If your journey with LIFE OF PI began like mine, from the Yann Martel novel you’d have wondered how on earth they would ever recreate something some reliant on our imagination on the big screen. Well, they did, and it was brilliant. The same thinking occured to us when the play first took to the stage in the West End. Once again, they took the story to another level and created something totally unique.
Now, we get to see this multi award-winning production when it gets to the Wales Millennium Centre in October. I can tell you now, you won’t have seen anything like this on stage before. The story, staging, sets and sheer brilliance is incredible.
The trailer will give you an idea of what’s in store…….
Casting has been announced for the Olivier-Award winning production Life of Pi, and this is a very special run for DIVESH SUBASKARAN who makes his professional debut as the central role of Pi, alongside an extraordinary life-size puppeteered Bengal Tiger.
Divesh will be joined by Antony Antunes, who performs as Tiger Hind / Cook / Father Martin, Adwitha Arumugam as Pi Alternate, Bhawna Bhawsar as Lulu Chen / Mrs Biology Kumar, Ralph Birtwell as Mamaji / Admiral Balbir Singh, Kriss Dosanjh as Father.
Sebastian Goffin and Akash Heer will perform as Tiger Head, Romina Hytten as Tiger Heart and Hind, Katie Kennedy-Rose as Tiger Heart and Hind, Aizah Khan as Tiger Heart and Hind, Chand Martinez as Pandit-ji, Keshini Misha as Rani, Goldy Notay as Amma, Sharita Oomeer as Lulu Chen / Mrs Biology Kumar, Kate Rowsell as Tiger Heart and Hind, Lilian Tsang as Mrs Okamoto / Zaida Khan / Ships Captain, and Peter Twose as Tiger Head / Voice of Richard Parker / Cook / Father Martin.
The puppetry is right at the heart of this production, something we’re seeing a lot more of across our stage productions. Life of Pi Producer SIMON FRIEND explained more recently……
“We’re seeing more and more now, incredible puppetry – like The Magician’s Elephant at the RSC, or in The Ocean at the End of the Lane. But here, we really wanted to make sure that the puppets are characters in their own right – especially the tiger Richard Parker. What puppet designers Finn Caldwell (also puppetry and movement director) and Nick Barnes have done is create incredibly intricate sculptures that the company then bring to life – I just don’t know how they do it – it’s extraordinary.”
Yann Martel’s best-selling novel won the Man Booker Prize, selling over fifteen million copies worldwide – Life of Pi is a breath-taking read and this new theatrical adaptation of an epic journey of endurance and hope will definitely take your breath away
It’s a really unusual story to explain as it’s filled with magic and imagination, but most of all, incredible heart.
A sixteen year-old boy finds himself shipwrecked and lost at sea in a large lifeboat in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean. There are four other survivors stranded on a single lifeboat – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them, nature is harsh, who will survive?
Life of Pi, finished its West End run in January, after opening to critical acclaim at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield in 2019. Along the way it won five Olivier Awards in April last year. As well as Best New Play, and Best Actor for Hiran Abeysekera (the original Pi); in an historic first for the Olivier Awards – the seven performers who puppeteer the Tiger ‘Richard Parker’ were collectively awarded Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The production also picked up awards for set (Tim Hatley, Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell), and lighting design (Tim Lutkin and Andrzej Goulding).
I remember sitting in the audience at the Royal Albert Hall the year Life of Pi won the Olivier’s. They performed a section from the show and it was jaw-droppingly good. You can take a look back at that performance HERE and you’ll see what I mean. When Richard Parker (the tiger) came onto the stage, you could actually hear a gasp from us in the audience.
When the show opening in America on Broadway it was nominated for five Tony Awards and celebrated after winning three of its five nominated categories: Best Scenic Design of a Play (Tim Hatley & Andrzej Goulding) and Best Lighting Design of a Play (Tim Lutkin) and Best Sound Design of a Play (Carolyn Downing).
Life of Pi is produced by Simon Friend in association with Playing Field and Tulchin/Bartner and is directed by Max Webster. Set and Costume Designer is Tim Hatley, the Puppet Designers are Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, and the Puppet and Movement Director is Finn Caldwell. The Video Designer is Andrzej Goulding, the Lighting Designer is Tim Lutkin, the Sound Designer is Carolyn Downing, the Composer is Andrew T Mackay. Dramaturgy is by Jack Bradley, the Casting Director is Polly Jerrold, the Associate Director is Leigh Toney, the Associate Puppetry and Movement Director is Scarlet Wilderink, the Associate Set Designer is Ross Edwards, the Associate Puppet Designer is Caroline Bowman, the Costume Supervisor is Sabrina Cuniberto and the Props Supervisor is Ryan O’Conner.
LIFE OF PI is something very special and it takes to the Donald Gordon stage at the Wales Millennium Centre from Tuesday 17th through to Saturday 21st October. Performances are at 7:30pm each evening with a 2:30pm matinee on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Tickets start at £19 and you can get yours HERE.
This award-winning production provides the perfect introduction to theatre for drama classes and schools groups. 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.
