Studio Ghibli continues to get more and more comfortable on the stage! This time,My Neighbor Totorowill be stepping out of the forestand in front of audiences. The production will be produced in partnership with The Royal Shakespeare Company and Studio Ghibli.
My Neighbor Totorois a story about two sisters, Mei and Satsuki, who move out into the countryside with their father. The house is a bit run down, and seemingly haunted, but was chosen by their father because it’s closer to the hospital where their mother is staying. As the girls get more comfortable with the house, they get acquainted with their new neighbors, particularly a large owl/bear/cat hybrid creature named Totoro!My Neighbor Totorowas the second film to be released from Studio Ghibli officially, and the fourth feature film directed by Hayao Miyazaki.My Neighbor Totorowas a smash hit and continues to be a favorite among families, while Totoro himself has been regarded as a mascot of Studio Ghibli.
My Neighbor Totorothe play will be handled in partnership with Studio Ghibli and the Royal Shakespeare Company, Improbably and Nippon TV will also be collaborating for the production. Joe Hisaishi, film composer and longtime collaborator with Studio Ghibli, will be producing. Tom Morton-Smith is adapting the film to stage while Phelim McDermott will be directing. Tom Pye is credited with production designer and will feature puppets by award-winning puppeteer Basil Twist (The Pee-Wee Herman Show,The Addams Family).
McDermott spoke withDeadlineabout certain details on the production. According to him, the cast will be mostly by actors of Japanese, East and South-East Asian heritage. While the film’s two protagonists are young children, it is unlikely that they will be played by children. The show will also be taking music in a slightly different direction. While there will be a band on stage to play live music, the show will not be a musical.
“It’s going to have music very present. And it may be that during certain scenes you’ll hear a beautiful voice, like you do in the film… [but] if we turn it into a musical it says something different from what the original source material does… You see images and hear a voice singing rather than a character burst into song, which wouldn’t be right.”
Related:Spirited Away Stage Production Shares First Images
Ghibli’s Growing Future in Theater
The films of Studio Ghibli are juggernauts of family entertainment and continue to stay firmly rooted in the minds of children and adults from around the world. Lately, it seems like the studio is growing more comfortable with their films being adapted for the stage. It started in 2019 whenNausicaä of the Valley of the Windwas adapted into a Kabuki show. The play was considered a success and was released on home media and even a limited stream.It was recently announced for a second theatrical run. Earlier this year,Spirited Awaymade its own debut on the stageby John Caird and seems to be having a successful tour in Japan. The show will be presented live the streaming service Hulu twice, showcasing both casts of the production.
From the success of the previous two stage adaptations, and with a team so dedicated, it seems likeMy Neighbor Totorowill fit right in on stage as he did in the forest. Rehearsals are expected to begin in July, with an opening planned on October 8th at the Barbican Centre in London.
