Ready to See 'My Neighbor Totoro' Light Up the Stage? Beloved Hayao Miyazaki Film Receives a Stage Adaptation by the Royal Shakespeare Company
British fans of Hayao Miyazaki's beloved film My Neighbor Totoro rejoice! Longtime Miyazaki composer and collaborator Joe Hisaishi is joining hands with the Royal Shakespeare Company to prepare a stage adaptation of the 1988 Studio Ghibli film that will grace the stage at London's Barbican arts complex this fall.
In describing how the My Neighbor Totoro stage adaptation came about, Hisaishi, who was the original composer on the film, revealed that it was actually his idea to approach the Royal Shakespeare Company. In an article in Variety, Hisaishi said:
"In Japan, many people are passionate about theatre and musicals, but there are no original Japanese shows or musicals performed in the world. Totoro is a Japanese work famous throughout the world, and so this stage adaptation could have the potential to reach global audiences. That's what I thought, and I told Mr. Miyazaki 'I want to see such a show' and he said 'yes, only if you are going to do it.'"
Taking place in postwar rural Japan, My Neighbor Totoro follows the lives of two sisters as their father moves them out to the countryside one summer to be closer to their mother, who is recovering from an illness in a hospital nearby. While spending the summer there, the girls end up building friendships and going on adventures with friendly woodland spirits, including the titular Totoro, and the iconic cat bus.
The stage adaptation was written by playwright Tom Morton-Smith, and directed by Phelim McDermott. Interestingly, the production will feature puppetry created by Basil Twist to bring Totoro and the woodland spirits to life.
And for film purists, don't worry: Hisaishi's original score will also be a part of the production, with new orchestration by Will Stuart that will be performed live.
Casting for the stage production has yet to be announced.
In the same Variety article, Erica Whyman, RSC acting artistic director, said:
"Adapting this deeply loved magical story for the stage is the next chapter in our longstanding commitment to making spectacular and accessible productions that see the world through the eyes of children, most recently, The Magician's Elephant, Wendy & Peter Pan and of course Matilda The Musical. We know that this major new commission will attract a wide range of theatre audiences as well as loyal fans of the original film."
My Neighbor Totoro is set to play a 15-week season from October 8, 2022 to January 21, 2023.
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