Life of Pi is a play adapted from the 2001 homonymous novel by Canadian author Yann Martel. The book has mesmerised countless readers, myself included. During my first read, I was deeply obsessed by what happened to Pi.
The book tells the story of an Indian boy who spent eight months adrift at sea after the ship he was traveling on sank. After Pi is rescued, the insurance agent from the shipping company seeks to uncover the truth behind his ordeal. It is then that Pi begins to recount his extraordinary journey shared with a Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.
How does the creative team bring to life a tumultuous seafaring adventure featuring an array of lifelike animals on stage?
The Use of Puppetry
The creators have chosen puppetry given its unique form of expression. This is the highlight of the stage adaptation but it also brings extraordinary technical challenges. The tiger, the orangutan, the zebra, the sea turtle… different characters are made from different materials, produced and operated differently. The tiger, and the orangutan, each must be operated by three puppeteers at the same time. In order to embody the feelings and emotions of the character, the puppeteer must consider carefully the way the puppet moves, its weight, rhythms, breathing and sightline.
Their puppeteers shared how they had to do weight, endurance and stamina training in order to effectively bring Richard Parker to life. During rehearsals, they even wore ankle, wrist and chest weights to build the required muscle for the show and to reduce the chance of injury too.
A successful puppetry performance can convincingly portray the puppets as living, thinking beings, despite the obvious presence of their puppeteers. It is worth mentioning that in the 2022 Laurence Olivier Awards, the Best Actor in a Supporting Role was awarded to the group of seven puppeteers who alternately operated and gave voice to Richard Parker in this stage performance!
Between Imagination and Reality
Besides vividly depicting animals through puppetry, the stage design and seamless set changes also facilitate a swift and fluid transition between different scenes. The ingenious integration of elements such as lighting, video projection, a revolving stage and sound effects, transfers the audience from a hospital to a bustling market or a fight against a storm in just seconds. If they look carefully the audience may notice that the lifeboat in Pi’s memory is (at times) formed by hospital beds, conveying Pi’s subjective view and alluding to his mental state.
Life of Pi is an illusionary feast leading the audience into Pi’s fantasy world, allowing seeds of various life questions – survival, morality and religious faith – to silently take root in the hearts of the audience. Its lasting effect demonstrates the unique magic of this theatrical adaptation.
By Kingston Lo
Freelance professional in various roles, such as editing, directing, criticism, and lyrics writing. Graduated from the School of Drama at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2021, co-founder of Theatre Formula, focusing on playwriting and directing.
This article is translated from Chinese.