MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO extends in the West End
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan
Ahead of opening night tomorrow evening (20 March), it has been announced that the multi-award winning stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbour Totoro will extend in the West End, now running until 29 March 2026 at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
RSC Co-Artistic Directors, Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey, said: “We are delighted to be extending the run of My Neighbour Totoro following the excitement and response from audiences to the show’s opening in the West End. We want as many people as possible to enjoy this brilliant story of kindness, courage and the power of the imagination, and we are offering more than 20,000 tickets at £25 or under to celebrate the extended run. We can’t wait to welcome more audiences to see the show in its new home at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.”
Adapted by Tom Morton-Smith from Hayao Miyazaki’s celebrated 1988 animated feature film, the production is directed by Improbable Co-Founder, Phelim McDermott. .
The cast includes Victoria Chen in the role of Mei, Ami Okumura Jones as Mei’s older sister Satsuki, Dai Tabuchi as Tatsuo, Jacqueline Tate as Granny, and Ai Ninomiya as the Singer.
The show’s unique Kazego Puppetry Ensemble includes Rachel Clare Chan, Sally Cheng, Sabrina Pui Yee Chin, Victor Itang, Gabriel S Janoras, Anna Kato, Heather Lai, Ronnie Lee, Matthew Leonhart, Kumiko Mendl (Nurse Emiko), Annakanako Mohri, Lucy Park, Richard Peralta, Chloe Ragrag and Shaofan Wilson (Miss Hara).
Completing the company are Phyllis Ho (Yasuko), Steven Nguyen (Kanta), Jamie Zubairi (Hiroshi) and Deanna Myers (Tsukiko), and Swing puppeteers Boaz Chad, Wenshin Lee, Amber Lin, Sera Meahara and Nathaniel Tan.
My Neighbour Totoro features production design by Tom Pye, puppetry design and direction by Basil Twist, costumes by Kimie Nakano, lighting by Jessica Hung Han Yun, and movement by You-Ri Yamanaka. The production features music from Joe Hisaishi’s iconic score in a new orchestration by Will Stuart, performed live with sound by Tony Gayle, video design by Finn Ross and Andrea Scott, dramaturgy by Pippa Hill, casting by Hannah Miller CDG, and sound effects & soundscape design by Nicola T Chang.
Satsuki and Mei’s mother has taken ill. In order to be closer to her while she recovers in a rural convalescent hospital, their father moves the two sisters from their home in a city to the countryside. And though the countryside is beautiful and the people friendly, it’s hard not to be scared when the wind rustles the trees at night. As the sisters explore their new surroundings, young Mei encounters magical creatures and the ancient protector of the forest she calls "Totoro" – and they are to be the girls’ neighbours.
Although Satsuki doesn’t believe her little sister at first, they are soon both swept up in exciting adventures with their new neighbours – transported to a long-forgotten realm of spirits, sprites, and natural wonder.
