TIGERS, TRAUMA, AND THEATRICAL MAGIC:
LIFE OF PI ROARS TO THE STAGE
Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel’s story has found enormous commercial success — first in Yann Martel’s Booker Prize–winning novel, and then in Ang Lee’s visually stunning film adaptation. Now, in its national tour, Life of Pi makes an ambitious leap to the stage at Segerstrom Center, telling the fantastical story of a 17-year-old Indian refugee who survives a shipwreck and drifts for 200 days — accompanied only by a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Those familiar with the book or film will understand that the tiger is more than a wild animal: it’s a symbol, a coping mechanism, and a crucial narrative sleight of hand.
Taha Mandviwala as 'Pi' and puppeteers Anna Leigh Gortner,
Shiloh Goodin and Toussaint Jeanlouis as 'Richard Parker'
Taha Mandviwala as 'Pi' and the cast
Before diving into the plot, praise must be given to Lolita Chakrabarti, who adapted the novel for the stage. She’s managed a delicate alchemy: blending fantasy, moral complexity, and trauma into a theatrical experience that feels accessible to all ages — while retaining the integrity of the source. After all, how do you get families to bring their grandkids to a story that ultimately involves cannibalism? Chakrabarti does just that, handling the material with reverence and trusting in the power of theatrical magic. The result is masterful.
Taha Mandviwala as 'Pi' and the cast
Taha Mandviwala as 'Pi' and the cast
You don’t need to have read the book or seen the film to follow this production. The play opens in Mexico, where Pi, hiding under a bed, is interviewed by a Canadian immigration official and a Japanese shipping representative, who is there to record the story of the young, frightened, and obviously distressed protagonist. The dialogue in this first scene is a bit clunky, bogged down by exposition and attempts to frame the story’s deeper philosophical themes. It’s the slowest portion of the play — but once we meet Pi’s family and their menagerie of zoo animals, the momentum builds swiftly.
Taha Mandviwala as 'Pi' and the cast
Taha Mandviwala as 'Pi' and puppeteers Anna Leigh Gortner,
Shiloh Goodin and Toussaint Jeanlouis as 'Richard Parker'
The Patel family is emigrating from India to Canada after years of political turmoil. Somehow — and best not to question this too deeply — they’ve managed to bring along a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and a Bengal tiger. When a storm sinks the cargo ship, Pi finds himself alone on a lifeboat with Richard Parker. You probably know the image: it’s been splashed across posters, trailers, and now this stage production.
Taha Mandviwala as 'Pi' and puppeteers Anna Leigh Gortner,
Shiloh Goodin and Toussaint Jeanlouis as 'Richard Parker'
Taha Mandviwala as 'Pi' and puppeteers Anna Leigh Gortner,
Shiloh Goodin and Toussaint Jeanlouis as 'Richard Parker'
Suspension of disbelief is key. You must believe that actors in tiger suits are tigers, that glowing rods manipulated by puppeteers become stars, and that an immigration investigator would let a teenager ramble on and on about his life in India. But Life of Pi is not concerned with strict realism — it’s a tale that reaches beyond language and logic, into something mythic and transcendent.
Puppeteers Anna Leigh Gortner, Shiloh Goodin, Toussaint Jeanlouis as 'Richard Parker'
Pragun Bhardwaj, Taha Mandviwala and the cast
Director Max Webster’s design team is genuinely outstanding. Andrew T. Mackay’s score captures the joy and innocence of Pi’s early life, while the puppets by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell and the masterful puppeteering are to be exalted. Drawing inspiration from Japanese Bunraku, the puppetry evokes a vivid, storybook version of Pi’s youth — a visual contrast to the trauma that follows. Lighting by Tim Lutkin and Tim Deiling, paired with Andrzej Goulding’s video design, creates a dynamic, immersive world that feels cinematic. Part of me wonders whether the piece might be better suited to an intimate black box, but in today’s economy, touring with this level of tech and stagecraft is already a minor miracle.
Mi Kang, Taha Mandviwala and Alan Ariano
Taha Mandviwala as 'Pi' and Austin Wong Harper (puppeteer)
Taha Mandviwala brings Pi to life with detailed physicality and emotional precision, shifting effortlessly through a wide range of experiences — from joy to anguish — with a deftness that marks a seasoned performer. Alan Ariano embodies the rigid Japanese investigator without relying on accent, a welcome choice. And Dénis Durocher’s portrayal of the ship’s cook (and Richard Parker) adds levity to what is otherwise a rather sinister character— you can tell he’s enjoying the role, especially when prowling as the tiger.
Taha Mandviwala, Sorab Wadia and the cast
The cast
As a Zen Buddhist, I left the theater feeling the same mix of sadness and wonder that I felt when first seeing the film. The story’s spiritual core is elusive yet crystalline — echoing Buddhist parables I’ve encountered before. The world Life of Pi builds is simultaneously cruel and heartbreakingly fragile. Under tour director Ashley Brooke Monroe, this production preserves the multilayered narrative and its emotional power.
Bring the whole family. And perhaps remind the children: it’s just a story — but what a story it is.
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photos by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade 2024
Life of Pi
national tour
Segerstrom Center for Arts
Tues-Thurs at 7:30p; Sat at 2& 7:30; Sun at 1 & 6:30
ends on Sunday, June 15th, 2025, at Segerstrom (tickets here)
tour continues; for dates and cities, visit Life of Pi
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Perhaps my expectation meter was set too high but I came away disappointed in this production when it played the Ahmanson. It teeters dangerously close to fantastic but falls short. Unlike War Horse or The Life and Times of Michael K — which really just featured the puppetry– Life of Pi seems to feature the puppeteers more. They so often simply get in the way of the puppet and as a result, the mood is broken. Everyone does give it the old college try but, at least for me, that ended up not being enough. Meh instead of Magic.