Review: ‘Life of Pi’ shines brightly at the Ahmanson
- Anita W. Harris
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
The national touring production of “Life of Pi,” continuing at the Ahmanson Theatre through June 1, offers a stellar theatrical experience. Visually stunning with an excellent lead and satisfyingly adapted for the stage by Lolita Chakrabarti from Yann Martel’s Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name, “Life of Pi” is as beautifully rendered as it is suspenseful — making it must-see theatre.
Martel’s fantastical novel “Life of Pi” was actually rejected multiple times before being published in 2001 and going on to win the Booker Prize in 2002. The 2012 film adaptation by Ang Lee won four Oscars, and Chakrabarti’s 2019 adaption for the stage won her an Olivier Award for best new play.
The story relates the whimsical yet harrowing adventure of a faith-filled teenaged boy named Pi, but in Chakrabarti’s well-structured stage rendition, memory threads of his lost family — including his mother (Jessica Angleskhan), father (Sorab Wadia), sister Rani (Sharayu Mahale), his aunt and biology teacher (Mi Kang) and his uncle (Rishi Jaiswal) who named him and taught him to swim — are woven into his journey, making it meaningfully satisfying as well.
The story also comments on storytelling itself, questioning what is the “truth” about an event — in this case how and why a Japanese cargo ship capsized in a storm — and how exactly did its sole survivor make it nearly a year adrift at sea. Along the way, it attempts to dissolve the boundaries between religions and nationalities, and between humans and other animals.
But how to stage things like sea storms, a floating raft, a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan named Orange Juice and especially a Bengal tiger accidentally named Richard Parker after the man who had captured him?
Realistic animal puppetry designed by Finn Caldwell and Nick Barnes — operated with precision by numerous puppeteers, both inside and outside the puppets, three just for the tiger (Anna Leigh Gortner, Shiloh Goodin and Toussaint Jeanlouis) — magical video projection and animation by Andrzej Goulding, reality-shifting lighting by Tim Lutkin and Tim Deiling and transporting sound design by Carolyn Downing all alchemically combine to create a visceral experience for the audience that smoothly transitions from Pi’s family’s zoo in Pondicherry, India, to the cargo ship, raft and a hospital room in Mexico.
Adding a generous dollop of charm to the production is charismatic actor Taha Mandviwala in the lead role of Pi (short for Piscine, the French word for swimming pool) Patel. Constantly moving about the stage with a megawatt smile, Mandviwala brings a youthful enthusiasm to the stage that is infectious. The stage feels empty in the few moments he’s not on it, and not just because of his exceptional movement but because of the light his energy brings.
Under Max Webster's direction, this very physical — sometimes violent — production is also perfectly paced, and all the actors deliver their lines in exceptionally clear and nuanced ways. The story thus comes to life and washes over the audience without much effort, allowing us to suspend our disbelief and immerse ourselves in the the wonder of the performance that much more.
“Life of Pi” continues at Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, through June 1, with performances Tuesdays through Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. For tickets and information, call the box office at 213-628-2772 or visit CenterTheatreGroup.org. Run time is 2 hours and 10 minutes, including intermission.