The Show
Experience the magic of this spellbinding Studio Ghibli classic at the Gillian Lynne Theatre! Adapted from Hayao Miyazaki's most celebrated film, My Neighbour Totoro is the story of sisters Mei and Satsuki, young children in post-war Japan. The two girls find themselves uprooted from their mostly care-free existence when their father Tatsuo - a university professor - relocates the family to the countryside to be closer to their mother, who is in hospital recovering from a long-term illness. Unsettled by the unfamiliar surroundings and the looming specter of their mother's illness, the girls struggle to find their place in their new home until Mei encounters a large, gentle, catlike forest spirit named Totoro. As they grow closer to Totoro, and to the other spirits that inhabit the woods surrounding their new home, Mei and Satsuki begin to feel at their new surroundings, and they take comfort in their new friends and in each other.
This new West-End adaptation has captivated audiences young and old, and critics have praised the extraordinary work of the Kazego Puppeteers in bringing Totoro and his fellow forest-spirits to life.
History of My Neighbour Totoro
Based on the world-famous 1988 animated film by Hayao Miyazaki, My Neigbour Totoro was adapted for stage by Tom Morton-Smith, whose previous work on Oppenheimer - a stage adaptation of the creation of the atomic bomb - made him perfectly suited to adapting the film's themes of environmentalism and post-nuclear anxiety. Miyazaki himself gave his blessing to the adaptation only on condition that his longtime collaborator, the composer Joe Hisaishi, was involved with the project. There has been an enormous level of interest in the play ever since its inception â in 2022, its broke the Barbican Centre's record for ticket sales in a single day!
Awards and What the Critics Say.
With its inimitable magic and subtle environmentalist message, My Neighbour Totoro has been met with praise by critics, who have described it as "intoxicating" and "stunning." Particular attention has been paid to the incredible puppetry on display â Susannah Clapp of the Observer called the puppeteers the "the real pulse of the play." The show has also earned multiple Lawrence Olivier awards â in 2023 alone it won Best Set Design, Best Director, Best Sound Design and Best Costume Design, and was nominated for three more.
Why Book Tickets With Hotel Direct to See My Neighbour Totoro?
Booking your hotel, theatre and travel with Hotel Direct can save you time and money - this is one play that will remind audiences of the things that truly matter, so book with us and save the hassle of arranging everything separately!
Interesting Facts About My Neighbour Totoro
- In keeping with the show's environmentalist theme, production designer John Pye refused to use plastic trees or leaves to depict the forest surrounding the girls' home; Pye quipped "there's nothing less Japanese than doing that," and instead used real wood extensively in the production process.
