Picture: Manuel Harlan
The record-breaking stage version of Studio Ghibili’s multi award-winning Japanese animated film fantasy My Neighbour Totoro will play a limited encore run at the Barbican Theatre this autumn.
Presented by executive producer Joe Hisaishi and the Royal Shakespeare Company in collaboration with Improbable and Nippon TV, the enchanting coming-of-age story will return to the London venue from 21 November this year. The season will run until 23 March 2024.
Debuting at the Barbican in October 2022, Hayao Miyazaki’s 1988 film was brought to the stage by its original composer Hisaishi in a landmark adaptation by the RSC written by Tom Morton-Smith and directed by Improbable’s Phelim McDermott.
Announcing the return of the show which broke the Barbican’s box office record for the most tickets sold in a single day and went on to win five WhatsOnStage Awards and six Olivier Awards, RSC executive producer Griselda Yorke said: “The most extraordinary group of artists have come together from all over the world to adapt this iconic film for the stage, and I am delighted that the production will return to the Barbican in 2023.
“My Neighbour Totoro is a story of imagination and courage which asks us to trust the youngest amongst us to see further than most of us dare to dream. With our return to the Barbican, many more audiences will be able to experience the joy of Totoro and we can’t wait to welcome them.’
Design for the production is by Tom Pye, with costumes by Kimie Nakano, lighting by Jessica Hung Han Yun and movement by You-Ri Yamanaka. The production features puppetry designed and directed by Basil Twist, created with puppetry associate Mervyn Millar’s Significant Object and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop with music from Hisaishi’s original score in a new orchestration by Will Stuart, performed live with sound design by Tony Gayle. The associate director is Ailin Conant and video design is by Finn Ross and Andrea Scott.
Artwork for the stage adaptation of My Neighbour Totoro includes a hand drawn title by Toshio Suzuki, producer for Studio Ghibli, who was involved in the planning and production of the original animated film.
Casting for the 2023/2024 run will be announced soon.
Widely regarded as one of the best animated movies of all-time, My Neighbour Totoro tells the story of a professor’s two young daughters and their enchanting encounters with wood spirits in post-war Japan.
Angela Thomas
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