
The Royal Shakespeare Company's stage adaptation of My Neighbour Totoro will return to the Barbican Centre in November, following its record-breaking premiere last year.
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Step into a world with fantastical creatures and limitless possibilities. After a world premiere at the Barbican, the six-time Olivier Award-winning My Neighbour Totoro play returns to the Barbican for a second season in 2023. My Neighbour Totoro tickets are available on London Theatre now.
The My Neighbour Totoro play centres around two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, as they embark on a wondrous journey. After the family relocates to the countryside to be by their mother’s bedside, the pair wander around their new surroundings.
All is not as it seems, as Mei finds magical creatures and an ancient forest protector on her doorstep. At first, Satsuki is sceptical of her little sister, but pretty quickly, the pair are swept up on unbelievable adventures.
My Neighbour Totoro is a Studio Ghibli film. The Japanese animation company ensure keen attention to detail throughout their films, and the stage adaptation will make sure no stone is left unturned. The production boasts handcrafted puppets from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop — the same company as The Muppets and Sesame Street.
The landmark show is a collaboration between the Royal Shakespeare Company, the theatre company Improbable, and Japanese broadcaster Nippon TV.
My Neighbour Totoro won six Oliviers: Best Entertainment or Comedy, Best Director (for Phelim McDermott,) Best Set Design (for Tom Pye,) Best Costume Design (for Kimie Nakano,) Best Lighting (for Jessica Hung Han Yun,) and Best Sound Design (for Tony Gayle.) The show received a further three nominations: Best Actress (Mei Mac,) Best Original Score or New Orchestrations (Joe Hisaishi & Will Stuart,) Best Choreography (Basil Twist - puppet direction.)
My Neighbour Totoro on stage is at the Barbican. Performances run at the Barbican from November 2023 through March 2024.
My Neighbour Totoro tickets are available on London Theatre now. Book your My Neighbour Totoro tickets on London Theatre today.
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Photography by Manuel Harlan © RSC with Nippon TV
Access Performances
2 hours 40 minutes (inc. interval)
November 21st, 2023
March 23rd, 2024
Age guidance: 6+. This production is not suitable for children under 4 years of age, including babes in arms. Younger children and babes in arms are welcome at our relaxed performances only.
By: Tom Morton-Smith, based on a story by Hayao Miyazaki
Music: Joe Hisaishi, with a new orchestration by Will Stuart
Director: Phelim McDermott
Design: Tom Pye
Costume: Kimie Nakano
Lighting: Jessica Hung Han Yun
Sound: Tony Gayle
Choreography: You-Ri Yamanaka
Puppetry: Basil Twist, Jim Henson's Creature Shop, Mervyn Millar
The Royal Shakespeare Company's stage adaptation of My Neighbour Totoro will return to the Barbican Centre in November, following its record-breaking premiere last year.
The puppet designer and director shares how he, along with a global team, made the beloved Studio Ghibli characters a reality, in the Olivier-winning play.
The 2023 Olivier Awards took place at the Royal Albert Hall on 2 April. The play, based on the 1988 Studio Ghibli film, will return to the Barbican later this year.
The nine-time Olivier-nominated production, based on the popular 1988 Studio Ghibli film, will play a second season at the Barbican in autumn 2023.
Studio Ghibli is a renowned Japanese animation film studio founded in 1985. They are known for creating imaginative movies, including My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away.