Nottingham Theatre Royal – until Saturday 20th April 2024
Reviewed by Amy V Gathercole
5*****
“If you love theatre’s creativity and enjoy seeing a very different type of show, then treat yourself to some magic ASAP!”
Arriving in Nottingham on its UK tour just in time for the city’s annual Puppet Festival, “The Life of Pi” tells the fascinating story of Piscine ‘Pi’ Patel, a teenager who explores multiple faiths, has an enviable imagination, and has a bunch of exotic animals as companions.
“The Life of Pi” was originally told by Yann Martel in a novel and has also been made into an award-winning film directed by Ang Lee. Now, the theatrical version is being shared and told again in yet another new way, with some of the most impressive puppeteering you’ve ever seen, as it’s been adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti.
Usually, this story of many stories is told with a male protagonist, but this production saw talented newcomer Adwitha Arumugam in the lead role as Pi, who soon has you rooting for her as she explores a huge range of emotions. To say that this is her professional debut after graduating from theatre school is quite a shock. When we first meet her, she’s in a hospital bed in Mexico, 1978, and it’s stark, drab and a room full of tragedy and she bounces between Pi’s different personalities with ease.
She’s on stage for practically every scene of the show, and with her emotional range and skilled gymnastic-like physical movements, you struggle to take your eyes off of her, even when there’s a huge puppet hyena, rat, zebra and tiger to distract you.
Pi, along with her family, is about to make a life-changing move to start a life in a new country, but there’s also a literal zoo travelling with them, as in Pondicherry, that’s what they do; her family run a zoo.
On the journey, a catastrophic storm hits them, and Pi finds herself stuck in the Pacific Ocean with only a few of the animals from the zoo for company. As the play unfolds and reveals its layers of magic, we learn about the events that occurred on the boat and learn all about everyone’s personalities and motivations.
Winner of five Olivier Awards, including Best New Play, this production is a testament to the power of storytelling and the magic of theatre. The seven performers who puppeteered the beautiful Bengal Tiger, Richard Parker, were collectively awarded Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
The Life of Pi is unlike anything you’re likely to have seen grace the stage before, with its magical world-building with puppets, very clever special effects and an ever-converting and changing set that is entirely impressive whilst remaining simplistic. In one scene, it is a busy market scene; the next, it is transformed into the docks where a ship is being loaded, and then, of course, we’re at sea. Huge admiration and praise goes to the production team led by Tim Hatley it’s such a beautiful set that works so well and transforms impressively for each new location. The puppetry comes from the genius minds of Nick Barnes and Finn Cadwell, who combined their talent and vision to create the look, feel, and every single movement that any of the animals make. The heart and hope of the tale are found within Pi’s surprising companionship with a Royal Bengal tiger, which serves as a profound metaphor for faith, survival, and, ultimately, the human spirit as Pi works out how to survive this traumatic experience with a tiger that wants to make her lunch.
One of the reasons this novel has millions of fans worldwide and has been recreated in so many different mediums is that the story raises many philosophical questions as the beautiful scenes at sea unfold, contrasting with the more tense and grounded scenes of ‘interrogation’ as officials are sent to question Pi about what truly happened while she was stranded and in isolation.
There are many answers to be found, some to be ignored, and ultimately, more questions to be addressed with compassion and healing. If you love theatre’s creativity and enjoy seeing a very different type of show, then treat yourself to some magic ASAP!