MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO Premieres at the Barbican in October

The world premiere of the stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli's My Neighbour Totoro which will open at the Barbican for a strictly limited run this autumn in collaboration with Improbable and Nippon TV.

Joe Hisaishi, Executive Producer and Original Composer of My Neighbour Totoro, 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".

This responsibility is a huge task, but we chose to work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, a globally prestigious company, and with their support we can make it happen. I am delighted that the RSC have become our partner because I feel much in common between the quality of the RSC and Mr. Miyazaki's aesthetic. This is a ground-breaking project. Phelim McDermott is a wonderful director, and his team are enthusiastic, creative and very hardworking. They love Totoro and the sense of anticipation is high.

I was involved with the original animation film, and so I feel strongly about not harming the film. If the story is universal - as I believe it is - it will have a global reach even if it is performed by people from different cultural backgrounds speaking different languages. I was sure of this - and so we have chosen to open outside Japan. To me this was important. It's vital to keep distance with the film but it's also important to have new encounters. That's why I put my trust in this project. I believe it will be a great show.

Performed on the Barbican's iconic stage, My Neighbour Totoro will play a 15-week season from Saturday 8 October 2022 - Saturday 21 January 2023 with press night on Tuesday 18 October 2022. Priority booking will open from 10am on Monday 9 May 2022, with public booking opening at 10am on Thursday 19 May 2022.

The celebrated 1988 animated feature film by Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) will be brought to the stage by its original composer Joe Hisaishi in a landmark new adaptation by the RSC (Matilda The Musical) written by playwright Tom Morton-Smith (Oppenheimer). The production is supported by Spanish Luxury House LOEWE, the Headline Sponsor of My Neighbour Totoro, whose connection with Studio Ghibli began in 2021 with the creation of a capsule collection inspired by the original animated film.

Toshio Suzuki, Producer for Studio Ghibli, said:

When I saw a picture of Totoro and a girl at a bus stop drawn by Hayao Miyazaki, I wanted to make a film of it. I felt I could get back the spirit of a child if Mr Miyazaki was to make the film. Set in 1955 in Japanese rural countryside, it is a story from the period when I was a boy. Once finished, the film really allowed the viewers to recapture their childhood spirit.

Then Mr Joe Hisaishi, the composer for the film, said that he wanted to turn the film, "My Neighbour Totoro", into a stage production. Mr Miyazaki was more than happy to oblige if Mr Hisaishi was to lead the project. The partner he chose to work with is the Royal Shakespeare Company, one of the world's most prestigious theatre companies. How will we meet the Totoros? I am very excited and looking forward to it.

Directed by Phelim McDermott with production design by Tom Pye, costumes by Kimie Nakano, lighting by Jessica Hung Han Yun, and movement by You-Ri Yamanaka, the production will feature puppetry created by Basil Twist and music from Joe Hisaishi's iconic score in a new orchestration by Will Stuart, performed live with sound design by Tony Gayle. Associate Director is Ailin Conant. Artwork for the stage adaptation of My Neighbour Totoro includes a hand drawn title by Toshio Suzuki, Producer for Studio Ghibli, who was involved in the planning and production of the original animated film. Casting for the production to be announced soon.

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.

In order to be closer to their mother while she recovers from an illness in a rural convalescent hospital, their father moves the family to the countryside. As the girls explore their beautiful new surroundings, Mei encounters magical creatures and the ancient protector of the forest she calls Totoro.

Although Satsuki doesn't believe her little sister at first, they are soon both swept up in exciting adventures with their new neighbours - transported to a long-forgotten realm of spirits, sprites, and natural wonder.

Erica Whyman, RSC Acting Artistic Director, said:

It is a great honour to be working with the iconic Studio Ghibli and such a wonderfully talented and globally renowned creative team. Adapting this deeply loved magical story for the stage is the next chapter in our longstanding commitment to making spectacular and accessible productions that see the world through the eyes of children, most recently, The Magician's Elephant, Wendy & Peter Pan and of course Matilda The Musical. We know that this major new commission will attract a wide range of theatre audiences as well as loyal fans of the original film.

We are delighted to once again be working so closely with our partners at the Barbican. Its international credentials make it the perfect home for Joe Hisaishi, Phelim McDermott, Tom Pye, Kimie Nakano, Basil Twist and their ingenious team to bring to life this miraculous tale of resilience, and in future years we look forward to bringing Shakespeare back to the Barbican stage.

Toni Racklin, Head of Theatre and Dance at the Barbican, said:

We're thrilled to be presenting the world premiere of My Neighbour Totoro in the Barbican Theatre. It's an incredibly apt show, as in 2001 Barbican Cinema introduced the hand drawn, animated films of Studio Ghibli to the UK for the first-time, with a season including Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbour Totoro. Over the past 21 years this film and many Studio Ghibli favourites have delighted audiences of all ages across our cinema programmes.

This ambitious cross-cultural production marks 10 successful years of collaboration between the Barbican and the RSC, and we're immensely proud to be the RSC's home away from home. Over the past decade the RSC's bold and innovative staging of classic plays by Shakespeare and his contemporaries have captivated audiences, and we're excited that in the hands of the RSC this iconic and much-loved animated feature will be transformed into a magical live event.