Prowling and growling, this incredible life-sized Bengal tiger is so convincing you actually forget it's a puppet. The tiger is set to be the star of the big Christmas show Life of Pi which is heading to The Lowry theatre in Salford this year.
The tiger, known as Richard Parker in the award-winning play based on the best-selling Life of Pi novel, is brought to life by a team of award-wining actors. They painstakingly create every convincing tiger-like movement from the twitch of an ear to the swing of his tail as he crosses the stage.
The tiger is one of a menagerie of animals that are brought to life in the production, which heads to The Lowry from December 5 for an extended four week run over the festive season.
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And at a special performance at The Lowry last week, he ran amok among an invited audience of media guests. He growled, prowled and tried to paw and "tear up" bags and even launched towards this scared reporter in the process.
The tiger, it's fair to say, is truly mesmirising. As you watch him walk menacingly towards you, you actually sort of forget that he is being operated by very highly skilled humans both inside and alongsdie him.
Also at The Lowry for the launch was playwright Lolita Chakrabarti, who adapted the much-loved novel for the stage, and Puppet and Movement Director Finn Caldwell. The visit came in the week Life of Pi’s Broadway production won 3 prizes at The Tony Awards in New York.
It is based on the book Life of Pi which is one of the best-loved works of fiction in modern times. It won the Man Booker Prize and sold over fifteen million copies worldwide.
For those who may not have read the book or seen the film, the story follows a cargo ship which sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, with just five survivors stranded on a single lifeboat – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, a sixteen-year-old boy, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them, nature is harsh, who will survive?
Life of Pi is Beginning its first-ever tour of the UK and Ireland this August 2023, with Divesh Subaskaran confirmed to make his professional debut in the central role of Pi. Reviews on the West End have hailed the production "jaw dropping", "spell-binding" and "a triumph".
The play won five Olivier Awards in April 2022. As well as Best New Play, and Best Actor for Hiran Abeysekera (the original Pi); in an historic first for the Olivier Awards - the seven performers who puppeteer the Tiger ‘Richard Parker’ were collectively awarded Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Having now seen the tiger, and the actors bring him to life, it's not hard to see why they so richly deserved that award.
The production is recommended for ages 8+.
Life of Pi will be at The Lowry from Tuesday 5 December 2023 to Saturday 6 January 2024.
