Everything about the stage version of Yann Martel’s novel LIFE OF PI, which is at the Wales Millennium Centre this week, is magically beautiful.
The story has had many lives itself, starting as a Booker prize-winning novel, which to date has sold over 15 million copies. It then became an Oscar winning movie directed by Ang Lee, who at the time said he didn’t know how he would bring this fantastically visual tale to life. Well, he did, and to great effect.
So how then do you bring a tale of this magnitude onto the stage with a cast which includes a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger called Richard Parker? A seemingly impossible task till you witness the puppet mastery on the Donald Gordon stage. I’d like to think I’ll use this word once, but I doubt it, the spectacle is truly breathtaking.
Something which wasn’t lost on last night’s audience who gave us their take on the show……
No disrespect to any of the humans in this play, they are all fantastic, particularly DIVESH SUBASKARAN who plays Pi. This may be his theatrical debut but he carries the role off with great skill, warmth, and occasional terror – wouldn’t you if you are suddenly confronted by a Bengal Tiger?
The entire cast, both with and without the animals are superb – you can read more about them HERE.
But it’s the puppets and their masters who steal the show at every twist and turn. The precision behind each of the animals is something to behold. When you realise it takes three people to keep Richard Parker tamed, you’ll understand what an undertaking it is.
The story is about a teenage boy lost at sea with a Bengal tiger for 227 days, along with the other animals. That initself would make you think – how on earth are they going to do that, I know we did – but they most certainly do.
Like every good cliche the show is very much in two halves, although the way the story is told cleverly blends them seamlessly together. Pi is recalling his story from a hospital bed, where it quickly becomes clear this young lad has suffered an unthinkable tragedy.
How he recalls the story, and how we process it as members os the audience is what makes it so uniquely personal. What I took away from the story will be different to to what you feel. What is common to all of us, is how clever, and jaw-droppingly, breathtaking (there we go again) an experience is. And I think it is fair to call Life of Pi a theatrical experience rather than a straightforward show.
There’s no mystery in how the puppets are handled, there are people operating, or inside them, we all know that. What is genius about the way the story pulls you in is that you only see the animals, they are so real and incredibly detailed, that to all intents and purposes there was a Bengal tiger on the stage last night.
It’s also the little things which are clever too. Fishes and turtles swimming around the ocean definitely brought audible gasps from the audience.
The book has been such an incredible success and allowed us to create Pi’s world in our own mind. The movie brought that world to life with stunning visual effects. What Director MAX WEBSTER, and a hugely creative team of designers has done, is merge those two elements into one very special stage event.
The things we love about the novel, and the movie, are captured perfectly on stage. I felt it allowed my own imagination to explore the stories themes even more, particularly around faith, belief and what we can trust in.
It’s easy to see why Life of Pi is a multi award-winning production. It was also lovely to see so many younger members in the audience last night, this is the perfect introduction to theatre for drama classes and schools groups. In fact the team have put together a number of resource packs to accompany the show, including classroom activities, writing and puppets. You can find out more and download the packs HERE.
Having seen the show collect it’s Olivier Awards at the Royal Albert Hall last year I knew we were in for a treat in Cardiff, what I didn’t realise is just how life affirming a show it is, and how breathtaking (again) a production we are lucky to have in South Wales.
LIFE OF PI is something very special and is on the Donald Gordon stage at the Wales Millennium Centre through to Saturday 21st October. Performances are at 7:30pm each evening with a 2:30pm matinee on Thursday and Saturday. Tickets start at £19 and you can get yours HERE.
you can also look back at our behind the scenes feature HERE.
