I’ll admit it upfront: while I’ve long considered myself something of a cinephile, Studio Ghibli remained one of those glaring omissions in my repertoire — a blind spot I fully intended to remedy, someday. Spirited Away sat on my watchlist for years, dutifully waiting its turn. But as so often happens, other films, other moods, always got in the way.
Then, like so many cultural gateways these days, along came my daughter. A budding anime enthusiast (thank you, Pokémon), she pulled Ghibli back into my orbit. The entry point? My Neighbour Totoro. I won’t pretend it was a damascene conversion, but something about its gentle pace, its quiet wonder, and its spirit of curiosity took hold — and hasn’t let go since.
That same spirit has been beautifully, imaginatively reimagined on stage in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production – first at the Barbican, now on Drury Lane – and I can honestly say: whether you’re a Ghibli veteran or a complete newcomer, this is a spellbinding achievement.
For the uninitiated, My Neighbour Totoro tells the story of two young sisters who move to the countryside with their father to be nearer to their ailing mother. Amidst the rustling woods and creaking old house, they encounter a world both fantastical and deeply rooted in the natural world — ‘soot sprites’ flit through the floorboards, a twelve-legged ‘cat bus’ ferries them through the trees, and at the heart of it all, the enigmatic forest spirit, Totoro.
On film, it’s a symbiotic blend of fantasy and nostalgia, beautifully animated in the Japanese tradition. The big question, of course, is how one brings Totoro to life without the luxury of animation. The answer? With astonishing inventiveness. And, on stage, it becomes something even more immediate — tactile, intimate, and full of theatrical surprise.
In this case, the animation is replaced by movement, the production design becomes part of the performance, and Tom Pye’s set design and Basil Twist’s puppetry are nothing short of alchemical; the house becomes a character, dismantling and morphing seamlessly to create the sets, when Mei enters the woods, they close around her. The movement artists and puppeteers are openly included in the action, sometimes veiling themselves in character, sometimes breaking the fourth wall with a wink or a comic misstep. It makes you dismiss them in favour of watching the props they’re controlling, whether soot sprites, chickens or simply moving the set. Indeed, not unlike Avenue Q, when the puppets are so compelling, you don’t noticed the puppeteers onstage.
And then, there’s Totoro. When he finally emerges — no spoilers, but it’s worth the wait — the blend of scale, movement, sound, and music coalesces into something truly wondrous. A moment where theatre transcends its own boundaries. I glanced at my daughter. She was completely transfixed.
There are, too, direct nods to the film, adding a title sequence to open the show, and occasionally the backdrop is used to depict those ‘wide shots’ that would otherwise be hard to achieve. Similarly, Joe Hisaishi’s original score features throughout, performed by a live orchestra, nestled in the trees like musical spirits of the forest. Occasionally, a song punctuates the action — never out of place, always deeply felt.
It goes without saying, the team behind every aspect of this production is superlative. The RSC notwithstanding, the team from Improbable, bringing it to life under the direction of Phelim McDermott, seems to understand what makes Totoro so special: not just its magic, but its restraint. It trusts the audience, and that trust is well rewarded.
If you’re a fan of the film, this stage version will breathe new life into it, giving you the thrill of rediscovery. If, like me not long ago, you’ve never quite made the leap into the world of Ghibli, then Totoro on stage is the most charming, heartfelt invitation you could hope for.
Just don’t be surprised if you leave the theatre believing — if only a little — in forest spirits.
My Neighbour Totoro is on at the Gillian Lynne theatre, and is now booking until March 2026. For more information, and for tickets, please visit www.totoroshow.com.
