

National Theatre Live: Life of Pi
Synopsis
Puppetry, magic and storytelling combine in a unique, Olivier Award-winning stage adaptation of the best-selling novel. After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, a 16-year-old boy named Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a Royal Bengal tiger. Filmed live in London’s West End and featuring state-of-the-art visuals, the epic journey of endurance and hope is bought to life in a breath-taking new way for cinemas screens.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Life of Pi: Official Trailer - In Cinemas 30 March | National Theatre LiveOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2023-02-01
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Hiran Abeysekera
Pi
Mina Anwar
Amma
Tom Espiner
Father Martin /Commander Grant-Jones
Kirsten Foster
Lulu Chen
Raj Ghatak
Mamaji/Pandit-Ji
Nicholas Khan
Pi's Father
Syreeta Kumar
Mrs Biology Kumar/Zaida Khan
Payal Mistry
Rani
Habib Nasib Nader
The Cook/Voice of Richard Parker
David K.S. Tse
Mr. Okamoto
Alex Chang
Ensemble
Omar Khan
Ensemble
Deeivya Meir
Ensemble
Nuwan Hugh Perera
Ensemble
Fred Davis
Tiger Head
Tom Larkin
Tiger Head
Daisy Franks
Tiger Hind
Chris Milford
Tiger Hind
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Max Webster
- Screenplay & Story
- Lolita Chakrabarti, Yann Martel
- Original Score
- Andrew T. Mackay
- Original Title
- National Theatre Live: Life of Pi
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 30m
- Production Studios
- Simon Friend Entertainment, National Theatre
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Max Webster
Lolita Chakrabarti, Yann Martel
Andrew T. Mackay
Department Leadership Roster
Max Webster
Director
Lolita Chakrabarti
Writer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for National Theatre Live: Life of Pi.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring National Theatre Live: Life of Pi.
National Theatre Live
All productions released by National Theatre Live, UK – either done directly by the Royal National Theatre or other UK venues/producers. [**NationalTheatre.org.uk**](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk) / [**NTLive.com**](https://www.ntlive.com) / [**NTatHome.com**](https://www.ntathome.com) (for its US equivalent, see [**BroadwayHD**](https://www.tmdb.org/company/103196-broadwayhd) and site [**BroadwayHD.com**](https://www.broadwayhd.com).) Some productions were filmed _solely_ for their paid streaming channel "National Theatre at Home", and were branded without the "National Theatre Live" posters which those that also screened in cinemas typically got posters with. (plus: There was a 2009 BBC TV series entry titled "National Theatre Live" with the first five filmed productions that featured additional commentary, at #280519, but this was deleted by a mod!) ______________________________________________________________________ • **2024.05.09.Thu: Plays 1-100** - [**nationaltheatre.org.uk/news/national-theatre-live-100-plays-in-cinemas-1-25**](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/news/national-theatre-live-100-plays-in-cinemas-1-25) _"National Theatre Live broadcast its 100th title, Nye, live from the Olivier stage. Now buckle up as we’re going to take you on a journey through all 100 NT Lives (you heard that right). From our first to our most recent, join us to recount all the incredible plays that have made it from the stage to the screen – with some fun facts thrown in for good measure!"_ ______________________________________________________________________ **What is National Theatre Live (NTL) & National Theatre at Home (NTaH)?** ([**Wikipedia**](https://w.wiki/9grq)) National Theatre Live is an initiative from the National Theatre (formerly "Royal National Theatre") in London, who record their own plays (and also may do/did some live broadcasts to cinemas too) and other non-National Theatre productions from selected indie/West-End theatre plays in London and beyond in the UK (eg. Chichester, et al.). Unless it's a live cinema viewing, typically once the live theatre run has ended these are then shown in cinemas. NTL cinema audiences are able to view play recordings at cinema screenings in the UK and globally (eg. Australia, Taiwan, et al.), with cinema releases either concurrently (or after an initial cinema release) also released on their paid streaming service National Theatre at Home. NTaH launched in 2020 offering access to over 100 productions, with new titles added monthly. All titles include captions, over 90% available with Audio Description, and a selection available in British Sign Language (BSL). Reaching theatre audiences globally, streaming to over 184 countries, a majority of audiences having never visited the National Theatre's South Bank home, and is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. 2026 research showed 99% of NTaH's audiences are outside London, with over 60% saying filmed theatre options support wider discoverability and increased overall theatre experiences.
National Theatre
Watchlist
Live Theatre
Similar Titles to National Theatre Live: Life of Pi
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
More Like National Theatre Live: Life of Pi
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.












Frequently Asked Questions About National Theatre Live: Life of Pi
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is National Theatre Live: Life of Pi about?
Puppetry, magic and storytelling combine in a unique, Olivier Award-winning stage adaptation of the best-selling novel. After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, a 16-year-old boy named Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a Royal Bengal tiger. Filmed live in London’s West End and featuring state-of-the-art visuals, the epic journey of endurance and hope is bought to life in a breath-taking new way for cinemas screens.
Who directed National Theatre Live: Life of Pi?
National Theatre Live: Life of Pi was directed by Max Webster.
Who stars in National Theatre Live: Life of Pi?
The principal cast of National Theatre Live: Life of Pi includes Hiran Abeysekera, Mina Anwar, Tom Espiner, Kirsten Foster, Raj Ghatak.
When was National Theatre Live: Life of Pi released and how long is it?
National Theatre Live: Life of Pi was released in 2023 with a total runtime of 2h 30m.
Who composed the musical score for National Theatre Live: Life of Pi?
The original motion picture soundtrack for National Theatre Live: Life of Pi was composed by Andrew T. Mackay.
Is National Theatre Live: Life of Pi based on a book or true story?
National Theatre Live: Life of Pi is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Yann Martel".



















