My first encounter with Yann Martel’s magical story Life of Pi was listening to an audiobook on a long family trek to Williamsburg for Thanksgiving. A thirteen hour tale was so memorable that I can still hear narrator Vikas Adams’ pronunciation of the tiger character’s name “Richard Parker”. That was followed years later by Director Ang Lee’s extraordinary film.
This play was developed in England, transferred to the West End and won the Olivier for Best Play. A transfer to Broadway resulted in a Tony nomination for the play and wins for the technical designs. I was going to skip a visit to this one but decided to jump on board given the accolades.
I am sorry to report that this production does not satisfy in the storytelling department. The three main parts of the book are reorganized so the original mystery of survival is assured. The play does capture some of the philosophical elements but they are not the central purpose. As a result the story can often seem confusing (as happened with the one person with me who experienced this classic for the first time).
A family who owns a zoo in Pondicherry, India decides to emigrate to Canada with their animals in tow. They board a cargo ship which meets with disaster. The family’s son Pi manages to board a lifeboat. The only other survivors are a hyena, an orangutan and the Richard Parker, the tiger. The adventure involves this uncomfortable cohabitation.
The visuals are indeed impressive. The set transformation from Indian marketplace to cargo ship was effortless and superbly executed. The animals are all puppets and up to three humans manipulate them including hunching over as the tiger’s torso. The movement is a feast for the eyes.
Also noteworthy are finely tuned performances especially by Hiran Abeysekera in the title role. This tale is a marathon at sea. The staging is physically demanding and the storytelling has a great deal of wit in addition to the underlying drama. The performance was excellent from start to finish.
All that said – and there’s much good news about the production – this effort lacks clarity and depth. Perhaps I am too familiar with the brilliance of Mr. Martel’s original. The relativity of truth theme does come across nicely but the play seems adapted for people who already know the story. Yes there is magical realism on display but the glorious musings on life and humanity have to be filled in from memory since they are sketchily drawn here. Fans of eye-popping spectacle will definitely be entertained.
Life of Pi is running on Broadway through July 23, 2023.