it faces is maintaining the character development and emotional complexity of the book. Nevertheless, the issues which the book strives to address remain as relevant today as when it was released. The audience will certainly be able to relate to the themes of rebellion and political turmoil which characterise the series.
Whilst the adaptation comes as a surprise and at first glance may seem ambitious it is not the first book to be transferred to the stage, others such as ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ and ‘Matilda’ have received high praise. It certainly has the potential to be successful and captivate audiences once again with its timeless story and strong production team. I’ll certainly be racing to snap up some tickets for the first shows.
Now all that is left to say is may the odds be ever in your favour!
Edited by Anna Cao
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