REVIEW: The Life of Pi
Winter storm warning! Freezing rain and snow! Treacherous driving conditions! 50 mph winds! Despite the flurry of endless weather notifications, nothing kept hardy Minnesota patrons from seeing the much-anticipated production of Life of Pi at the Orpheum Theater on March 4th, opening night. It was well worth the effort!
Life of Pi is Lolita Chakrabarti’s mesmerizing theatrical adaptation of Yann Martel’s beloved novel, and Ang Lee/David Magee’s film production. Chakrabarti brings to life the extraordinary journey of Piscine Moliter “Pi” Patel, a young boy stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. This stage version, under the direction of Max Webster, beautifully captures scenes from the movie as well as descriptions from the novel. It captures the themes of survival and the power of storytelling. It has extraordinary performances, beautiful set designs, and is full of emotion.
The cast delivers a masterful performance, with the actor Taha Mandviwala portraying Pi managing to capture the varying aspects of the character—his youthful curiosity, intellect, and determination to survive. Mandviwala brings Pi’s inner turmoil and courage to life. There is a lot of religious symbolism throughout the show that plays a pivotal role in Pi’s survival.
Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger, along with the other animals, are brought to life creating a striking and believable presence on stage. The masterfully crafted puppets were operated by a team of skilled puppeteers. Mandviwala and the puppeteers displayed astounding athleticism, as movement like dance, is the common thread throughout the performance.
Max Webster’s direction weaves moments of humor, tension, and wonder, conveying the vast emptiness of the ocean and Pi’s isolation. The flawless transitions between the different stages of Pi’s journey are handled with grace, never losing the narrative’s emotional core. Each transition flowed effortlessly.
The costume design by Tim Hatley is particularly remarkable for its simplicity and symbolic elements. The set design and stage itself feels vast and unyielding, replicating the boundless expanse of the ocean. The lifeboat—an intricate, movable structure—is the centerpiece of the play, and it shifts and rotates to reveal various angles of Pi’s predicament, capturing the isolation he feels. The projections, particularly during the storm sequences, are breathtaking, transforming the stage into an expansive and turbulent ocean, creating an overwhelming sense of danger and awe.
The scenery is minimalistic yet highly effective, evoking the barren, open space of the ocean with minimal props but maximum effect. At times, the ocean is a calm, inviting blue, while at others, it becomes a terrifying, storm-lashed abyss. One scene that stood out to me was how they were able to replicate the whale encounter from the movie where the sea is teaming with bioluminescent algae. Like the film, this scene is visibly stunning.
Life of Pi’s stage production is an extraordinary, emotionally captivating experience that successfully utilizes and translates the novel’s themes into a small theatrical space. With brilliant performances, incredible set and costume designs, and an innovative use of puppetry, the play not only honors the spirit of Yann Martel’s original story and Ang Lee’s film adaptation but also takes it to new, artistic heights. This production is a testament to the power of live theatre to engage audiences and take them on an unforgettable journey—both physically and emotionally.
The Life of Pi is at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis through March 9, 2025.
Photo by Evan Zimmerman
