A dazzling staging of Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbour Totoro at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London’s West End
You really can’t miss the Gillian Lynne Theatre at the moment. It’s an easy five-minute walk from Covent Garden underground station and when you round the corner onto Drury Lane all you can see is green.
Above the entrance is a huge picture of Totoro – a giant, fluffy, fantastical creature that smells like mud…or so we’re told.
The outside of the theatre was one thing, the inside was something else. As I made my way into the auditorium the first thing that grabbed my attention was huge, twirling vines that wrapped around the sides of the stage. It created a sweet atmosphere that made me feel like I was about to see a show nestled away in a tree house.
I’ll admit up front that I’ve not seen the film My Neighbour Totoro and I didn’t know much about Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli other than they were behind Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle.
This isn’t the first time My Neighbour Totoro has come to the West End. It had its premier back in 2022 and won a staggering six Olivier Awards so I was pretty sure I was in for a treat.
And I was. From the very beginning it’s a show that’s full of heart and warmth. We follow two young girls in Japan in 1955 that have moved outside of Tokyo to be nearer to their sick mother in hospital. When one of them stumbles into the woods and discovers a giant, furry friend she calls Totoro it kickstarts a beautiful adventure where literally anything is possible.
I think that’s the thing that’s so enchanting about this show. There is no limit to what could happen and even the most bizarre and imaginative moments are perfectly acceptable – even buses that capture the spirit of a cat.
It’s also one of the most visually ambitious productions I’ve ever seen. If I thought the vines at the side of the stage were impressive it was nothing compared to what happened when the curtain went up. Houses, hospitals, fields and woods were built and moved around on stage.
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There were puppets and props and tricks of the light that brought this incredible world to life. It’s hard to describe just how big Totoro is but he moves around on stage completing the illusion that we’re all wrapped up in a sweet little girl’s fantasy.
There are some who might dismiss the puppets, whimsical characters and joyful music as childish but instead it’s pure comfort and happiness. The energy is instantly contagious and while there are hints of magic and charm from the very start, the show builds gradually so by the end you’re willing to believe everything you see.
It really stands as a testament to what you can achieve on a stage when you work outside the box. I think why this show has struck such a chord is because there’s nothing else like this in mainstream theatre. It offers the audience a completely unique experience that can only get if you’re willing to suspend your beliefs, even just for a few hours.
I don’t know how closely My Neighbour Totoro follows the original film but what you do see on stage is absolute joy.
There’s isn’t anyone I wouldn’t recommend this show to because it really has a universal appeal that will speak to everyone. And no matter who you are, whether you’re a Studio Ghibli fan or whether this is your first time down the rabbit hole, you’re guaranteed an extraordinary adventure.
