Show brings power of relationship between Pi and Parker to big stage

When Santosh and Gita Patel decide to sell their zoo in India and make the huge move to Canada, they had no idea that tragedy would strike and the ship they were aboard would be hit by a terrible storm and sink.

Their seventeen-year-old son Pi is the only human survivor, left afloat in a lifeboat on the high seas with a variety of animals for company, including a fearsome Bengal tiger, amusingly named Richard Parker.

Can Pi and the tiger gain each other’s trust in order to survive their arduous journey?

I remember watching the 2012 movie version and being mesmerised by Ang Lee and Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s incredible telling of this unique and heart-warming story.

The ending, for me, was completely unexpected and has remained with me as one of the cleverest conclusions to a plot I have seen, but I will leave you to judge for yourself.

The stage version is just as appealing and a total visual delight.

Andrzej Goulding’s video design, and Tim Lutkin, and Tim Deiling’s set and lighting are extraordinary, as the audience is transported from scene to scene.

Through back projections, incredible sound effects and seamless use of props and small pieces of scenery, the different aspects of the play are created so effectively that in the scenes depicting the zoo, you can imagine the heat of the sun, and almost smell the spices in the air in the Indian market.

As the ship begins to sink, you can feel the tension and horror of the situation, and the waves and rain are so real, you can almost feel the water washing over you and smell the ocean.

Indeed, every creative aspect of the play itself is a feast for the eye, the script is intelligent, engaging and pacy and the cast performances are impeccable.

I fully expected the animal puppets to be the stars of this production, and they are incredibly lifelike and skilfully operated by their puppeteers, who become invisible as you focus on the animal alone, I felt the need to stroke the tiger and look into his eyes he was so convincing.

However, it is Divesh Subaskaran’s outstanding performance as Pi that completely steals the show.

Making his professional debut in this production, his portrayal of the fear that Pi feels from day to day during his time at sea is tangible, in this superb physical performance.

He is fearless, warrior like and brave and yet still manages to portray the emotion towards his enemy the tiger.

His execution of Max Webster’s faultless direction should be appalled, as he perfectly creates the movements a human may make onboard a boat being tossed about by the waves while facing his worst fear in a bid for survival.

Divesh never leaves the stage and is constantly dealing with a complicated script, interaction with puppets and an ever-changing set, yet there is never a weak moment in his characterisation.

His gave a very natural, believable performance and there is no doubt he will go far.

There are seasoned, experienced performances from Ralph Birtwell as Pi’s father Santosh, and Goldy Notay as Amma, while Antony Antunes is suitably villainous and despicable as the Cook.

The animal puppeteers not only operate the puppets but also bring them to life through obviously well-researched movements and noises and are nothing short of outstanding.

It was never going to be an easy job to adapt the movie version to the stage, and I am sure that some movie fans will criticize the play, but rest assured that if you have tickets, you are in for a magnificent spectacle, excellent dramatic performances, and an ending is so thought-provoking and clever that different people will see different aspects of the conclusion of the story. It just depends how you look at life.

This is the sort of show which gives you shivers and brings a tear to the eye; it is so special.

For tickets, visit grandtheatre.co.uk or call 01902 429212 and if you can’t get a ticket here in Wolverhampton, “Life of Pi” is heading to Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury from May 7-11.

Unmissable!