VIDEO: My Neighbour Totoro – Meet the cast for the show’s London return to the Barbican Theatre

The RSC has revealed casting for the forthcoming return of My Neighbour Totoro to the Barbican Theatre in London in November 2023.

Mei Mac is set to reprise her Olivier Award-nominated performance as Mei Kusakabe, with Ami Okumura Jones returning as older sister Satsuki, Dai Tabuchi in his role as Tatsuo, and Jacqueline Tate as Granny.

Also returning as Kazego Puppetry ensemble are: Boaz Chad, Jasmine Chiu, Andrew Futaishi (Hiroshi), Matthew Leonhart, Arina Ii (Miss Hara), Yojiro Ichikawa, Si Rawlinson, Mark Takeshi Ota and Shaofan Wilson.

Also in the cast are Jessie Baek, Jasmine Bayes, Ka Long Kelvin Chan (Kanta), Elizabeth Chu, Anna Kato, Heather Lai, Amanda Maud (Nurse Emiko), Yuki Nitta, Bright Ong, Emily Piggford (Yasuko), Daniel Phung, Gun Suen and Naomi Yang (Tsukiko).

Meet the cast in this behind-the-scenes video of rehearsals for the show.

Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar winning 1988 animated feature film has been adapted for the stage by Tom Morton-Smith (Oppenheimer), and broke box office records last year at the Barbican.

The show went on to win six Olivier Awards, five WhatsOnStage Awards and the Critic’s Circle Awards for Best Design. The show also scored some impressive reviews from the critics.

It was announced in March that the show would be making a return to London in November 2023.

My Neighbour Totoro is directed by Improbable’s Phelim McDermott, with production design by Tom Pye, costume design by Kimie Nakano, lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun, and movement by You-Ri Yamanaka. Puppetry design and direction is by Basil Twist, created with puppetry associate Mervyn Millar’s Significant Object and the Jim Henson Creature Shop.

The production features music from Joe Hisaishi’s iconic score in a new orchestration by Will Stuart, performed by live musicians including singer, Ai Ninomiya, with sound design by Tony Gayle. Video design is by Finn Ross and Andrea Scott. Casting Director is Hannah Miller CDG. Associate Director is Ailin Conant.

This enchanting coming-of-age story explores the magical fantasy world of childhood and the transformative power of imagination, as it follows one extraordinary summer in the lives of sisters Satsuki and Mei.

The show is produced by Executive Producer Joe Hisaishi and the Royal Shakespeare Company in collaboration with Improbable and Nippon TV. A prominent exclusive in US entertainment industry trade magazine Variety this morning to announce casting suggests the producers are eyeing up a Broadway run for the show, with a number of Broadway producers believed to have already seen the show.

It was announced last week that Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli would be acquired by Japan’s main private broadcaster Nippon TV.

Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbour Totoro will play the Barbican theatre for a strictly limited run from 21 November 2023 to 23 March 2024.

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My Neighbour Totoro

Gillian Lynne Theatre, London

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