Kathrine Nero recently sat down with John Hoche, puppetry and movement director for Life of Pi. With animals as some of the main characters in the hit Broadway play, puppetry plays a big role in the storytelling, and the incredible level of the craft is leaving audiences awe-struck.
KATHRINE NERO: John, how did you get into the world of puppeteering?
JOHN HOCHE: I got into it maybe 25 years ago, and like a lot of people I stumbled into it. I remember being a young actor coming to New York for the first time, auditioning for an off-Broadway show and got the part. And then halfway through, they were like, “Oh, by the way, we think you’re going to be a puppet.” And from that point on, I kind of just took to it. One puppetry job led to another, and 25 years later I get to come here and talk about the National Tour of Life of Pi.
KN: What are some of the other shows that you’ve worked on?
JH: I’ve worked on Little Shop of Horrors on many different productions, including the off-Broadway one that’s happening right now. I worked on King Kong — I was the voice of King Kong, which was very exciting. I did Life of Pi on Broadway, I did War Horse.
KN: Let’s talk about War Horse, because I know a lot of Cincinnati audiences saw that when it came to the Aronoff several years back. How will that compare to what we’ll see with Life of Pi?
JH: It will be a similar experience in that the puppets are the main focal point of the show. Shows like this don’t come along that often. So when they do, I think it really is kind of a benchmark event that people really should see. And it’s a similar style of puppetry where you will see some of the puppeteers. We don’t try to hide the puppeteers at all. Through hard work, training, focus and commitment, we kind of dissolve into the background and all you really see are these beautiful animals that are coming to life on stage
KN: That’s the most fascinating part, when you first notice the puppeteer and then you realize halfway through you haven’t noticed that person for quite a while.
JH: I think one of the biggest compliments as a puppeteer you can get is, “Oh, I forgot you were there.” Because really we are trying to imbue all our energy, all our focus into the object that we’re bringing to life. Whether it’s a piece of paper or a pencil or a tiger or an orangutang or a zebra.
KN: I know a lot of people might remember the movie or the book of Life of Pi. How does this show compare what we might be familiar with?
JH: Anyone who’s familiar with the movie or the book, you will definitely see similarities since it is an adaptation of those. But I think the thing that sets this one apart is it really brings all the theatrical elements to the forefront, the lighting, the projections, the set, the costumes, and again, the puppetry. It’s really embracing the theatricality of things. This is a beautiful show that encapsulates all those elements.
KN: What can Cincinnati audiences look forward to seeing?
JH: It’s going to be an emotional rollercoaster. I think it’s going to wow them. It’s going to scare them. At some point, they will be in awe. Some of the things that we are able to do on stage in this show, people will feel like they are, for example, in a hurricane on the ocean in a life raft with a giant tiger. So I think it’s really going to amaze people. I think it’s an important show, especially because it brings to the forefront a lot of South Asian actors and South Asian voices.
KN: Is there a most difficult part of performing with a puppet on stage?
JH: It is physically taxing. There is a puppeteer that is inside [the tiger character] Richard Parker who is bent over on all four appendages the entire show, and they’re running and they’re jumping and attacking as a tiger. So it is really physically grueling. I consider all the puppeteers in Life of Pi to be athletes at the top of their game, but we make it look seamless, which is really exciting for audiences.
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