Review: LIFE OF PI at CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre

Life of Pi is an award winning novel by Canadian author Yann Martel. The rapid success of this inspiring novel has lead to both screen and stage adaptations, the latter of which picked up five Olivier Awards including Best New Play, and three Tony Awards. Currently on their North American tour making their only Canadian stop, Life of Pi, written by Lolita Chakrabarti and directed by Max Webster, is on stage now at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre until October 6, 2024. 

Piscine "Pi" Molitor (Divesh Subaskaran), the son of a zoo manager in Pondicherry, India, spends his days pondering life while helping his family tend to the many animals under their care. In the midst of political distress in India, Pi's father (Ameet Chana) manages to secure visas to move the family, and the animals, to Canada with passage on a cargo ship. Unfortunately, a tragic storm capsizes the ship and Pi finds himself lost at sea in a lifeboat. His only companion, a Bengal tiger. 

Life of Pi is both philosophoical and fantastical and asks the audience to suspend their limits of disbelief to consider the impossible. In doing so, the world around this production magically comes alive with seamless stage transitions and puppeteering to create landscapes and seascapes teaming with life. The creative team here haved truly outdone themselves. Set and Costume Designer Tim Hatley worked magic to bring that stage to life with filled with moving elements that could easily be manipulated by the ensemble to transition from a hospital room to the chaotic family zoo, the bustling streets of Pondicherry, and the endless tumultuous sea.

What truly captures the heart of the audience is the artistry that goes into the puppets designed by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell who also served as movement director. Each animal puppet requires a team of people to operate. The detailed choreography required of this small team is exquisitely intricate, executed so well that these puppets do take on a life of their own. With the slightest of head tilts and swishes of tails, the audience believes these animals to be real.   

The cast also deserves plenty of accolade. Subaskaran as Pi is superb, his complete willingness to give into this character, in both mind and body, speaks for itself. There are a few scenes where Pi is freefalling at sea and in order to capture this, Subaskaran is held up in the air by an ensemble member by merely an arm and a leg. We feel for his hopelessless and his relief as the memories of his loved ones and the lessons they bestowed upon him come to him in his hour of need. Goldy Notay plays Pi's Amma and her motherly nature shines through in how she cares for Pi and the animals at the zoo. Her presence becomes Pi's saving grace.

Life of Pi is a wonderful production that will stun and captivate. This is surely one not to be missed.

Photo Credit: Johan Persson

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