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The Royal Shakespeare Company’ s enchanting adaptation of Studio Ghibli’ s My Neighbour Totoro has returned to London’ s West End with its now renowned spellbinding charm. The production, adapted by Tom-Morton Smith( Oppenheimer), produced by Joe Hisaishi and directed by Phelim McDermott, transforms Hayao Miyazaki’ s beloved 1988 animated film into a live theatrical experience that resonates and captivates long-term fans and newcomers alike. The story follows sisters Satsuki( Ami Okumura Jones) and Mei( Victoria Chen) as they move to the Japanese countryside with their father to be closer to their ailing mother. Amidst the challenges of their new environment, young Mei encounters Totoro, a mystical forest spirit, leading the sisters into a world of wonder and imagination.
Setting this production apart is its masterful use of puppetry, designed by
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Basil Twist and crafted by Jim Henson’ s Creature Shop. Totoro himself is a marvel, brought to life in various forms that capture his immense presence and gentle demeanour. The Catbus, soot sprites and other forest creatures are equally mesmerising, adding magical layers to the underpinning narrative.
The set, designed by Tom Pye, unfolds like origami, seamlessly transitioning between scenes to unveil a dynamic visual landscape, brought further to life by Jessica Hung Han Yun’ s stunning lighting design, which bathes the stage in hues that evoke the natural beauty of the countryside while simultaneously enhancing the story’ s emotional depth.
Joe Hisaishi’ s iconic score, newly orchestrated by Will Stuart and performed live, underscores the production’ s emotional beats, while Ai Ninomiya’ s vocals add haunting beauty that effortlessly
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complements the on-stage physicality.
Boasting acclaimed success that includes six Olivier Awards including Best Entertainment or Comedy Play, Best Director for McDermott and Best Set Design for Pye, five WhatsOnStage Awards and a Critic’ s Circle Theatre Award, My Neighbour Totoro is no mere stage adaptation. It’ s a wholly emotive experiential piece of theatre that celebrates imagination, family and the enduring power of storytelling. Whether a devoted Ghibli fan or a new arrival to Totoro’ s world, this production promises theatre that is both heartwarming, visually stunning and cleverly produced.
Tickets for My Neighbour Totoro at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, Drury Lane, are available from £ 25 with the production currently running until March 2026.
totoroshow. com
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