RSC announce full cast for global stage premiere of MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan
The RSC have announced the full company for the global stage premiere of Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbour Totoro, opening at the Barbican from 8 October 2022-21 January 2023.
The company comprises: Haruka Abe as Yasuko/Puppeteer, Li-Leng Au as Puppeteer, Boaz Chad as Puppeteer, Nino Furuhata as Kanta/Puppeteer, Andrew Futaishi as Puppeteer, Zachary Hing as Puppeteer, Susan Momoko Hingley as Miss Hara/Puppeteer, Yojiro Ichikawa as Puppeteer, Arina Ii as Puppeteer, Haruka Kuroda as Nurse Emiko/Puppeteer, Marian Lee as Puppeteer, Matthew Leonhart as Puppeteer, Mei Mac as Mei, Aki Nakagawa as Puppeteer, Kanako Nakano as Tsukiko/Puppeteer, Ami Okumura Jones as Satsuki, Michael Phong Le as Hiroshi/Puppeteer, Tobi Poster-Su as Puppeteer, Si Rawlinson as Puppeteer, Dai Tabuchi as Tatsuo/ Puppeteer, Jacqueline Tate as Granny/Puppeteer and Shaofan Wilson as Puppeteer.
The celebrated 1988 animated feature film by Hayao Miyazaki will be brought to the stage by its original composer Joe Hisaishi in a landmark new adaptation by the RSC, written by playwright Tom Morton-Smith in collaboration with Improbable and Nippon TV.
Directed by Phelim McDermott, the production is designed by Tom Pye, with costumes by Kimie Nakano, lighting by Jessica Hung Han Yun, movement by You-Ri Yamanaka, puppetry created by Basil Twist and music from Joe Hisaishi’s iconic score in a new orchestration by Will Stuart, performed live with sound by Tony Gayle.
This enchanting coming-of-age story explores the magical fantasy world of childhood and the transformative power of imagination, as it follows one extraordinary summer in the lives of sisters Satsuki and Mei.
In order to be closer to their mother while she recovers from an illness in a rural convalescent hospital, their father moves the family to the countryside. As the girls explore their beautiful new surroundings, Mei encounters magical creatures and the ancient protector of the forest she calls Totoro.
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.
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