My Neighbour Totoro opens backstage doors as West End run books to 2027
The backstage crew takes centre stage in new photos from My Neighbour Totoro in the West End.
The Royal Shakespeare Company has released behind-the-scenes images from the production at London's Gillian Lynne Theatre. The pictures were taken by Danny Kaan and show puppeteers, musicians and cast at work backstage, as reported by WhatsOnStage.
The current company includes Victoria Chen as Mei and Helen Chong as Satsuki. Dai Tabuchi plays Tatsuo, Jacqueline Tate plays Granny and Ai Ninomiya performs as Kaze No Koe/Singer.
The show is the stage version of Hayao Miyazaki's 1988 animated feature film. It is adapted by Tom Morton-Smith and directed by Phelim McDermott.
It is presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company in collaboration with Nippon TV and Improbable. Composer Joe Hisaishi is executive producer. His score is newly orchestrated by Will Stuart and played live at each performance.
Puppetry is central to how the story is told. Puppetry design and direction is by Basil Twist. The wider creative team includes production design by Tom Pye, costume design by Kimie Nakano, lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun, movement direction by You-Ri Yamanaka and sound design by Tony Gayle.
The production first opened at the Barbican in October 2022. It then played a sold-out return season in 2023 and closed at the Barbican in March 2024. It transferred to the West End, meaning the production moved from its original venue into a commercial West End house.
The West End run opened at the Gillian Lynne Theatre from 8 March 2025, according to the RSC. It is now booking to 10 January 2027. That date is listed by LW Theatres as the final extension in the West End.
Earlier in the run, former Satsuki and Mei performers Ami Okumura Jones and Mei Mac met the Emperor and Empress of Japan, the RSC said.
For fans, this means a rare look past the curtain. The photos catch the scale of the puppet operation and the live music that sits behind the forest world on stage.
