With each rereading, I find that Yann Martel’s breakthrough novel Life of Pi (published in 2001) provides more to discover within the original voice of its narrator. Pi is endlessly optimistic despite the tragedy that leaves him orphaned from his family. His knowledge of the natural world provides a slim thread of plausibility to his tale about being stranded on a boat with four animals. Also, his faith as an Islamic Christian Hindu focuses on peace and inclusivity for all (it’s the agnostics, Pi says, that confuse him because they won’t make a choice).

Adaptor Lolita Chakrabarti’s exploration of this last theme – having faith that something can exist even when we cannot see and touch it – is one of the many achievements of her script. Many of the other strengths of Life of Pi involve the production design, lighting, and sound (for which the show won three Tony awards) and the extraordinary puppetry. Of course, the most captivating puppet is Richard Parker, an adult Bengal tiger, whose movements appear amazingly familiar to anyone who has a housecat.

(Note: Life on Pi has gender flipped actors to play Pi. I saw Sonya Venugopal playing Pi as a girl. Promotional pictures feature Hiran Abeysekera, who originated Pi in both London and New York. Also, Richard Parker is referred to as a female tiger.)

Here are a few of the moments from Life of Pi that I’ll most remember:

• In the opening scene, as Pi explores the zoo where his family lives, projections and creative movement of scenery create an illusion that the ground is moving along with Pi’s point of view. When the family poses for a family picture, an adorable puppet goat jumps into Pi’s arms just before the flash.
• After Pi is thrown overboard the sinking freight ship Tsimtsum, the frame and the benches of the lifeboat rise out of the revolving stage in a visual effect that earned applause from the audience.
• In one of the most emotional scenes, the boat where Pi has been battling Richard Parker sinks back into the stage, and Pi’s two interviewers in the hospital are terrified as she continues to act out the battle around them. Venugopal’s performance exposes the crumbling facade of Pi’s sanity.
• Three puppeteers perform Richard Parker’s movements (including a particularly flexible actor who must walk on all fours for more than an hour each night). In a fascinating portrayal of one of the best scenes from the novel, Pi becomes blind and begins a conversation with Richard Parker, who notably speaks with a French accent (performed by Brian Thomas Abraham). As the tiger speaks, she is anthropomorphized by her puppeteers, and her wide variety of human poses add unexpected humor to a philosophical conversation.
• Returning to the theme of faith and belief, Mr. Okomoto’s decision to validate Pi’s story about being trapped on a boat with animals (rather than a more grizzly alternative) illustrates a more developed character transformation than is present in either the book or the movie version. The most cynical character accepts that truth can be built from what people believe rather than what people can prove.

Sadly, Life of Pi is closing on July 23 after a disappointingly short run on Broadway. Its early closing motivated me to plan a quick trip to New York (just in the nick of time). Playbill reports that a traveling company is planned for 2024, so hopefully audiences throughout American will be able to see this well produced adaptation of the novel.