West End Life of Pi to Welcome New Cast; Production Extends Through 2023 | Playbill

International News West End Life of Pi to Welcome New Cast; Production Extends Through 2023

Lolita Chakrabarti’s stage adaptation of Yann Martel’s book will make its North American premiere in Massachusetts.

Original cast members Habib Nasib Nader, Tom Larkin, and Scarlet Wilderink in Life of Pi

The West End premiere of Life of Pi, Lolita Chakrabarti’s stage adaptation of Yann Martel’s book, will welcome a host of new cast members beginning September 7 at London's Wyndham’s Theatre.

Nuwan Hugh Perera, currently the alternate Pi, will take over the title role with Chirag Benedict Lobo joining the cast as the new alternate Pi. Also joining the cast are Davina Moon as Ma, Ameet Chana as Father, Tanvi Virmani as Rani, Saikat Ahamad as Mamaji/Pandit-Ji, Sakuntala Ramanee as Mrs. Biology Kumar/Zaida Khan, Kevin Shen as Mr Okamoto, Phyllis Ho as Lulu Chen, Kazeem Tosin Amore as Cook/Voice of Richard Parker, Owain Gwynn as Puppeteer, and understudies Lilian Tsang and Mohit Mathur. 

Original West End cast members remaining in the show include Tom Espiner as Father Martin/Commander Grant-Jones and puppeteers Daisy Franks, Romina Hytten, Tom Larkin, Chris Milford, and Tom Stacy.

Life of Pi, which opened December 2, 2021, also announced that it has extended its run through January 15, 2023. When it closes, the production will have played almost 500 performances.

Future plans for the show include a North American premiere in December at Cambridge's American Repertory Theatre, an anticipated transfer to Broadway, and separate productions in Asia, Australia, and Mexico.

Life of Pi was awarded five Olivier Awards, including Best New Play, in April.

The current cast, continuing through September 4, includes Hiran Abeysekera as Pi, Mina Anwar as Ma, Nicholas Khan as Father, Payal Mistry as Rani, Tom Espiner as Father Martin/Commander Grant-Jones, Raj Ghatak as Mamaji/Pandit-Ji, Syreeta Kumar as Mrs. Biology Kumar/Zaida Khan, David K.S. Tse as Mr. Okamoto, Kirsten Foster as Lulu Chen, and Habib Nasib Nader as Cook/Voice of Richard Parker.

The Tiger puppeteers are Fred Davis (Tiger Head), Daisy Franks (Tiger Hind), Owain Gwynn (Tiger Head), Romina Hytten (Tiger Heart), Tom Larkin (Tiger Head), Tom Stacy (Tiger Hind), Chris Milford (Tiger Hind), and Scarlet Wilderink (Tiger Heart). Understudies are Alex Chang, Omar Khan, and Deeivya Meir.

Life of Pi begins after a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There are five survivors stranded on a single lifeboat—a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, a 16-year-old boy, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger.

Max Webster directs. The production also has set and costume design by Tim Hatley, puppet and movement direction by Finn Caldwell, puppet design by Nick Barnes and Caldwell, video design by Andrzej Goulding, lighting design by Tim Lutkin, sound design by Carolyn Downing, music by composer Andrew T. Mackay, dramaturgy by Jack Bradley, casting by Polly Jerrold,  associate direction by Leigh Toney, associate set design by Ross Edwards, associate puppet design by Caroline Bowman, costume supervision by Sabrina Cuniberto, and props supervision by Ryan O’Conner.

The 2012 film adaptation of Life of Pi won Academy Awards for its direction, cinematography, score, and visual effects.

Check Out New Photos of Life of Pi in the West End

 
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