Rehearsals are underway for the West End premiere of Life of Pi, Lolita Chakrabarti’s ambitious stage adaptation of Yann Martel’s award-winning novel. The play begins performances at the Wyndham’s Theatre in London on November 15 2021.
To accommodate the production, the historic Wyndham’s Theatre is said to be undergoing a spectacular transformation.
Many of the original Sheffield production’s cast are returning for this West End run. Hiran Abeysekera once again plays Pi, with Mina Anwar as Ma, Nicholas Khan as Father, Payal Mistry as Rani, Tom Espiner as Father Martin and Commander Grant-Jones, Raj Ghatak as Mamaji and Pandit-Ji, Syreeta Kumar as Mrs Biology Kumar and Zaida Khan, David K.S. Tse as Mr Okamoto, Kirsten Foster as Lulu Chen, Habib Nasib Nader as Cook and Voice of Tiger.
Hiran Abeysekera faces the Tiger in Life of Pi
Bringing life to the play’s most audacious character are Fred Davis (Tiger Head), Daisy Franks (Tiger Heart), Romina Hytten (Tiger Heart), Tom Larkin (Tiger Head), Scarlet Wilderink (Tiger Heart), and Tom Stacy (Tiger Hind).
Winner of the Man Booker Prize, selling over fifteen million copies worldwide, the theatrical adaptation of Life of Pi is described as ‘an epic journey of endurance and hope.’
Hiran Abeysekera (Pi) and Tiger stranded in the Pacific Ocean
After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, there are 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?
The novel was filmed by Ang Lee and released in 2012. For the movie, cutting edge VFX and 3D filming techniques were used to bring the extraordinary animals to life. For this stage production, leading edge puppetry provides the magic, under the guidance of Puppet & Movement Director Finn Caldwell. Caldwell began his career in the original company of the National Theatre’s international phenomenon War Horse.
For the movie, cutting edge VFX and 3D were used to bring the extraordinary animals to life. For this stage production, leading edge puppetry provides the magic…
The historic Wyndham’s Theatre has been transformed for Life of Pi
Lolita Chakrabarti’s writing credits include Red Velvet, which was nominated for nine major awards including two Olivier Awards. Lolita is the winner of the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright, The Critics Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright and the AWA Award for Arts and Culture; She also adapted Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities for MIF in 2019; her play Hymn was live streamed in February 2021 from the Almeida, before opening to audiences later in July.
Her acting credits include Vigil (BBC), Riviera (Sky), Born to Kill (Ch4), Criminal (Netflix), Fanny and Alexander (The Old Vic), Hamlet (RADA). She can soon be seen in Showtrial for the BBC and Wheel of Time for Amazon Prime.
Just a turtle swimming past…
The production is directed by Max Webster, Set and Costume designer is Tim Hatley, the Puppet Designers are Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, the Video Designer is Andrzej Goulding, the Lighting Designer is Tim Lutkin, the Sound Designer is Carolyn Downing, the Composer is Andrew T Mackay, Dramaturgy is by Jack Bradley, the Casting Director is Polly Jerrold, the Associate Director is Hannah Banister, the Associate Set Designer is Ross Edwards, the Costume Supervisor is Sabrina Cuniberto and the Props Supervisor is Ryan O’Connor.
Life of Pi is produced by Simon Friend. To book tickets visit lifeofpionstage.com.
January may feel long and grey, but one undoubted bright spot is Burns Night, the annual celebration held on January 25, marking the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. For whisky lovers, it’s one of the most convivial fixtures of the year: a night where poetry, food and Scotland’s greatest export meet in cheerful,…
One of the world’s leading bespoke shipyards is setting up shop in the heart of London. Sanlorenzo Yachts UK will open a flagship showroom at 61 Park Lane, Mayfair, in March 2026. Designed as a working studio rather than a traditional retail space, the showroom will allow prospective Sanlorenzo owners and charter clients to begin…
The Glenlivet has released the second chapter in its ultra-luxury Eternal Collection, a 56 Year Old single malt limited to just 60 bottles worldwide. The expression represents one of the oldest whiskies ever to emerge from the lauded Speyside distillery, and it’s also one of the most expensive, at €52,500 a bottle. This release follows…
The Luxe Review 
Rehearsals are underway for the West End premiere of Life of Pi, Lolita Chakrabarti’s ambitious stage adaptation of Yann Martel’s award-winning novel. The play begins performances at the Wyndham’s Theatre in London on November 15 2021.
To accommodate the production, the historic Wyndham’s Theatre is said to be undergoing a spectacular transformation.
Many of the original Sheffield production’s cast are returning for this West End run. Hiran Abeysekera once again plays Pi, with Mina Anwar as Ma, Nicholas Khan as Father, Payal Mistry as Rani, Tom Espiner as Father Martin and Commander Grant-Jones, Raj Ghatak as Mamaji and Pandit-Ji, Syreeta Kumar as Mrs Biology Kumar and Zaida Khan, David K.S. Tse as Mr Okamoto, Kirsten Foster as Lulu Chen, Habib Nasib Nader as Cook and Voice of Tiger.
Bringing life to the play’s most audacious character are Fred Davis (Tiger Head), Daisy Franks (Tiger Heart), Romina Hytten (Tiger Heart), Tom Larkin (Tiger Head), Scarlet Wilderink (Tiger Heart), and Tom Stacy (Tiger Hind).
Winner of the Man Booker Prize, selling over fifteen million copies worldwide, the theatrical adaptation of Life of Pi is described as ‘an epic journey of endurance and hope.’
After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, there are 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?
The novel was filmed by Ang Lee and released in 2012. For the movie, cutting edge VFX and 3D filming techniques were used to bring the extraordinary animals to life. For this stage production, leading edge puppetry provides the magic, under the guidance of Puppet & Movement Director Finn Caldwell. Caldwell began his career in the original company of the National Theatre’s international phenomenon War Horse.
Lolita Chakrabarti’s writing credits include Red Velvet, which was nominated for nine major awards including two Olivier Awards. Lolita is the winner of the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright, The Critics Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright and the AWA Award for Arts and Culture; She also adapted Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities for MIF in 2019; her play Hymn was live streamed in February 2021 from the Almeida, before opening to audiences later in July.
Her acting credits include Vigil (BBC), Riviera (Sky), Born to Kill (Ch4), Criminal (Netflix), Fanny and Alexander (The Old Vic), Hamlet (RADA). She can soon be seen in Showtrial for the BBC and Wheel of Time for Amazon Prime.
The production is directed by Max Webster, Set and Costume designer is Tim Hatley, the Puppet Designers are Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, the Video Designer is Andrzej Goulding, the Lighting Designer is Tim Lutkin, the Sound Designer is Carolyn Downing, the Composer is Andrew T Mackay, Dramaturgy is by Jack Bradley, the Casting Director is Polly Jerrold, the Associate Director is Hannah Banister, the Associate Set Designer is Ross Edwards, the Costume Supervisor is Sabrina Cuniberto and the Props Supervisor is Ryan O’Connor.
Life of Pi is produced by Simon Friend. To book tickets visit lifeofpionstage.com.
Toasting the Bard: Where to eat, drink and celebrate Burns Night 2026
January may feel long and grey, but one undoubted bright spot is Burns Night, the annual celebration held on January 25, marking the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. For whisky lovers, it’s one of the most convivial fixtures of the year: a night where poetry, food and Scotland’s greatest export meet in cheerful,…
Mayfair marina: Sanlorenzo Yachts to open London flagship showroom on Park Lane
One of the world’s leading bespoke shipyards is setting up shop in the heart of London. Sanlorenzo Yachts UK will open a flagship showroom at 61 Park Lane, Mayfair, in March 2026. Designed as a working studio rather than a traditional retail space, the showroom will allow prospective Sanlorenzo owners and charter clients to begin…
First pour: Ultra rare The Glenlivet 56 Year Old whisky – it’s not just the price tag that’s rich
The Glenlivet has released the second chapter in its ultra-luxury Eternal Collection, a 56 Year Old single malt limited to just 60 bottles worldwide. The expression represents one of the oldest whiskies ever to emerge from the lauded Speyside distillery, and it’s also one of the most expensive, at €52,500 a bottle. This release follows…
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