Miyazaki Hayao's beloved Studio Ghibli film My Neighbor Totoro is taking the flying cat bus straight to the London’s Barbican stage this October. According to Deadline, the Royal Shakespeare Company has partnered with famed puppeteer Jim Henson’s Creature Shop animatronics and visual effects studio to bring the ancient protector of the forest to life.
The idea to bring the Studio Ghibli classic to the stage was first pitched to writer Hayao by the film's original composer Joe Hisaishi, reports Variety. Hisaishi is a multi-award winning composer whose work has provided the magical scores of multiple notable films, including Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle and so many others. With Hayao's blessing, the assembly of talent began, and it was just announced that Henson's Creature Shop will helm the task of creating life-size puppets for the number of magical creatures in My Neighbor Totoro. A life-size Totoro is going to grace the stage of London's Barbican arts complex — but not only the forest protector, the Creature Shop is also working to create a life-size flying cat bus. However, when asked how the cat bus would fly, the play's director Phelim McDermott is keeping quiet. Instead he offered, "It’s theater magic." All designs for the creatures are based on the designs of the UK's innovative puppeteer Basil Twist, and additional puppets will be created by Mervyn Millar from Britain's Significant Object studio.
Fans are guaranteed to be awed by the stage production with Totoro in the hands of such established creators. Henson's Creature Shop has had a hand in countless iconic films, like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth starring David Bowie, and are responsible for The Muppets and Sesame Street. Creative supervisor for the Creature Shop Peter Brooke assures fans, "We know all too well the importance of maintaining the visual style and personality of beloved characters," and says that new and old fans will be amazed by seeing these characters in a whole new way.
On what inspired composer Hisaishi to adapt My Neighbor Totoro to stage, he 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.’"
My Neighbor Totoro is a 1988 Studio Ghibli film both written and directed by Miyazaki, and tells the enchanting story of two little girls, 10-year-old Satsuki and her younger sister Mei, who move with their father to the country to be close to the hospital where their ailing mother is staying. While their father works, the little girls journey into the forest near their home, where Satsuki discovers an ancient forest spirit, the protector of the forest, who she dubs Totoro. The girls are then swept away into magical adventures with Totoro and the whimsical creatures of the forest.
The playwright for the stage adaptation is written by Tom Morton-Smith, directed by McDermott, and will feature Hisaishi's original score as well as additional music that wasn't heard in the film, as well as being executive-produced by Hisaishi. My Neighbor Totoro will have a 15-week run beginning on October 8 through January 2023.