The critically acclaimed novel turned Academy award winning film open at the Schoenfeld Theatre in March.
After a successful run on West End, “Life of Pi” is now floating on Broadway.
The five-time Olivier Award winning play directed by Max Webster and written by playwright Lolita Chakrabarti is now showing at the Schoenfeld Theatre. After a few weeks of previews, the play opened officially on March 30 with audiences captivated by this new adaptation. Since the release of Yann Martel’s “Life of P”i in 2001, the work has become a bestselling novel, box-office hit, and now a future Tony award winning play.
“Life of Pi” sets its story in two countries: Mexico and India. In Mexico, a seventeen-year-old boy named Pi Patel is recovering in a hospital and recounting the story of a boat accident that resulted in the loss of his entire family. After a cargo ship is wrecked in a storm, Pi manages to survive over a hundred days at sea with an orangutan, a zebra, a hyena, and a tiger known as Richard Parker. How he does it is the narrative behind “Life of Pi.”
Tim Hatley creates such a stunning world with the set design. From the raft that Pi sits in to the outline of the Zoo and special effects. Everything is palpable even from the furthest of seats. Yet, the set is only the basis for things. There’s only so much that can be done with lighting, but every quick strobe and flash added greatly to the storytelling. The mood is set perfectly with lighting as well. Dark red in moments of tension and light blue hues when Pi is at sea. Of all recent new theater productions to hit Broadway, “Life of Pi” considers every aspect of its story—not only basing itself in performances and direction, but even with the smallest details.
Hiran Abeysekera as “Pi Patel” and Fred Davis, Scarlet Wilderink, Andrew Wilson as “Richard Parker” || Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
At the center of this narrative though is a marvelous performance. Hiran Abeysekera returns to reprise his role as Pi from West End. Abeysekera hones in on the child-like nature of Pi excellently. He endures difficult trauma, but approaches it in an innocent manner. Pi struggles with religion throughout the play; believing in Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. It’s a belief in all of these that makes the character feel even more real, not only struggling externally, but internally too.
The animals come to life through puppetry work from a combined effort by Finn Cladwell and Nick Barnes. Actors make noises to mimic the animal sounds, but the design of the animal puppets truly transcend the reality of what the eye can see. It was quite bold for the production to rely so heavily on puppetry work, but the choice worked in favor of the story.
After intermission the narrative drags just slightly, but it does serve purpose to the plot. Pi is quite delirious and one sees just how far his delusions are taken in the last fifteen minutes of the show. By the end, everything had come together wonderfully that even the missing puzzles of the entire play fit perfectly into a piece.
“Life of Pi” is a universal truth about overcoming adversity. The play has been adapted in multiple mediums, but on-stage is where it shines the most. And it deserves to be seen in all its brilliancy.
Tickets for “Life of Pi” are available now.