Review: LIFE OF PI at Connor Palace/Key Bank Series

Yann Martel is noted for his ability to write tales filled with adventure, survival and spirituality.  His novel, LIFE OF PI, sold more than 15 million copies and won numerous awards.

The novel has been translated into a film and now a stage play by Lolita Chakrabarti.  It is on stage at the Connor Palace Theatre, as part of the Key Bank Broadway Series.

The play premiered in June, 2019 in Sheffield, England and was transferred to London’s West End in November, 2021.  It went on to win numerous awards.  It came to Broadway in 2023 and had a healthy Big Apple run.

The story centers on Piscine (Pi) Patel, a teen boy from India.  His family owns a zoo.  In the 1970s the country was swept with political and economic unrest.  In order to ensure a better life for the children, they sold the zoo.  The parents and their two children, along with some of the more exotic animals, boarded a cargo ship to Canada. 
 
A storm sinks the ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  All are lost except for Pi, who is marooned on a life boat with a Bengal tiger (named Richard Parker), a zebra, a hyena and an orangutan.  Over the next 227 days, the question of existence becomes paramount.  How does one deal with hunger, thirst, and dangerous animals in such a confined environment? 
 
In order to live, Pi has to face conflicts of man versus nature, man versus self, and man versus animal.  An added element is the role of faith and the role of “God.”

David Greene, the Senior Vice President of Programming for Playhouse Square, states in the well-crafted show’s program notes, “The immersive sensory experience created left me entranced.”  I totally agree.  I was mesmerized by the quality of the production.
 
The cast is excellent.  Taha Mandviwala is masterful as Pi.  His physicality, emotional immersion and total believability is awing.   
 
Mandviwala is no stranger to the Cleveland area.  In 2019 he starred in two Great Lakes Theater productions, TAMING OF THE SHREW and WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION.  In addition, his brother is a doctor at University Hospital. 
 
He states of LIFE OF PI, “On the surface it is just a very simple story, about a young boy who is ship-wrecked and just trying not to die.”  He further states, “However, it’s more than a survival story, the production dives into deeper themes about family, nature and faith, challenging audiences to ponder what it means to believe when you have every reason to give up.” 
 
Is the tale one of truth or fiction?  “In the author’s note to the book, Martel states that he met a man named Francis Adrubasamy at a coffee shop.  Francis told Martel he had a story that would make Martel believe in God.  That story ended up being the basis for the book.  

Is the story fact or fiction?  Does it matter?  In the hands of a masterful writer, it makes for a wonderful book, movie and theatre production!
 
The staging by director Max Webster is creative.  He places demands, not only by the actors to create reality, but for technical creativity and expertise that go far beyond the usual performance.
 
The puppet designs are by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell.  The puppeteers performing as Richard Parker were Austin Wong Harper, Jon Hoche and Betsy Rosen.  They render a master class in puppetry.  The special lighting effects by Tim Lutkin and Tim Deiling, video and animation design of Andrzej Goulding and sound design by Carolyn Downing, help create compelling effects.
 
Capsule judgment:  It is difficult to watch such a combination of writing, acting and special effects and not be swept up in the wonder of live theatre.  The written story made for a thrilling experience in imagination. The film version added the visual experience.  The stage presentation offers an immersive experience that goes well beyond either of the other formats.  Do yourself a favor and see this production of LIFE OF PI. 
 
LIFE OF PI runs at the Connor Palace through January 26, 2025. Tickets are available for all performances and can be purchased by calling 216-241-6000 or go online to playhousesquare.org.

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