My Neighbour Totoro Tickets
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About My Neighbour Totoro
See Studio Ghibli’s hit 1988 film My Neighbor Totoro come to life on stage in the Olivier Award-winning play of the same name. Book My Neighbour Totoro tickets on TodayTix.
This coming-of-age tale set in the 1950s Tokyo countryside tells the story of young sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who have moved to the country with their father after their mother is hospitalized. Throughout the show, their experiences range from mundane to fantastical as they meet numerous forest spirits, including the furry Totoro.
My Neighbour Totoro in London was an immediate hit. Over 290,000 people saw the show, and it broke the Barbican Centre box office record for ticket sales in a single day. Additionally, the show earned an impressive six Olivier awards in 2023. The awards include Best Set Design, Best Costume Design, Best Director, Best Entertainment or Comedy Play, Best Lighting Design, and Best Sound Design.
Run time
2hr 40min. Incl. 1 interval.
Categories
Plays, West End, Adventure, Award winners, Family / Kid-friendly
Age
Ages 6+. Younger guests are welcome although the production is not suitable for under 4s (including babes in arms). Children need to occupy their own seat. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. All guests, regardless of age, must have a valid ticket.
Start date
8th March, 2025
End date
2nd November, 2025
Venue
Directions
Location: West End
Railway station: King's Cross St Pancras
Bus numbers: (High Holborn) 134, 242; (Kingsway) 1, 59, 68, 91, 168, 171, 188, 243, 521, X68
Night bus numbers: (High Holborn) 242, N68, N207; (Kingsway) 188, 243, N1, N91, N171
Car park: Drury Lane, Parker Street (1min)
Directions from tube: (5mins) Go right on Long Acre; turn left at Drury Lane and you’ll see the theatre 100 metres away on a corner.
More information about My Neighbour Totoro
The star-studded creative team includes set design by Tom Pye, costume design by Kimie Nakano, direction by Phelim McDermott, lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun, and sound design by Tony Gayle. All of whom won Olivier Awards for their work on My Neighbour Totoro during its run at the Barbican.
My Neighbour Totoro is a play that is set apart by its stunning puppetry headed by puppetmaster Basil Twist. For the show, a new style of puppetry, called “wind spirits,” was created, which focuses on having human puppeteers rather than machines. The puppeteers have their own costumes, which are visible throughout the production.
“It’s a little bit like in the movie, if you suddenly got to see the animators who were making that cartoon happen,” McDermott told The Standard.
What to watch for
- Studio Ghibli has had numerous hit films in addition to My Neighbor Totoro, this includes Oscar-winning Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away.
- The story by Hayao Miyazaki is, in part, biographical, as his mother suffered from tuberculosis when he was a child and spent much of her time in the hospital. This is similar to the film and now the play in which the girls’ mother is hospitalized.
- In addition to dialogue, My Neighbour Totoro relies on musical and visual storytelling to create a captivating tale for audiences.
- The performance incorporates aspects of Shinto and Japanese folklore as it transports audiences into the imaginative mind of a child.
Frequently asked questions
What is My Neighbour Totoro about?
The imaginative Studio Ghibli anime film My Neighbour Totoro, which tells the tale of young girls in the Tokyo countryside discovering woodland spirits, returns to the stage following its Olivier-Award-winning run at the Barbican.
How do you get tickets for My Neighbour Totoro?
Check the top of this page for current availability and exclusive offers on My Neighbour Totoro tickets on TodayTix.
Which theatre is My Neighbour Totoro at?
My Neighbour Totoro is at London's Gillian Lynne Theatre, which is located at 166 Drury Lane, London, WC2B 5PW.
What is the age recommendation for My Neighbour Totoro?
Ages 6+. Younger guests are welcome although the production is not suitable for under 4s (including babes in arms). Children need to occupy their own seat. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. All guests, regardless of age, must have a valid ticket.
What is the running time of My Neighbour Totoro?
My Neighbour Totoro runs for 2hr 40min. Incl. 1 interval.
How much are tickets for My Neighbour Totoro?
My Neighbour Totoro tickets start at £28.
Who wrote My Neighbour Totoro?
Hayao Miyazaki wrote the original story, which was adapted for the stage by Tom Morton-Smith.
Who directed My Neighbour Totoro?
Phelim McDermott stages the play.
Is My Neighbour Totoro appropriate for kids?
My Neighbour Totoro is a great family-friendly show; it is best for children ages 6 and up.
Is My Neighbour Totoro good?
My Neighbour Totoro is a magnificent show that has broken box office records and earned numerous awards. The show’s run at the Barbican had many critics praising the production, including a five-star review from The Guardian that said, “It is not nearly as high-powered in its special effects as a Disney adaptation but just as dazzling in its magic realism…The future remains uncertain, but Satsuki and Mei carry on believing in all things magical and unseen, and the lessons for life are kindness, hope, and community.”
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