Taha Mandviwala as Pi and his buddy in Life of Pi at the Broward Center, (Photos by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)
By Oline H. Cogdill
There are moments in the drama Life of Pi during which, no matter where you are sitting in the Broward Center, the realistically-looking, ferocious-sounding, life-sized Royal Bengal tiger may prompt audience members to grab their arm rests or companions or gasp in this play about a teenager and a tiger adrift in the ocean.
Yes, we know that tiger, named Richard Parker, is a puppet—as are the hyena, the zebra, orangutang and the other animals. And we know they are being brought t life by a team of quite talented puppeteers.
But it’s in those moments when superb stagecraft and superior production values take over, enveloping the audience into Life of Pi, playing through Oct. 26 at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale.
That’s not to dismiss the stellar performance of Taha Mandviwala who plays the titlar Pi (on certain days the role is played by Savidu Geevaratne or understudy Sharayu Mahale). Pi is a high-energy, emotional role. On the night we saw it, Mandviwala more than rose to the occasion. Nor do we want to take away any moments of glory from the rest of the cast, all of whom do double, and triple, duty as Pi’s family, neighbors and a ship crew and others and then assisting with the puppets.
But those magnificent puppets and their skillful puppeteers are the real stars of Life of Pi and those performances will stay with audience members.
The stage drama is based on Yann Martel’s 2001 novel and Ang Lee’s 2012 film, and adapted for the theater by playwright Lolita Chakrabarti. Life of Pi received a 2023 Tony for direction, scenic design, lighting design and sound design. Life of Pi also received Tony nominations for direction, costume design and Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play.
Set in 1978, Life of Pi revolves around Pi Patel, a 16-year-old whose family operates a zoo in India. Political unrest prompts the family to take their animals on board a Japanese freighter bound for Canada to start over.
But the ship sinks during a storm, leaving Pi as the only human to reach a lifeboat. Eventually, he is joined by a zebra, a hyena and an orangutan. And then comes Richard Parker, named for the hunter who captured him. The ship will be adrift for 277 days before they are rescued. During the eight months before they end up in Mexico, Pi will turn 17 years old and go through massive emotional changes.
Life of Pi begins in a hospital room in Mexico where Pi is recovering and being questioned by authorities. The hospital room morphs into the family zoo, then the ship, then the lifeboat as the teenager recounts his past.
Survival is, of course, a main theme but so are faith, religion, family, community, life, death and compassion.
The puppet design is by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, choreographed by Caldwell. This is a far cry from the puppets many of us of a certain age watched on TV or those puppets subsequent generations have played with. These puppets are even light years beyond those beautiful horses in Warhorse or the playful Avenue Q gang.
The ensemble in the tour currently at the Broward Center have been working together for a year. Fort Lauderdale marks the final stop of this team before another group of performers takes over for the next tour. This longevity shows as the timing throughout Life of Pi is pitch perfect.
Life of Pi runs through Oct. 26 in the Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale, as part of the Broadway Across America series. Times vary. Running time 2 hours, 10 minutes, with one 20-minute intermission. Tickets run from $48.75 to $173.75. For tickets visit www.browardcenter.org, ticketmaster.com; by phone 954-462-0222.
(Our review of the original Broadway production is here https://www.floridatheateronstage.com/reviews/report-from-new-york-tony-edition-life-of-pi-puppetry-gifts-visual-triumph/ )
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