I AM A latecomer to Life of Pi not having read the original 2001 novel by Yann Martel, or seen the 2012 Ang Lee film, nor until last night at the Grand Theatre Wolverhampton caught Lolita Chakrabarti’s Olivier award winning stage production – happily, it certainly lived up to its’ unique reputation.

Technically it’s an astonishing achievement from a talented team – starting with amazing settings from Designer Tim Hatley, lighting wizardry by Tim Lutkin and Tim Deiling, the ocean being brought to life on the stage floor and walls via video sorcery from Andrzej Goulding and directed with a third eye and masterful storytelling hands by Max Webster.

Then of course there is the wonderful puppets designed by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, where everything from flying fish to a terrifying Bengal Tiger come to life.

The story concerns a young Indian boy called Pi (a remarkable professional debut from Divesh Subaskaran) who is the only survivor of a cargo ship, the ‘Tsimtsum’ which was lost in a tropical sea storm.

That is, Pi being the only human survivor – however, he does get to share his lifeboat with a man-eating tiger. In a nutshell this is a story of Pi’s triumph over every adversity thrown at him in his determination to survive against all odds.

Picture by Johan Persson. s

The action moves seamlessly from the hospital ward where the play begins as Pi tells his story to the authorities, back in time to the Pondicherry Zoo in India, then to a bustling street market before boarding the ‘Tsimtsum’.

This is where Pi and his family – plus their menagerie of exotic animals – have passage to Canada and a new life escaping the political turmoil of their homeland.

Then comes the devastating storm from which point the action moves between the drifting lifeboat somewhere off the coast of Mexico and the hospital ward.

The starlit skies and the sometimes still, sometimes turbulent waters are sumptuous, beautiful and dangerous. The way birds and fish visit the lifeboat is jaw-dropping and the battle of mastery between Pi and the Tiger extraordinary.

Picture by Johan Persson. s

‘The Life of Pi’ truly is a remarkable piece of drama, performed by a cast and creative team working not only in harmony, but in a partnership of what can best be described as theatrical sorcery.

The Life of Pi is on at the Wolverhampton Grand until next Saturday, April 27. Click here for times, tickets and more information.

*****

Review by Euan Rose

Euan Rose Reviews