UPDATED – with UK Tour Dates
I took 3 teenage boys into the West End to watch a fantastic play, of a book I know is on most schools reading lists- The Life of Pi. It was good to go into Central London again after avoiding it for most of the Christmas period, and it is heartening to see the West End bustling and still alive in January. It’s a perfect half term treat.
If there is a good reason to come back into Central London again the theatres are definitely it. The quality of the productions currently on are better than ever and The Life of Pi was an absolute smash hit for 3 especially lively 14 year olds, Joseph, Sam and Ivan.
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It is an amazing and inventive production that is so clever in its use of stage, puppetry and cast. There were gasps throughout as the stage turns and a boat rises from the blank stage, clever lighting created imagery water and waves that smoothly transform back into a hospital tiles floor. Not to give too much away but the stage was remarkable, with some stunning surprises from what seems to be a floor cut into the shape of a large boat, rivets included. The boat sinking managed to make us feel seasick! The puppeteers and stunning animals were the stars of the show. The hyena was so menacing, the Zebra was so big and so quick! The way that tiger moved was exceptional. As Sam said “ they gave Richard Parker (the tiger) his own character and emotions. I can’t believe how he looked sad and scared just by twitches and movements”
The cast worked so well together. The ensemble moved so well, an almost balletic change of scenes with props and puppets that completely engaged all of us throughout the whole play. Ivan said “I didn’t even know where to look it all was so good.” But of course the stand out performance was Pi himself. Hiran Abeysekera so was so likeable as Pi and owned the role and the stage, even with that stunning Bengal tiger!
I would absolutely recommend this production of The Life of Pi for all older children. The discussions that we had after the play ended continued all the way though our journey home- it’s themes of reality and story telling- Pi’s choice in how to express his trauma- how the animals represented the people in the boat- what each thought of the animals- what their favourite bits were- how they made that bit work and how did that happen? Their English teachers would be proud! It will be an experience that will stay with all three boys for a long time and I was grateful I was able to take them out to the theatre for a fantastic night out.
WYNDHAM’S THEATRE
Charing Cross Road
London
WC2H 0DA
TICKETS
Box Office: 0844 482 5151
Ticket prices start from £15.00
BOOKING ONLINE
SEASON DATES
LIFE OF PI UK TOUR
28 August 2023 – 20 July 2024
Sheffield Lyceum
29 August – 16 September 2023
Milton Keynes Theatre
19 – 23 September 2023
Norwich Theatre Royal
25 – 30 September 2023
Southend Cliffs Pavillion
9 – 14 October 2023
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Tickets on sale from 9 December 2022
17 – 21 October 2023
Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
23 – 28 October 2023
Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
6 – 11 November 2023
Chichester Festival Theatre Tickets on sale from September 2023
16 November – 2 December
Lowry, Salford
5 December 2023 – 6 January 2024 Tickets on sale from 5 December 2022
Bristol Hippodrome
15 – 20 January 2024
Newcastle Theatre Royal Tickets on sale from 8 March 2023
23 January – 3 February 2024
Theatre Royal Brighton
5 – 10 February 2024
Birmingham Hippodrome
12 – 17 February 2024
Grand Opera House, Belfast Tickets on sale soon
20 – 24 February 2024
Bord Gais Theatre, Dublin
26 February – 2 March 2024
Theatre Royal Plymouth
5 – 9 March 2024
Leicester Curve
12 – 23 March 2024
Hull New Theatre Tickets on sales soon
25 – 30 March 2024
Coventry Belgrade
8 – 13 April 2024
Nottingham Theatre Royal Tickets on general sale from 12 December
15 – 20 April 2024
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Tickets on sale soon
22 – 27 April 2024
Liverpool Empire
29 April – 4 May 2024
Severn Theatre, Shrewsbury On sale date to be announced
6 – 11 May 2024
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
14 – 18 May 2024
Cheltenham Everyman Theatre
3 – 15 June 2024
Glasgow Theatre Royal
17 – 22 June 2024
Edinburgh Festival Theatre
25 – 29 June 2024
Leeds Grand Theatre
2 – 13 July 2024
Northampton Derngate Theatre
15 – 20 July 2024
Karen Beddow founded Mini Travellers in 2014 while doing what she loves most...going on holiday!
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