Taha Mandviwala as 'Pi' and puppeteers Anna Leigh Gortner, Shiloh Goodin and Toussaint Jeanlouis as 'Richard Parker' in the National Tour of "Life of Pi." Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade 2024
"The most dangerous animal in a zoo is Man." ~Life of Pi
Life of Pi (the three time Tony Award® winning production) at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis is a mesmerizing theatrical experience that pulls you right into Pi’s incredible story of survival. Having never read the book or seen the film, I was completely captivated as the story unfolded through stunning puppetry, evocative lighting, and immersive scenery. There are six puppeteers in the show. Pretty much every actor in the show does some kind of puppetry
The play follows sixteen-year-old Pi as he recounts his harrowing journey after a shipwreck leaves him stranded on a lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Bengal tiger—brought to life by masterful puppeteers. Set within a hospital room with flashbacks to his family’s ill-fated voyage, the show explores resilience, the complexities of belief, and the raw realities of survival with nuance and depth. The ending took me by surprise, and I was deeply engaged from start to finish. If you’re looking for a theater experience that’s both visually stunning and thought-provoking, this is one to see!
The play follows sixteen-year-old Pi as he recounts his harrowing journey after a shipwreck leaves him stranded on a lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Bengal tiger—brought to life by masterful puppeteers. Set within a hospital room with flashbacks to his family’s ill-fated voyage, the show explores resilience, the complexities of belief, and the raw realities of survival with nuance and depth. The ending took me by surprise, and I was deeply engaged from start to finish. If you’re looking for a theater experience that’s both visually stunning and thought-provoking, this is one to see!
"The most important thing to remember is that the audience needs to believe the puppet is alive. If that doesn’t happen, everything else is lost.
Puppets appeal to the audience’s sense of play, and there is a silent contract between the audience and the puppeteers to suspend all disbelief.
It’s the same as two children agreeing to play with a toy. There’s an unspoken agreement that the object is alive."
~Finn Caldwell (Puppet & Movement Director and Puppet Designer)
My one recommendation would be to purchase theater seats as close (as possible) to the center of the theater for this show as I was seated house left and some of the projected words and even the actors were out of my site line. I thought it was nice that the theater patrons near me started whispering the projected text down the rows so the people further to the side could still participate.
I was supposed to attend a media event this week to meet the tiger....but the snow storm ruined the fun. That's life in Minnesota for ya. Life of Pi at the Orpheum Theatre runs now through March 9, 2025.
I was supposed to attend a media event this week to meet the tiger....but the snow storm ruined the fun. That's life in Minnesota for ya. Life of Pi at the Orpheum Theatre runs now through March 9, 2025.
Artfully,
Please note that Hennepin Arts provided me with two theater tickets to this event. I want to keep things transparent! If you want to become a Twin Cities Theater Blogger and help Minnesota arts organizations share their important work with more people, reach out to the group on Facebook.
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- Also, check out another recent review:
THEATRE IN THE ROUND's "LEGACY OF LIGHT" BY KAREN ZACARÍAS - Stay tuned for an upcoming Artfully Engaging blog post about the annual performance of The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company in March
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