Review: THE LIFE OF PI at the Fabulous Fox Theatre

There are no musical numbers in the Fox Theatre’s 2025-2026 season opener. But that’s okay. Instead of a full-blown musical spectacle the company has opted for a moving production of The Life of Pi.

One of the best dramas to be staged at the Fox in years, the Broadway hit, based on Yann Martel’s novel, was previously adapted into a feature film. Given new life as a stage play, this Tony and Olivier Award winning production is a visual feast.

Ambitious and angst ridden, The Life of Pi brings modern technology to the stage via dazzling visuals and modern puppetry. These aspects, combined with enhanced sound and special effects, an unparalleled visceral experience.

The play opens in Mexico in 1978 where an investigation of the sinking of a Japanese cargo ship, the Tsimtsum is underway. There Mr. Okamoto, an assertive insurance agent, questions the last survivor of the sinking.

The narrative then flashes back to events of two years earlier in Pondicherry, India where his family, hoping to keep their zoo open have added a Bengal Tiger to collection of animals. Named Richard Parker after a mix-up on his shipping form, the big cat is a dangerous addition.

Although Pi’s father wants to stay, he sees the writing on the wall as the country’s prolonged political upheaval worsens. Regretfully, he makes the decision to close their zoo and leave for Canada.

For Pi the move is particularly difficult. His interest in all three places of worship in (Hindi, Christian and Islam) town has given him a curiosity about theology that expands his concepts of belief, faith and hope. He also has developed a strong bond with many of the animals under his family’s care, making the move especially difficult.

Setting out across the Pacific the Patels bring all their belongings and most of their animals, many of which are unnerved by the long voyage. Living on a cargo ship, the family has none of the comforts of home. The ship’s cook is particularly nasty and has no idea how to make vegetarian meals for the family. As cold and uncaring as the waters that would engulf him.

The boat is tossed into a maelstrom after a sudden storm arrives. The powerful storm overwhelms the passengers as the Tsimtsum sinks killing everyone aboard except for Pi, who finds himself inside a lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan and to his dread, Richard Parker.

Tossed across the ocean mercilessly the animals quickly revert to their natural ways. Eventually, the only two survivors are Pi and his dreaded enemy, Richard Parker.

Hemmed in on a lifeboat with a dangerous predator a terrified Pi clings to hopes of rescue as he spends 227 days at sea. During that time, he hallucinates visits from an admiral and his father who tells him he needs to establish dominance over the tiger to survive.

Short on food and water and on his own Pi’s mind wanders and his perception of reality takes a surrealist turn. As his condition worsens he struggles to separate truth and fiction, making answering questions about his journey afterwards more challenging.

Things come to a head when Pi offers his visitors an alternative ending to the events he endured. One of which is more brutal and horrific than they could have imagined.

While the entire ensemble is terrific, the real heartbeat of the production is Taha Mandviwala. A powerful actor with incredible nimbleness, his portrayal of a young man whose faith and endurance are tested is powerful and compelling.

Mandviwala mixes a natural curiosity with a powerful will to survive, giving Pi textures of emotion that feed audiences in a primal way. Making his performance more marvelous is how adeptly he hurls himself physically and mentally into the role.

Although driven onstage by Mandviwala and the rest of the ensemble, other stars of the The Life of Pi are the talented puppeteers, lighting designers, tech crew and sound engineers who bring the show together. It is hard to recall a production more dependent on the behind-the-scenes wizards to execute technical operations with such precision.

Brought to the stage by the same team that worked on War Horse, the puppet work here is masterful. Sleek and agile, Richard Parker is manned by three people. They do their jobs so well that after a while they are barely noticeable onstage.  Their agile movement combined with great sound effects make the tiger terrifying. As for the other critters, the puppetry for the hyena, orangutang and zebra also rely on a team to make their motions fluid and believable.

After a moment or two of awe, audiences are captivated at how relaxing the dynamic is between the ensemble and their puppet counterparts. Together they make the suspension of disbelief happen, allowing for the  ig climax, the storm striking the emotional resonance of the drama to sink in.

The lighting is fantastic. It blends brightness and darkness to create the play's dreary atmospheres. Especially during the production’s biggest moment, the sinking of the cargo ship.

The advent of modern technology has seen projected images more often in productions. Here, it is utilized to perfection. Serving as a backing screen for typed dates and locations as well as the ocean and sky, the visuals are dazzling.

Highlighted by a harrowing storm at sea, and a narrative that blurs line of realty and imagination. The Life of Pi is a sumptuous feast of high-tech theater that never discounts the importance of its superb cast.