REVIEW - Life Of Pi is full of heart and grit told in the most beautifully fabricated tapestry of light, sound and colour

On Wednesday, we were invited to The Lowry, Salford to watch the Life Of Pi. Read what our reviewer Leanne Parker had to say about this incredible show...

This captivating and fantastical production has briefly returned to The Lowry, and I am SO here for it! I was extremely fortunate to see this production during its previous visit to the Salford Quays theatre late last year and remember emerging afterwards as if from an ethereal, vivid, visceral dream. Tonight seemed to not only deliver on that feeling again, but somehow, increase it! Max Webster (Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, As You Like It, The Jungle Book, The Twits, The Winter’s Tale, Much Ado About Nothing, To Kill a Mockingbird) directs playwright Lolita Chakrabarti’s adaptation of the much-loved novel for the stage and honestly, I still, after a second viewing, am incredulous at how this has been achieved. For those unfamiliar with the tale, let’s just say that it does not naturally lend itself to being staged in front of a live audience in a theatre building and yet somehow, by gosh have they achieved the unachievable here! Yann Martel’s story of hope, Life of Pi is a tale that touches on philosophy, religion, faith, the sheer audacity of the human spirit in the face of challenge and the unsurmountable will to survive and it is performed with brutal, beautiful brilliance from every

For those unfamiliar with the plot, Pi, played by Divesh Subaskaran and his family find themselves forced to leave India for a new life in Canada, a journey which would be difficult enough without factoring in that they own a zoo - a zoo which also needs to be uprooted and transported, making this a rather more logistically tricky enterprise!! Pi sets off on the journey across the Ocean along with his family, Amma, played by Goldy Natay (Mahabharata, All of Us, The Game of Love and Chance; Akley Bridge, The Bill, Silent Witness), Baba, played by Chand Martinez (Romeo and Juliet, The Wizard of Oz, The Alchemist) and sister Rani played by Sonya Venugopal (Life of Pi, Come Fall in Love, Atlantis) who originated the role of Rani on Broadway. They are all relatable and their family dynamic, albeit seen briefly onstage, is light-hearted and warm. As they make their way, a powerful storm engulfs their ship, decimating it and leaving in its wake just five survivors stranded on a single lifeboat. Such is the fantastical nature of this brilliant story, those ‘survivors’ just so happen to be a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, our hero Pi, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger, named Richard Parker.

On a sidenote, we definitely need to discuss Richard Parker. Akash Heer, Romina Hytten, and Katie Kennedy-Rose combine talents to bring this incredible, 450lb Bengal Tiger to life. Richard Parker is fearsome, imposing, stunning as he saunters and moves around his stage space, with a realness you just can’t quite comprehend. Despite it being very clear that this is puppetry, it somehow doesn’t feel like it. You find yourself gasping, then holding your breath as Pi fights to survive. It’s exceptionally good. All the way through, this breathtaking show, directed by Max Webster, is like watching a mesmerising dance between actors and puppets, a flawless, seamless choreography of emotions unfolding throughout, running the full gamut of energy from slow and tranquil to fast and furious. And all the way through you almost have to sense check yourself, to remind yourself that yes, this *is* a Bengal Tiger brought to life in front of you and yes, this *is* a raging sea storm unleashing its fury in front of you and yes, this *is* actually taking place on a stage, in Salford Quays, on a Tuesday evening in July!

The ensemble cast are well worth a mention, as they play a veritable menagerie of roles. Antony Antunes, Adwitha Arumugam, Bhawna Bhawsar, Kriss Dosanjh, Sebastian Goffin, Akash Heer, Romina Hytten, Katie Kennedy-Rose, Aizah Khan, Chand Martinez, Keshini Mishai, Sharita Oomeer, Kate Rowsell, Lilian Tsang, and Peter Twose all add to the overall fluidity and appeal of the performance. However, it is Pi who holds the theatre captive, almost never leaving the stage all evening. All eyes are on him. Life of Pi was the professional debut role for Divesh Subaskaran, and he has resurrected his performance at The Lowry this evening, wonderfully. He is captivating as Pi, which is especially impressive to achieve given the sheer grace and brilliance of the all-consuming puppetry dancing across and around the stage around him throughout the evening. A lesser performance might be lost amongst all that spectacle. That his is not only lost but is decidedly stand-out is a credit to his performance.

The set is an entire character in itself and it delivers an exceptional performance backed up magnificently by the lighting design which compliments and enhances it superbly as we are effortlessly transported between land, sky and sea; an exotic zoo, a bustling Indian market, a sinking ship, a crowded lifeboat that floats beneath the constellations, and a hospital ward, where the account unfolds. Tim Hatley (Back to the Future, Dreamgirls, The Bodyguard, Shrek, Spamalot, Singin’ in the Rain), Tim Lutkin Fiddler on the Roof, Elf-The Musical, David Blaine, All’s Well that Ends Well, The Full Monty), and Andrzej Goulding (&Juliet, The Drifters, 1984, The Girl on the Train) are responsible for all of it and deserve a special mention because what they have created is amazing. Bringing the creatures to life, are puppet designers, Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell (also puppet movement director). Their expertise gives us, the audience, an entirely realistic breadth of animalistic action, which is hard to be anything but impressed by and immersed in. Their range of talents is tested, and they smash it, from the soft, watery, calm swimming motions at sea to the fierce and brutal chaos of a feeding frenzy onboard. It is no surprise whatsoever that this creative team was nominated for five Tony Awards - Best Direction, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design and won for Best Scenic Design, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design. The creativity of this production is some of the finest I have had the joy to experience.

A word of caution to anyone planning to attend with children. The production has a lower age limit of 8, but I feel that there are moments of the production that could be a little on the brutal side and are perhaps a little jarring for younger audience members. However, these are tastefully handled, and I would imagine many younger observers will be so immersed in the spellbinding puppetry and magical illusions unfolding in front of their very young eyes, that they may not bat an eyelid, but for some, it might be a little too much!

In this wondrous, fantastical exploration of humanity and the sanctity of life, Life of Pi pushes the boundaries of hearts and minds and leaves us to ponder uncomfortable and brutal questions about how far one would go to survive, how far one can experience utter weakness, abject hopelessness, literally staring into the void of death, and survive. And how, in the pursuit of such survival, we might justify our actions to ourselves. This really is a spectacle for the senses; a tale full of heart and grit told in the most beautifully fabricated tapestry of light, sound, and colour not to be missed.  

WE SCORE LIFE OF PI...



Life Of Pi is on at The Lowry, Salford until Saturday 6th July 2024.


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