Olivier-winning LIFE OF PI On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 2

[¿Macavity?]

Posted: 3/11/23 at 10:59am

I saw this shortly before it closed in London. I agree that it was visually breathtaking and that the script is very rough. Also some really dodgy acting from a few people; hopefully it was an off-night.

For me, the worst part

 

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was when they spelled out the parallels of the two stories, which gave me the biggest involuntary eye-roll I think I've ever had in a theatre.

 

Honestly though, the visuals are so beautiful and the actor who played Pi was so good that it almost makes up for it. The high points put tears in my eyes and only made the low points even more frustrating.

Updated On: 3/11/23 at 10:59 AM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/11/23 at 11:15am

I assume you mean spoon-feeding the audience, instead of letting the second version stand on its own without explanation? I have a bigger problem with the interview scenes. They are very slow and poorly paced. The actors are too busy trying to project their voices, they forget to act. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/11/23 at 11:33am

Such a shame they decided not to use this transfer as a way to fix the problems everyone has always said the show has. 

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 3/11/23 at 4:56pm

Adi Dixit made his Broadway debut in the role of Pi this afternoon. While I have never seen the show before or any clips, his performance was very strong. At curtain, a speech was made to celebrate this and by the wording of it, it seems Adi will be doing matinees.

In terms of the show, I was very impressed. I am glad I did some reading to tell me to sit in the mezz, because the floor projections are quite possibly the best visual part of the whole show for me. I definitely see the flaws in the book, but I was still quite moved and had a really amazing afternoon in the theatre. I sat all the way house right, row B (89 each with a discount code), and the view was perfect. Never need to sit anywhere else. 
 

[InTheBathroom1]

Posted: 3/11/23 at 6:11pm

saw this last night and just a fair warning to avoid the rush tickets. Sight lines for this aren’t great and if you’re not in the mezz, you miss the floor projections. The book was shaky, but I’m also not a huge fan of book to play adaptations with heavy narration. Wish they could clean up the script but my guess is it’s pretty set. 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 3/11/23 at 11:43pm

Dixit was on again tonight and is giving a fine debut performance. (No notice in playbill, but I was front mezz and I'm 95% sure it was Dixit). 

Beautiful show with an insufferably bad script. The puppeteering is truly remarkable--in the beginning I thought I was getting another War Horse/Lion King, but by the second act Richard Parker really becomes a full fledged character. The whole show really slugs along until the end of Act 2 when its able to rely more heavily on the text of the novel and movie (which i love) and it clicks more easily. But the acting is saccharine and the dialogue painfully dull/silly. Only Pi and Richard Parker rise above it all but it takes a long time to get there.

Meanwhile I have to say, in a season of Parade up on a platform and A Dolls House playing to only 2/3 of its audience, the Life of Pi team showed up saying "Hold My Beer!"  I was in front Mezz with a perfect view but DO NOT SEE THIS SHOW FROM THE ORCHESTRA.  The coolest most impressive moments are projected onto the stage, or involve trap doors/trickery via the stage floor. There is no way the front orchestra is able to see any of this. Its criminal.

[inception]

Posted: 3/12/23 at 12:34pm

¿Macavity? said: "I saw this shortly before it closed in London. I agree that it was visually breathtaking and that the script is very rough. Also some really dodgy acting from a few people; hopefully it was an off-night.

For me, the worst part

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

was when they spelled out the parallels of the two stories, which gave me the biggest involuntary eye-roll I think I've ever had in a theatre.

 


But isn't that straight out of the book.  I have very strong memories of sitting out in my parents back yard reading the novel the summer it came out, getting to the end, and getting so pissed off I chucked the book clear across the garden.

 

 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 3/12/23 at 11:19pm

inception said: "¿Macavity? said: "I saw this shortly before it closed in London. I agree that it was visually breathtaking and that the script is very rough. Also some really dodgy acting from a few people; hopefully it was an off-night.

For me, the worst part

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

was when they spelled out the parallels of the two stories, which gave me the biggest involuntary eye-roll I think I've ever had in a theatre.

 

 


But isn't that straight out of the book. I have very strong memories of sitting out in my parents back yard reading the novel the summer it came out, getting to the end, and getting so pissed off I chucked the book clear across the garden."

It is- many of the moments/scenes are straight out of the book and movie but theres an art to translating that to the stage. What works on film doesnt necessarily work on the page which doesnt necessarily work on stage. There was no attempt here whatsoever to write anything for the stage, it seemed. I actually thought the awkward writing at the end of the play still worked because they had emotional backing to it, and i thought were delivered really well. Its the first act thats tough to sit through.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/13/23 at 5:03am

PipingHotPiccolo said: "Dixit was on again tonight and is giving a fine debut performance. (No notice in playbill, but I was front mezz and I'm 95% sure it was Dixit).

No. He only performed the Saturday matinee.
 

 

[¿Macavity?]

Posted: 3/13/23 at 7:59am

inception said: "¿Macavity? said: "I saw this shortly before it closed in London. I agree that it was visually breathtaking and that the script is very rough. Also some really dodgy acting from a few people; hopefully it was an off-night.

For me, the worst part

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

was when they spelled out the parallels of the two stories, which gave me the biggest involuntary eye-roll I think I've ever had in a theatre.

 

 


But isn't that straight out of the book. I have very strong memories of sitting out in my parents back yard reading the novel the summer it came out, getting to the end, and getting so pissed off I chucked the book clear across the garden.

"


Ah, I never read the book and only vaguely remember the film. Either way, between the acting and writing, it was a particularly rough moment when I saw it.

Updated On: 3/13/23 at 07:59 AM

[BJR]

Posted: 3/13/23 at 9:08am

Adding to the chorus here.

Gorgeous puppetry, beautiful physical production.

Clunky script and very rough acting from everyone except the main lead. We're talking rough. It was baffling.

Essentially, imagine War Horse if you weren't emotionally attached, because the script and acting and direction weren't strong enough. So, you had a horse in a pretty show. 

It also does my pet peeve of explaining to the audience. After the human telling of the story, the Embassy character is oenly explainging, "Ok so the hyena was the..." Uh yeah, we just watched it. We're not 10. And I get if you're trying to make it family friendly, but a kid is not going to grasp that concept anyway, so let them not and don't insult the intelligence of the 900 other people. Besides, why not go into whyy Pi might tell two different versions? That's where the story actually is, y'all.

[njguy2]

Posted: 3/13/23 at 12:14pm

Had the pleasure of seeing the matinee this past Saturday. First off congratulations Adi Dixit on your Broadway debut which was celebrated at the end of the show. Your portrayal of Pi was first rate and kept me interested in the story through to the ending.

I tend to agree with most of the opinions expressed. The visual elements of the show are stunning and there are still a few moments that have been seared into my brain. Pi and the tiger towards the end of Act 2 bathed in purple light and bright stars was a memorable moment. There are others, but I do not want to spoil the surprise. The puppetry was incredible to watch and I was mesmerized by Richard Parker whenever he was on stage. There were also some other visual effects that had me spellbound during the production. I would support the recommendation for mezzanine seating. I had orchestra seats through TDF, but noticed that there were projections on the floor of the stage that we could not see.

As far as the book, it was serviceable and much stronger in Act 2. I viewed the entire script in storytelling mode for Pi so I was able to chalk up some of the clunkier dialogue to being presented as the retelling of the story. Not sure if that was the authors intent, but that was my perception. 

I would like to single out Adi Dixit's portrayal of Pi. Well rounded and believable as a seventeen year old trauma survivor. His interactions with the animals were seamless, and I really felt the bond with Richard Parker develop over time. I am not sure how Hiran Abeysekera handles the role, but upon exiting the theater we noticed some pictures outside the theater and my wife remarked "Who is the old guy on the raft?' I definitely think his older appearance would have required some suspension of belief which was not necessary with Adi. I highly recommend seeing this if you have a chance. Despite some flaws, it is one of the most visually beautiful shows I have seen in a while.

 

 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 3/14/23 at 1:11pm

https://twitter.com/Theatrely/status/1635657664389693443

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/14/23 at 1:13pm

TaffyDavenport said: "https://twitter.com/Theatrely/status/1635657664389693443"

This looks really cool, but I just can't muster up an ounce of interest for this... I read the book years ago and didn't like it at all and didn't bother watching the film. I'm thinking I will pass on the stage version as well.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 3/14/23 at 3:40pm

It's greatest sequences are just pure magnificent theater! A perfect script is not always required for a transcendent experience. 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 3/14/23 at 9:26pm

I don’t believe I’ve seen it mentioned on here before, but the play’s original score by Andrew T. Mackay was released last year, and is available on most streaming platforms. Here’s the Spotify link:

https://open.spotify.com/album/79TxPSUQsXWD2xMeVQjHu1?si=Gm7qBrFmRjOkNvsbO47XBw

Updated On: 3/14/23 at 09:26 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/14/23 at 9:44pm

TaffyDavenport said: "I don’t believe I’ve seen it mentioned on here before, but the play’s original score by Andrew T. Mackay was released last year, and is available on most streaming platforms. Here’s the Spotify link:

https://open.spotify.com/album/79TxPSUQsXWD2xMeVQjHu1?si=Gm7qBrFmRjOkNvsbO47XBw"

They are also selling it at the theater.

[hollebolle]

Posted: 3/15/23 at 11:01pm

Echoing a previous comment to avoid rush tickets. I was given the front row, which is row C for this production. The stage is HIGH. Possibly higher than any other stage I’ve seen, plus it has an odd shape that projects out into the audience. I think you’d miss a lot more than just the floor projections. 

We asked if we could take standing room spaces instead, and the “head usher” & house manager were kind enough to oblige. They even checked if there were any other seats available. During intermission, another group from the rush seats joined us.

I’m so glad we asked—standing was definitely the better option and saved our necks. 

[Someday]

Posted: 3/16/23 at 11:21am

PipingHotPiccolo said: "DO NOT SEE THIS SHOW FROM THE ORCHESTRA. The coolest most impressive moments are projected onto the stage, or involve trap doors/trickery via the stage floor. There is no way the front orchestra is able to see any of this. It’s criminal."

I can confirm this, albeit second hand. For her Christmas present, I treated my wife a rare girls weekend – a break away from our young children. She chose to spend one of her two nights in New York seeing this show. She had liked the film and was excited to score what she thought were decent orchestra seats.

She said it was a mostly horrible experience, despite cool puppetry and a strong leading actor. She (at 6 feet tall), and everyone around her in the front rows, apparently couldn’t see the action. Not just the floor projections, but frequently the actors and puppets. Apparently, Pi spends long parts of scenes directly on the stage floor, where he becomes entirely invisible.

At intermission, many in the front area compared notes about all they were missing, their confusion, and guesses about what they had missed. She said that by Act II, the wheels really came off in the house, and audience members around row F would partially stand up and stage whisper — to the entire section! —the action that was invisible to everyone else. So they wouldn’t all be so lost.

My wife’s guess — that this was all happening because of some particular stage effect requiring the extremely tall, jutting stage deck — was apparently proved right at some point. She said that effect probably looked impressive from some locations but surely didn’t justify ruining the play for the dozens of audience members near the front.

After the show, she and others who had bonded over their experience undertook an experiment — to see how far back someone would have to sit, in order to simply see the actors. In the end, they decided people seated in Row G could probably barely see the actors’ main action. But to experience the projections, she said you’d have to sit much farther back, if not in the mezzanine. (And by the accounts I’ve heard, they’re great!)

From all my wife said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the ushers and house management receive regular complaints. She hopes the production will use previews to fix things. I asked if moving all the action to the lip of the stage could work. She said it’s such a complete sight-line failure that they probably need to just deconstruct the stage deck and rebuild a lower one (and lose that one special effect, in the process).

I told her I doubted they would do that. For starters, they’re probably in a congratulatory echo chamber in New York, not to mention riding high from accolades in London. Also, the budget may not support a drastic overhaul. And, it would publicly embarrass whichever designer forgot to model the set’s ability to make sure the show’s actors are seen.

My guess is that it will open as-is and have wildly varying word of mouth, depending on where audience members sat. The best to hope for is that someone on the producing team or the director will catch wind of this, intentionally view the show from up close, and realize they have a disaster that requires a fix.

We both agreed we feel sorry for the actors. I have no doubt they’re aware of the situation, because they can hear the audience members in the front asking each other what’s going on… and trying to answer!

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln?… Well, my wife thought some of the cast members were very strong, one seemed tired, and the use of the puppets was not as transcendent as it could be — though the puppet-making itself was impressive.

Her main issue, though, was the one others are consistently flagging here. The script hewed closer to the book than the film in condescendingly explaining (and hence ruining) the most special part of the storytelling. Until that point, the journey has been an engaging, moving puzzle, with the added joy of revelation for the (likely high percentage of) audience members capable of sussing out the metaphorical meaning. Then, that ham-handed explanation undoes much of the good.

Ideally, the writer and director would jump back in and devise a solution analogous to genius film director Ang Lee’s use of visual storytelling, to replace the blunt force trauma of spelling it all out. New York audiences for straight plays can be sophisticated, and many will have already experienced either the book, the film, or both. Talking down to them is playing with fire.

This is my wife’s (and my) two cents — to be taken with a grain of salt. Actually since this is mostly secondhand… make it a shaker! And, is it crazy or what that I still want to see this?

[nativenewyorker2]

Posted: 3/19/23 at 7:07pm

The life of pi audience was horrendous. The guy in front of me who was obviously dragged there by his wife was watching sports on his phone the entire time after coming in a hr late and disrupting the entire row . The usher told him to put his phone away. He ignored her and the usher just walked away. Great. I also heard a woman in the lobby say she wanted to fight another person over their behavior. The worst audience I’ve ever experienced good thing this wasn’t one of the shows I’ve waited forever to see

Updated On: 3/19/23 at 07:07 PM

[two ladies tickets]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 6:38am

It should be noted that the original production and West End transfer had a SEVERELY raked stage, something that American Actors Equity no longer allows on Broadway. (They do still allow stages to be raked, but not to that degree.) The severe rake helped with sight line issues. It should also be noted that when the show transferred to the Wyndhams theater in the West End, they actually reconfigured the stalls (orchestra) seating to improve sight lines because of the height of the stage, then the new first row was also sold as obstructed view. 

[Melissa25]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 8:12am

Between the lack of sightline and condescending redundancy reported so far, I think I will pass on this show.  

[InTheBathroom1]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 10:07am

honestly, if you want to see a moving play about a traumatic childhood event with imaginative direction, an amazing puppet, AND great writing, I recommend Wolf Play at MCC.

[TBone]

Posted: 3/22/23 at 3:59pm

Has anyone seen this from Lottery seats? I'm curious if they've been any better than the rush seats and if it's worth entering?

[Ptero2]

Posted: 3/22/23 at 4:46pm

Not sure what to do about this one. Not interested enough to pay full price, too afraid of seat locations to go TDF or lottery. Maybe I'll bite the bullet and go to TKTS one of these days.