Review: Life of Pi pushes the boundaries of hearts and minds at The Lowry

Based on Yann Martel’s best-selling parable of hope, Life of Pi is a tale that touches on philosophy, religion and the unsurmountable will to live.

After resounding triumphs in Broadway and the West End, and a stunning run at The Lowry last winter, the five-star theatrical adaptation is returning to the Salford stage for a super-limited run this summer.

When Pi’s family are forced to leave India and upheave their zoo to Canada, a great storm hits their ship, leaving only five survivors stranded on a single lifeboat – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, a sixteen-year-old named Pi, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger, named Richard Parker.

The breathtaking show, directed by Max Webster, is centred around a mesmeric harmony between actor and puppetry, human and animal; with a narrative that dances between thoughtful moments of tranquillity and unexpected outbursts of energy.

If Life of Pi is all about the importance of storytelling, then the entire production succeeds in weaving non-linear versions of truth. This is elevated through a transformative set and lighting design (Tim Hatley, Nick Barnes, Finn Caldwell, Tim Lutkin, Andrzej Goulding).

Captivating scenes interchange between land, sky and sea; an exotic zoo, a bustling Indian market, a sinking ship, a crowded lifeboat that floats beneath the constellations, and a hospital ward, where the account unfolds.

Bringing a cacophony of creatures to life, puppet designers, Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell (also puppet movement director), master a convincing range of animalistic action. There is an unsettling contrast between the soft, watery swimming motions at sea and the beastly carnage of a feeding frenzy onboard.

Likewise, the human choreography is entirely believable, darting from one side of the lifeboat to the other — manic, yet controlled. Lifting through the narrative of space and time, the entire production is both elegant and dazzling.

Be under no illusion – in a wondrous exploration of humanity and the sanctity of life, Life of Pi pushes the boundaries of hearts and minds, raising the brutal question of how far one would go to survive. And how we might justify our actions to ourselves.

An awe-inspiring spectacle not to be missed, Life of Pi will return to The Lowry from Tue 2 Jul – Sat 6 Jul. We’ve even teamed up with The Lowry to offer our readers two-for-one tickets, simply book using the button below to claim.