Life of Pi
Based on the Novel by Yann Martel
Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti
Directed by Max Webster
Tour Director Ashley Brooke Monroe
The Fox Theatre
October 8, 2025
Taha Mandviwala, puppeteers Anna Leigh Gortner, Shiloh Goodin, Toussaint Jeanlouis
Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
Life of Pi National Tour
Get ready to be dazzled! The Fox Theatre is currently hosting the national tour of Life of Pi, Lolita Chakrabarti’s adaptation of Yann Martel’s celebrated novel, which has also been adapted as a celebrated film in 2012. I had seen the movie, and heard excellent comments about the play, but even the great word-of-mouth and awards won by this show could not have adequately prepared me for what I saw onstage at the Fox. With a fantastic cast led by a truly dynamic lead and truly stunning production values, along with a riveting, poignant story, this Life of Pi is a theatrical marvel.
The story is told in flashback, as teenage Pi Patel (Taha Mandiwala), the only survivor of a shipwreck, is being interviewed in Mexico about his experience by Lulu Chen (Mi Kang) and Mr. Okamoto (Alan Ariano), who are trying to get the true story about what happened to the ship and how Pi survived. As Pi is finally convinced to tell his story, the set shifts and we see where Pi’s story began, in Pondicherry, India in the late 1970s, where Pi and his older sister Rani (Maya Rangulua) have grown up at a zoo run by their parents (Sorab Wadia, Jessica Angleskhan). We learn about the various animals, including a menacing Bengal tiger named Richard Parker (voice by Toussaint Jeanlouis) and an Orangutan named Orange Juice (Angleskhan). We also learn about Pi’s unsual religious beliefs, observing Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity, which help shape his views of what will soon happen to him. As growing unrest in their country leads the family to head to Canada, they pack up their animals and head out on a ship, soon becoming acquainted with the vessel’s crass French cook (Jeanlouis), among others. When the ship inevitably sinks, Pi finds himself stranded on a lifeboat with Richard Parker, among others, beginning an epic struggle for survival that tests Pi’s faith as well as his physical and emotional limits.
The sheer physical production of this show is astounding, with a stunningly fluid set by Tim Hatley that creates a colorful, fully realized world that shifts as needed from a sparsely furnished room in Mexico to populous Indian town, to a ship at sea, and to the open ocean surrounded by rolling waves and debris. Andrzej Goulding’s video and animation design complements the set brilliantly, and aided by the dazzling lighting by Tim Lutkin and Tim Deiling and sound design by Carolyn Downing, the audience is brought along on Pi’s eventful journey. There are also excellent costumes by Hatley and a stirring score by composer Andrew T. Mackey. Seated as I was (along with the other critics) in the mezzanine, I was able to witness the full effect of these remarkable production values, and as great as orchestra seats are at the Fox, I recommend sitting higher up for a more immersive experience.
Also worth noting is the truly fantastic puppetry, with marvelous designs by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, and puppeteering by Ben Durocher, Shiloh Goodin, Anna Leigh Gortner, Austin Wong Harper, Aaron Haskell, Jeanlouis, Betsy Rosen, Anna Vomáčka, and Andrew Wilson. The puppeteers blend in with the cast well, bringing these detailed creations to life, including Richard Parker, Orange Juice, Buckingham the goat, Black and White the Zebra, a sea turtle, and more. The cast of human characters work well with the puppets, led by a tour-de-force performace from the magnetic Mandviwala as Pi. It’s a starring role in every sense of the term, and Mandviwala has the presence, wit, intelligence, grit, and energy, along with a dynamic physicality, that is essential in adequately telling this tale. Madiviwala is supported by a strong ensemble with no weak links, as well, with standouts being Jeanlouis as the cook, Wadia as Pi’s stern-but-caring father, and Angleskhan as his devoted mother. The strong ensemble energy adds much to the poignancy and credibility of the story, which blends elements of realism and fantasy in a riveting storytelling journey.
I was somewhat surprised at how many empty seats I saw on press night, considering how fantastic this show is. This is a show that needs to be seen to be believed. It’s a truly astonishing achievement of modern theatre, blending the best in technical theatre advancements and special effects with timeless storytelling and excellent acting. It’s running until October 19th, and I highly recommend checking it out.
Taha Mandivwala (center) and Cast
Photo by Evan Ziimmerman for MurphyMade
Life of Pi National Tour
The National Tour of Life of Pi is running at the Fox Theatre until October 19, 2025