Review: 'Life of Pi' a Gorgeously Rendered Night of Theatre

A teenaged son of zookeepers escapes political unrest in his country with his family on a cargo ship, but the ship sinks in a storm and he miraculously survives with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and Royal Bengal tiger on a single lifeboat. Over 227 days at sea in the Pacific ocean, Pi (Taha Mandviwala) will fight the elements, hunger, and wild animals to stay alive.

"Life of Pi" was originally a 2002 literary fiction novel by Canadian writer Yann Martel. The book was later adapted into a film directed by Ang Lee ("Brokeback Mountain," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), which was released in 2012.

"Pi" as a play made its "splash" in 2019 at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. Adapted by British actress and playwright Lolita Chakrabarti, the stage version realizes Pi's journey with creative lighting, imaginative scenic design, impressive set pieces, and puppetry to realize the wild animals. When the show arrived on Broadway in 2023, it won three Tony Awards for Best Scenic Design, Best Sound Design, and Best Lighting Design, and it's easy to see why: The show is a visually stunning night of theatre with grand visuals, masterful puppetry, and solid acting by a talented ensemble.

The play opens in Mexico, introducing Pi to Lulu Chen (Mi Kang) and Mr. Okamoto (Alan Ariano), both of whom are investigating the tragedy of the sunken cargo ship. The narrative is then told in flashback, intermittently springing us back to the hospital as the investigators offer their objections to the rather "unbelievable" story related by the teen.

The young lad is tested by the elements, the constant danger of being killed by the animals, and his own faith. His lost family, plus a cook from the cargo ship, appear periodically to "guide" him through his challenges at sea. The cook (Ben Durocher) is not only one of the puppeteers, but the voice of Richard Parker, the name given to the Bengal tiger.

This production owes much of its magic to the young actor playing Pi: Mandviwala is intensely engaging in his portrayal. The highly physical role has him sprinting about the stage and vocalizing his disapproval of his situation to the universe.

The play was originally directed by Max Webster (Broadway and West End), and this tour is directed by Ashley Brooke Monroe, with puppetry and movement direction by Finn Caldwell. It's a testament to their talents to realize a stage play at sea with wild animals as major characters. The puppeteers are so seamless and elegant in their realization of animal majesty that they virtually disappear, but never cease to delight. With lighting design by Tim Lutkin and Tim Deiling, plus sound design by Carolyn Downing, Pi's life at sea is gorgeously rendered in true theatrical fashion.

"Life of Pi" is running February 11 - 16 at The Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02903. For information or tickets call 401-421-2787 or visit www.ppacri.org.