The Kennedy Center: Life of Pi

Today, my mom and I went to the Kennedy Center to watch the play adaptation of Life of Pi. Having already read the book and seen the movie, I was curious to experience the story in yet another format. The performance was held in the Eisenhower Theater, which, while not as large as the Opera House (apparently the biggest theater at the Kennedy Center), was still an impressive venue. Despite the large audience, the logistics were seamless—we didn’t encounter much waiting for parking or getting to our seats.

Here are my thoughts:

What I Liked
• The Cook’s Performance:
The actor playing the cook stood out to me, delivering his small but impactful role with a great French accent. He executed the character exactly as I had imagined. I also appreciated his brief voicing of the tiger, Richard Parker, during Pi’s hallucination scene.
• Richard Parker (the Tiger):
The portrayal of Richard Parker was spectacular. The scene where Pi fought the tiger and finally claimed the boat was a highlight, as it successfully translated the intensity and emotional depth from the book and movie.
• The Boat Sinking to Hospital Transition:
I thought the transition between the boat sinking and the hospital scene was well-done, offering a seamless shift between Pi’s physical and emotional realities.
• Animal Execution:
The animals, particularly Richard Parker, were handled excellently, maintaining the balance between realism and the theatrical imagination required for the stage.
• Challenging Adaptation:
Considering how much of Life of Pi takes place in the ocean, I recognize the difficulty of adapting this story for the stage. For a work so challenging to translate, the effort was commendable.

What I Disliked or Found Lacking
• Pi’s Portrayal:
While Pi (the main character) is central to the story, I felt he was a bit too animated, to the point where it detracted from the seriousness that is essential to the narrative.
• Pacing Issues:
The play felt very fast-paced, which might make it difficult for anyone unfamiliar with the book or movie to keep up with the story. It seemed as though the production assumed the audience already had prior knowledge of the plot.
• Missing Key Quotes:
There were certain key quotes from the book and movie that I had hoped to hear but didn’t. All of these quotes are subject, but an example of a quote that I wanted to to heard was:

“You think tiger is your friend? He is an animal, not a playmate. When you look into his eyes, you are seeing your own emotions reflected back at you, nothing else.”

This was in the animal execution scene, which was actually one of the scenes that I enjoyed.

• Background While at Sea:
I wish they had changed the background during the scenes where Pi was stranded at sea to create more visual variety.

Final Thoughts

Growing up, my brother was deeply involved in musical theatre, and I often attended his shows. His performances were incredibly impressive—so much so that I feel they were comparable to the Life of Pi production at the Kennedy Center. In fact, they likely set the bar for my high expectations. While the Life of Pi show was good, it didn’t quite reach greatness.At times, it’s hard to critique a show performed at such a high level, but I take a “tough love” approach to inspire progression. Translating Life of Pi to the stage is no small feat, given that 80% of the story takes place in the ocean. Overall, I’d rate the play a 7/10. Despite its challenges, it offered a memorable and unique way to experience this incredible story.

I also posted a YouTube video from the last 2 days that included some cool video visuals from my life of pi experience: