The opening scene is a bare stage except for a central, empty, metal-framed, austere bed. A Mexican nurse enters and tries to coax the teenage Indian, Pi (Divesh Subaskaran), from underneath the bed as he has two visitors. They have come to question him as the only survivor of a sunken Japanese ship.
Pi begins telling his life story, living with his family and their zoo. Unfortunately, business is poor and a Bengal tiger is introduced as a new attraction. This fails, so they pack up and take a cargo ship to North America and a new life. When a storm sinks the ship, Pi finds himself on a lifeboat with an injured zebra, an orang-utan, a hyena and the tiger.
The story is acted out with flashbacks from Pi’s memory and alternates from hospital to the other locations. While some text is lost due to accents and sound effects, it does not hinder the story. It is very episodic in presentation, continually going back and forward in time to different locations, a series of vignettes, keeping you on your toes.
On the face of it, it is a story of how a young boy survives 227 days at sea in a small boat with wild animals, but it is much more than that. It is a story of endurance, morality, religion, survival and what actually constitutes the truth. It is about how life can be difficult, about the need to adapt and having faith in yourself, how all life is interdependent.
This production is very interdependent, as the story and cast are brilliantly supported by a skilful production team and set of creatives. The set, sound, video, lighting and puppetry really bring this story to life; excuse the pun, but it is ‘awash” with stunning effects. The director, Max Webster, has a plethora of components to organise but has everything under control.
A large cast play several roles. Subaskaran makes his professional debut as Pi, and what a way to begin your career; he is joined by Antony Antunes, as Tiger Hind / Cook / Father Martin, Adwitha Arumugam as Pi alternate, Bhawna Bhawsar as Lulu Chen / Mrs Biology Kumar, Ralph Birtwell as Father, Chand Martinez as MamaJi / pandit / Admiral Balbir Singh, Keshini Misha as Rani, Peter Twose as tiger head / voice of Richard Parker / Cook / Father Martin, Fred Davis as tiger hind / Russian Soldier, Vinesh Veerasami as Russian sailor, Lilian Tsang as Mrs Okamoto / Zaida Khan / Ship’s Captain, Sharita Oomeer as Lulu Chen / Mrs Biology Kumar, Goldy Notay as Amma Sebastian Goffin, Akash Heer as tiger hind, Romina Hytten, Aizah Khan, Kate Rowsell and Katie Kennedy-Rose as tiger heart and hind.
This Olivier Award-winning stage adaption of Yann Martel’s best-selling novel Life of Pi, which has sold fifteen million copies worldwide, is by Lolita Chakrabarti and on its first UK tour. Like many successful novels, it was initially rejected by over five London publishers, yet now holds four Oscars—you see what perseverance can do?
Even if you have read the book or seen the film, this is a scintillating show to blow your mind away. A truly visual spectacle.