Theatre Review: Life of Pi - A Double Perspective

Having won five Olivier Awards and three Tony Awards, the 2023/2024 UK & Ireland theatrical tour of Life of Pi landed in Birmingham at The Hippodrome on 12 February 2024. The press performance was on 13 February 2024, and performed to a packed audience of all ages. The play is based on Yann Martel’s 2001 book of the same name, which won the Man Booker Prize and has sold over fifteen million copies across the globe. The play resonates with the themes of endurance and hope across its two-hour runtime, and plays at The Hippodrome until 17 February 2024 before moving on to The Grand Opera House, Belfast.

Life of Pi takes the audience on a voyage beginning in India in 1977. The young eponymous character Pi (Divesh Subaskaran) tells the story of his 227 days at sea to two officials investigating the tragic sinking of the cargo ship that marked the beginning of the character’s quest for survival. Prior to the disaster, Pi grows up as a deeply curious and spiritual young man, the younger sibling in his close-knit family amidst the backdrop of social unrest in India. Pi’s family operate and maintain a sprawling and moderately successful zoo, which is inhabited with an eclectic mix of exciting exhibits; these range from the orangutan ‘Orange Juice’ to the iconic and foreboding tiger, humorously named ‘Richard Parker’, who becomes a pivotal part of the plot. Despite the family’s relative economic comfort, they are forced to relocate to Canada for the safety of their family and the wellbeing of their animals. However, it is during this voyage that the vessel begins to sink. Pi is thrown overboard and clambers alone onto an ebbing lifeboat, before being accompanied by the feral feline Richard Parker for his spiritual and literal journey across the sea.

Life of Pi is a thrilling watch from start to finish

Life of Pi is a thrilling watch from start to finish, throwing the audience in and out of consciousness alongside Pi as he recollects the most traumatic event of his life. The show draws the audience into Pi’s plight and eventually enables them to empathise with Richard Parker. Pi’s tale is unimaginable, yet Life of Pi succeeds in gripping the audience with consistently high stakes and continual empathy.

The show hinges upon the ingenuity of the animal props and the performance of its central character. Subaskaran vibrantly portrays Pi’s energy and youth, bringing nuance to the humorous lines that denote the naivety and curiosity of the character. This versatility is most clearly demonstrated by the juxtaposition of his early, energetic clambering around the lifeboat with the character’s later, traumatised disposition. Ralph Bertwell demonstrates similar versatility; the actor’s charismatic performance serves as a memorable addition to the production. Like many actors, Bertwell inhabits many roles, ranging from Pi’s anxious and caring father to a typical, upper-class naval officer who narrates his own sea-survival handbook and attests how ‘a gentleman is someone who uses a butter-knife even when dining alone.’

Subaskaran vibrantly portrays Pi’s energy and youth

One of the show’s strongest assets is the phenomenal puppetry that the performance depends upon. The design is reminiscent of the National Theatre’s War Horse, with visible puppeteers that slowly shrink away as audiences become captivated by the animals before them. The sheer endurance and consistency of the puppeteers is astonishing, especially those that feature in Richard Parker, the tiger (Antony Antunes, Sebastian Goffin, Akash Heer, Romina Hytten, Katie Kennedy-Rose, Aizah Khan, Kate Rowsell, and Peter Twose). The performances of the cast also illuminate the setting. Similarly to the use of puppetry, the actors portray the motion of the sea, blending into the background as they play an object drifting across the ocean current. At times, even the eponymous character is treated as a prop: in a manner similar to that of Frantic Assembly’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Pi is often held aloft, mimicking the overpowering current of the sea that he is adrift upon. Once more, the ensemble become puppeteers, and seamlessly control Pi’s movements as the ocean would.

One of the show’s strongest assets is the phenomenal puppetry

The transformative use of lighting throughout the production marks the colossal extent of the character’s voyage. From the warm and comforting hue of Pi’s home in India to the reflections of the sea that shimmer throughout the theatre, the use of lighting marks the show’s portrayal of a spiritual journey as well as a geographical one. Pi recalls his fantastical experiences, illuminated by the ethereal blanket of stars in the other-worldly night sky, from the clinical hospital bed of his present reality. The use of projection throughout the piece gives the production a stark filmic quality, from the aggressive rain to the Indiana Jones-style map with a darting red line tracking the ship’s voyage. The use of lighting, like all components of the production, is deeply immersive.

To conclude, the 2023/2024 touring adaptation of Life of Pi is a joy to watch, and it is such a shame that it is only in Birmingham for less than a week. The versatility and ingenuity of the props, set, and cast feels like a rarity for a touring production, and it is a pleasure to witness this unique take on such an iconic story.