My Neighbor Totoro Stage Play Review

Hello Ghibli community and welcome to today’s post. So last month for my spring break I got to take my vacation to London and while there got to see at the West End the stage adaptation of My Neighbor Totoro. So today I’ll share my thoughts about the play, and like my review of the Spirited Away play as some who’s profession is in theatre I’ll give my thoughts as a Ghibli fan and a theatre fan. So without further ado let’s talk about the play.

                                  Acting:

I thought all the actors did a great job portraying their respective characters, even bringing some new spins on them. Satsuki and Mei was very much in character keeping the same bright-eyed enthusiasm and vulnerability as in the original, at times this version of Mei had some more spunk to the performance that still matched the embodiment of the character. The dad is much the same as his original self showing the comion and love he has for his family, mixed with the energy the actor brought onstage made for a memorable performance. This version of Kanta I would say has been expanded the most, he’s still shy when around others but chose to make him less quiet and lean in more on the crush he has on Satsuki which I found very enjoyable.

                           Scenic Design:

The main stage had various locations. The house was a rotating stage that could leave depending on the scene. For scenes in the forest, the backdrop changed to match the forest setting, and even throughout the show on the sides were treehouses for the band/orchestra to play. Then for small places such as the hospital, fields, the school, and Totoro’s lair they are simple but effective. Spaces like those don’t need to be huge and you can still tell where they are. As a whole the scenic design was designed great truly matching what we come to expect from the film.

                    Props/Costumes/Puppets:

For this production I got to say I was left impressed by the amount of props and costumes that were presented in this production. Before I talk about Totoro I will first praise the other props/puppets shown which I thought were great and even had personality. Puppets like the Soot Sprites, smaller Totoros, and even things like chickens and were operated by shadows with strings. They maintained their own distinct characters with reactions at times brought them to life in a splendid way. The cat bus was a glowing inflatable that reminded me of those dragon dances you see at Chinese festivals that I just loved to see. The main Totoro we all know was massive and operated by multiple puppeteers so he can still move and do things like holding the umbrella and once he appeared you can’t take your eyes off him. All of these puppets especially Totoro had the expressions we come to expect and it just puts good feelings which is what you want for this kind of production. Lastly the costumes I thought were certainly accurate and looked good.  

                               Presentation:

When it comes to adapting the story from page to film I’d say it succeeded in that sense. There are many scenes adapted straight from the original it captures the charm. What I think adds to this notion is the fact that when you see the more fantastic elements it’s all happening in front of you. I should also mention in regard to presentation it is a lot longer, while the film itself is an hour and a half this is about two hours and forty five minutes. If you’re wondering how they extend the story, they do so by both stretching out scenes such as Mei running through the cornfield or by adding some new scenes. Some new scenes include a scene between Mei and Granny, Satsuki and Kanta, Kanta talking to his dad about talking to girls, and a scene with the mother and the nurses. All of that to say these additional stuff I generally liked and a showcase of how this media can be adapted to the stage.

                             Final Thoughts:

As a whole this is a great production that captures what we like about the film. And if you’re someone who loves My Neighbor Totoro this is a must watch and will still make you feel happy. So if you ever get the chance to visit London make sure to add this to part of your trip. I truly hope it gets what the stage adaptation of Spirited Away got and release a recorded version of the show because it really is amazing. Overall I’d the stage adaptation a 9/10! Until next time I’ll see you all on the next post.