The stars of the highly anticipated stage production of The Hunger Games have spoken out about the intense pressure and the controversial first preview that made headlines, with lead actress Mia Carragher stating she was 'really proud' of the show they delivered.
Navigating Pressure and Previews
Based on Suzanne Collins's dystopian novel, The Hunger Games On Stage is one of the most talked-about productions this autumn, immersing audiences in the brutal world of Panem within a specially constructed arena-style venue. With its official opening scheduled for next week, the cast is feeling the weight of expectation.
Mia Carragher, who plays the iconic warrior heroine Katniss Everdeen, acknowledged the challenge of meeting fans' high expectations. 'You want everyone to be happy who watches it, but then also understand that this is our new version,' she said. She also revealed that the show is still evolving during previews, with daily rehearsals refining the performance.
Her co-star, Tristan Waterson (Gale Hawthorne), highlighted the value of a live audience. 'Having a live audience to be able to try stuff [out on]...You just don't know [how something will work] until you have [over a] a thousand people there [watching],' he explained.
Controversy and Commitment
The production's first preview performance garnered significant attention for the wrong reasons when attendees complained about being left queuing in the rain due to delays. Mia Carragher addressed the incident directly. '[It] was a bit stressful,' she admitted. 'But I think any first night of a show this huge is going to be like that. When we did get the show going, it went amazing, and I was really proud of that.'
Both actors are also navigating the instant feedback loop of social media. Mia has chosen to avoid online comments altogether, while Tristan acknowledges the dual nature of fan interaction. 'It's great, because some of the fans have been so complimentary... but it's just navigating it all,' he said.
A Debut on a Dystopian Scale
For both young actors, this production represents a massive leap in their careers. Remarkably, this marks 21-year-old Mia Carragher's professional stage debut. Tristan Waterson, who previously appeared in the National Theatre's Dear England, confirmed the scale is unlike anything else in theatre.
Mia's audition process was an intense, multi-day boot camp involving dance, fight, and harness work. She vividly recalls landing the part. '[Director] Matthew [Dunster] followed me on Instagram... I took myself on a walk, then my agent called me... I sprinted home and FaceTimed my mum and dad straightaway,' she shared.
Her father is former Liverpool footballer Jamie Carragher, and while she didn't pursue professional sports, her athletic background has been invaluable for the physically demanding role. She trained extensively in archery near her Liverpool home and performs a significant amount of aerial stunts. 'I have a lot of flying and climbing up things really high and getting blown up in the air,' she revealed, though she remains unfazed, focusing on the scene-by-scene work.
The show's ambitions are clear, from its moving seating banks to intricate stuntwork. 'You're in for a treat. If you look down for a minute, you've missed a lot,' promises Tristan. Mia believes the live experience is what sets it apart, creating an intense, shared exhaustion between actor and audience by the final curtain.
Both stars are keen to continue the story on stage, with Mia excited by the prospect of staging the second book's aquatic scenes and Tristan calling a sequel a 'no brainer.'
The Hunger Games On Stage is booking until October 2026.
