The best-selling book ‘The Life of Pi’ went on to become a blockbuster film and then a show-stopping stage show. And it’s that particular Pi you can experience when it comes to the Theatre Royal in Newcastle this January.

When I first read Yann Martel’s ‘The Life of Pi’ I knew it was something special. The judges of the Booker Prize must have agreed with me (for once) because they duly slapped it with a winner’s rosette back in 2002. And that warmly engaging philosophical novel – which is brimming with ideas, invention and playful conceits – translated into celluloid too with Ang Lee’s take on the tale seeing the film scoop four Oscars back in 2012. And now we have this stage show, which is no slouch in the awards stakes either as it’s won five Olivier Awards and five-star reviews right across the board. The story concerns Pi who, after surviving an epic storm, is stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors: a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan , and a Royal Bengal tiger. With jaw-dropping visuals and world-class puppetry, this particular take on this modern day classic is an absolute wonder to behold.

Life of Pi, 23-27 January, Theatre Royal, Newcastle, 7.30pm (mats Thurs 2pm and Sat 2.30pm), from £20, theatreroyal.co.uk