Review: Life of Pi, at the Wyndham’s Theatre, London

One of the biggest things that can persuade me for theatre choices is the Oliviers. Whether it’s from a performance, or from show x being the big winner, or winning certain awards, it can persuade me or my friends or family to give certain shows a chance. For example, the Come From Away performance a few years ago persuaded my parents that they would enjoy it, and therefore booked it. 

In the case of this show, it was the big winner, including in some surprising categories, AND its performance; which is unusual, as this is not a musical.. but a play. This is Life of Pi. 

Based on the very popular book of the same name, and subsequent film, Lolita Chakribati’s stage adaptation began in Sheffield in 2019. A West End transfer was planned for 2020 on the back of its success in Sheffield, BUT we all know what happened there. 

But better late than never, Life of Pi splashed at Wyndham’s Theatre late last year, and has taken the West End by storm. Even so, it didn’t really reach my radar, until this years Oliviers. The second I saw that performance, with those puppets in action, and especially the tiger, I KNEW I had to book this. 

Good thing my May rota worked out a nice cheeky 3 days off in a row…. 

This may be hard to describe in some ways, but not in that this is possibly one of the best things I have ever seen on stage. 

Life of Pi is ultimately a story of suffering and survival. Starting in 1970s India, we meet 17 year old Piscine (he prefers Pi), who’s family own a zoo with many different dangerous animals. 

While moving to Canada for a life away from political unrest, the ship sinks, with Pi being tossed into a lifeboat with: a zebra with a broken leg, a hyena, an orang-utan… and a certain Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. 

The first thing that takes your breath away (and throughout the whole show), is the mastery of puppetry

From the moment we first see the scenes at the zoo, with butterflies flying around Pi as he starts his story: to introducing the animals one by one who will later be in the lifeboat with him; to the turtle he has to kill to survive. 

It’s on the level of War Horse, in how you forget that there are humans inside the costumes. The animals have their own natures and characteristics. But the biggest one in that is of course Richard Parker the tiger. There is so much work put into that performance, from the puppetry designer Nick Barnes, movement director Finn Caldwell (who’s credits include The Ocean at the End of the Lane, The Grinning Man, The Lorax, Dr Doolittle, and oddly enough, War Horse)

And of course the 7 Olivier-winning actors who take turns being in the tiger… I was going to say suit but that really doesn’t sound right. 

There’s even one bit where those 7 really got to shine, and that was the scene when Pi was hallucinating. In this, Richard Parker starts talking to Pi about how much he loves meat, in a way not unlike a French Audrey 2. Charismatic to say the least; but you never forgot how dangerous this tiger was. 

Creatively, while the puppetry does take your breath away, the same can be said for the lighting and sound as well. 

Lighting designer Tim Lutkin also worked on the lighting for Back to the Future, but this I think is even better. Water can be notorious to get right, but he got this spot on, especially with the wave effects, and when a school of fish would pass Pi’s boat; not to mention the star effects at night; then going back to the stark white lights of the hospital room; and then back again to the boat. 

Let me tell you that they were close to cinematic as you were likely to get for the theatre. 

The idea of the boat being carved into the set is genius for me. Though the actual platforms are raised down to the floor when Pi is in the hospital, you can still clearly see the outlines of it. It’s just an extra touch to the audience that Pi cannot truly leave his trauma in the boat behind, at least not now. 

Speaking of Pi, though the tiger may be one acting marvel, Hiran Abeysekera is another. He had a mammoth task playing Pi, with it being an enormous responsibility playing this part. He is our Narrator, and the one who pieces everything together. He is never off stage. I may not have seen the other Olivier nominees up for Best Actor, but I can 100% understand why he won. 

I seem to be watching a lot of what I call gateway theatre recently. That being those that I would recommend people who don’t usually like going to the theatre, or don’t go very often to watch. This is no exception. 

In fact, this is a must watch for everyone. 

Life of Pi is brutal, in fact it got quite gruesome at times; but then again, it’s all about survival. The imaginative storytelling leaking down from the acting, puppetry, lighting and sound, is one huge collaborative effort of some of the best creatives in the industry. I am SO glad I found the time to see it, do not regret it one bit; neither will you.