Following its critically acclaimed UK Premiere My Neighbour Totoro is to transfer to London’s Gillian Lynne Theatre in 2025.
The record-breaking production of My Neighbour Totoro is to transfer to the Gillian Lynne Theatre from 8 March 2025.
Adapted by Tom Morton-Smith (Oppenheimer) from Hayao Miyazaki’s celebrated 1988 animated feature film, the production is directed by Improbable Co-Founder, Phelim McDermott. Winner of six Olivier Awards and five WhatsOnStage Awards, My Neighbour Totoro broke the Barbican’s Box Office record for most tickets sold in a single day in April 2022, ahead of its global premiere in October 2022. Following both critical and audience acclaim, the production returned to the Barbican Centre for a strictly limited run in Autumn 2023. The production closed at the Barbican Centre in March 2024.
The Olivier Award Winning adapter, Tom Morton Smith, said: “I am delighted that our take on Totoro will make the move into the West End next year. It’s an incredibly special show that has managed to marry beautiful technical design with so much heart and humanity. I am thrilled that even more people will get to experience the magic and wonder that this production conjures. Spending time with these characters and with Miyazaki’s incomparable gentle giant has been both a joy and an honour, and I can’t wait to once again share this show with audiences both new and returning.”
My Neighbour Totoro features production design by Tom Pye, costume design by Kimie Nakano, lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun, movement by You-Ri Yamanaka and puppetry design and direction is by Basil Twist. The production features music from Joe Hisaishi’s iconic score in a new orchestration by Will Stuart, performed live with sound design by Tony Gayle. Video design is by Finn Ross and Andrea Scott. Casting is yet to be announced.
Artwork for the stage adaptation of My Neighbour Totoro includes a hand-drawn title by Toshio Suzuki, Producer for Studio Ghibli, who was involved in the planning and production of the original animated film.
