I’m no great fan of Japanese anime, but I am a fan of stepping out of my comfort zone—especially when it leads to something that reconnects you with the magical world you once craved as a child. My Neighbour Totoro, currently playing in London’s West End, offers exactly that: a few precious hours of escapism, imagination, and disconnection from the relentless pressures of modern life.
The Royal Shakespeare Company has generously adapted Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved film for the stage, and it’s a gift. There’s a giant, mysterious forest spirit named Totoro, a delightfully surreal cat bus, and an atmosphere of dreamlike wonder that quietly creeps under your skin. That might sound strange on paper, but in person, it’s spellbinding. You don’t need to be an anime fan to be swept up by its charm—just open to a bit of whimsy.
What always fascinates me with screen-to-stage adaptations is how they tackle the seemingly unstageable. And here, the creativity is nothing short of astonishing. From breathtaking puppetry to elegant scene transitions, the production is bursting with clever, heartfelt solutions to theatrical challenges. It’s a marvel to witness how imagination—both in the story and its telling—can turn the impossible into something beautifully real.
Dr Martin James 