Mia Carragher cast as Katniss Everdeen in 'The Hunger Games' on stage

The Hunger Games follows heroine Katniss Everdeen, as she joins 23 other young tributes in a state-sanctioned fight to the death.

Mia Carragher will play Katniss Everdeen in the first-ever live stage adaptation of Suzanne Collins’s novel The Hunger Games. Performances begin at new venue Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre on 20 October.

Carragher’s previous credits include independent feature One Night in Istanbul and The Gathering for Channel 4. She will next be seen in the series Maigret and the feature film Let’s Love.

Director Matthew Dunster said: “We searched far and wide, and comprehensively, for our Katniss. It is not easy to step into Suzanne Collins’s amazing creation and only one actor combined Katniss’s charisma and combat skills - her quiet, tough determination and her brilliant creativity, athleticism, and humour. We’ve found our Katniss in Mia Carragher, and we can’t wait for audiences to see her.”

Mia Carragher said: “I am so excited and honoured to be playing Katniss. This is a dream come true role and I cannot wait to see the production come to life. From being a huge fan of the films, I feel so lucky to be a part of the Hunger Games world, especially working with Mathew Dunster and an incredible creative team”.

Conor McPherson (Girl From the North Country) has adapted the first book from Collins’s five-part series, as well as the first film from the film franchise.

The Hunger Games follows heroine Katniss Everdeen, as she joins 23 other young tributes in a state-sanctioned fight to the death. Trying to survive as part of a nation oppressed by a ruthless Capitol, the show is a tale of courage and defiance.

The rest of the cast is yet to be announced.

Check back for The Hunger Games tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Mia Carragher. (Photo by Seamus Ryan)