Playing through June 1st at the Ahmanson Theater, the touring production of Life of Pi is nothing short of a theatrical triumph. Faithfully adapted by playwright Lolita Chakrabarti and directed with spectacular ingenuity by Max Webster, this stage version of Yann Martel’s beloved novel isn’t just a retelling—it’s a powerful immersion into an awe-inspiring tale of survival, faith, and the delicate boundary between reality and belief.
In short, the story of Pi begins in his village where he and his family run a zoo full of exotic animals like an orangutan named Orange Juice, a goat named Buckingham, a hyena with no name, and a Zebra named, well, Zebra. Newly arrived is a vicious Bengal tiger named Richard Parker—a tiger that is fed Pi’s friend, Buckingham, and whom he immediately despises.
But things will soon change. Because Pi’s family is nervous about the political climate growing in their country, they have just received documents to assure their safe journey aboard a cargo ship to Canada, where they can start a new life.
But a walloping storm destroys the ship, leaving Pi on a lifeboat with an injured Zebra. With his family dead, he assumes he will soon be rescued, but that dream doesn’t quickly materialize. Worse still, Richard Parker swims up to – and boards – the lifeboat, putting the lives of Pi, Zebra, and the newly arrived Orange Juice in danger.
So, for 227 days, Pi fights not only for his physical safety but also for his sanity, with an enduring faith that he will survive.
From the first moment the character of 17-year-old Pi steps on stage, we are swept into a vivid, dreamlike world where storytelling becomes salvation. Taha Mandviwala is astounding in the role and embodies him with a warmth, wit, and raw emotional power that easily carries the audience through a storm of loss and wonder with unwavering power. His performance is the emotional heartbeat of the show—vulnerable yet resilient, philosophical yet fiercely human.
And if Mandviwala’s performance wasn’t enough, we have the marvel of tiger Richard Parker.
The massive Bengal tiger is brought to life by a team of puppeteers whose work is so fluid, so terrifyingly real, you’ll forget you’re watching puppetry at all. Every movement—from a flick of the tail to a snarl—is executed with haunting precision. This creature, crafted of wood and fabric, somehow breathes on stage. (As do all of the animal puppets we experience.)
Visually, the production is a triumph. Tim Hatley’s set, paired with Andrzej Goulding’s video projections and Tim Lutkin’s atmospheric lighting, transforms the stage into a charming zoo, a rickety lifeboat, and a boundless ocean —and most importantly, a liminal space where reality and imagination blur. The ocean shimmers, the sky drifts, and the audience is held in a constant state of awe.
But beyond its spectacle, Life of Pi asks big questions. What do we believe when faced with the impossible? Which stories do we tell ourselves to survive? Are the spiritual beliefs we hold just a story we tell to survive this thing we call life?
Pi’s journey doesn’t offer easy answers—but it does invite you to sit with wonder, fear, and hope, and to contemplate the power of story and faith.
Bold, profound, and beautifully transporting, Life of Pi is not just a play. It’s a journey you won’t want to miss.
“Life of Pi” runs through June 1st at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles.
For more information and tickets, visit www.ctg.org.
Additionally, the show will run at Segerstrom Center for the Arts from June 3 – 15, 2025. Tickets are available at www.scfta.org.
