🔖 5 min read

As My Neighbour Totoro enters its final 12 weeks in London, a brand new set of behind the scenes images of the cast has been released, taken by Danny Kaan.

Executive Producer Joe Hisaishi and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), in collaboration with Nippon TV and Improbable announced today the release of a new set of behind the scenes images to mark the production entering the final twelve weeks of its run at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.

Black and white photograph of the company on the forest set, seen from the back of an empty auditorium
The company on the forest set in an empty Gillian Lynne Theatre. Photo by Danny Kaan.

Adapted by Tom Morton-Smith (writer of the RSC play Oppenheimer) from Hayao Miyazaki’s celebrated 1988 animated feature film, the production is directed by Improbable Co-Founder, Phelim McDermott. The show has run at the Gillian Lynne Theatre since 8 March 2025 and must end on 3 January 2027. Winner of multiple awards and universal critical acclaim, My Neighbour Totoro played two seasons at the Barbican Theatre prior to transferring to the West End and by the end of its run will have been seen by over 1 million people since its first preview at the Barbican on 8 October 2022.

Victoria Chen and Helen Chong lead the My Neighbour Totoro London cast

The cast includes Victoria Chen in the role of Mei, Helen Chong as Mei’s older sister Satsuki, Dai Tabuchi as Tatsuo, Jacqueline Tate as Granny, and Ai Ninomiya as Kaze No Koe/Singer.

Victoria Chen smiling and waving as she leans out of a backstage doorway
Victoria Chen, who plays Mei, backstage. Photo by Danny Kaan.
Dai Tabuchi in a light suit standing among the rigging and cables in the wings
Dai Tabuchi, who plays the girls’ father Tatsuo, in the wings. Photo by Danny Kaan.
Jacqueline Tate and Phyllis Ho smiling at a dressing room mirror lined with bulbs and make up
Jacqueline Tate (Granny) and Phyllis Ho (Yasuko) in their dressing room. Photo by Danny Kaan.
Ai Ninomiya in a green and oatmeal costume smiling in a backstage corridor
Ai Ninomiya, who performs as Kaze No Koe and the Singer, in costume backstage. Photo by Danny Kaan.

The Kazego Puppetry Ensemble backstage at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

The show’s unique Kazego Puppetry Ensemble is made up of Karen Barredo, Melisa Camba, Rachel Clare Chan, Jeffrey Chekai, Chui Yen, Phyllis Ho (Yasuko), Victor Itang, Gabriel S. Janoras, Natsumi Kuroda (Tsukiko), Eero Chen Liu (Principal Puppeteer), Kumiko Mendl (Nurse Emiko), Yui Minari, Michelle Miners, Steven Nguyen (Kanta), Richard P. Peralta, Gun Suen (Principal Puppeteer/Puppetry Captain), Sango Tajima (Miss Hara/Principal Puppeteer), Bai Zhijin and Jamie Zubairi (Hiroshi). The swings include Ronnie Lee, Wenhsin Lee, Amber Lin, Sera Maehara and Si Rawlinson (Movement Captain).

Five performers in dark costumes laughing and hugging in a dressing room
Clockwise from the front, Michelle Miners, Yui Minari, Chui Yen, Sera Maehara and Sango Tajima in their dressing room. Photo by Danny Kaan.
Black and white photograph of seven puppeteers in dark robes and hoods lined up along a backstage corridor
Left to right, Sango Tajima, Bai Zhijin, Gun Suen, Gabriel S. Janoras, Victor Itang, Karen Barredo and Rachel Clare Chan. Photo by Danny Kaan.
A puppeteer in a dark hood grinning in a dressing room, with colleagues at the mirrors behind
Bai Zhijin and Principal Puppeteer Eero Chen Liu in the dressing room. Photo by Danny Kaan.
Black and white photograph looking down a stairwell at Steven Nguyen in a white cap, making a peace sign
Steven Nguyen, who plays Kanta, on the backstage stairs. Photo by Danny Kaan.
Natsumi Kuroda in a pale green costume and headscarf in a backstage corridor beside a crew member wearing a headset
Natsumi Kuroda, who plays Tsukiko, in a backstage corridor. Photo by Danny Kaan.
Black and white photograph of Karen Barredo in costume looking back over her shoulder in a backstage doorway
Karen Barredo backstage in costume. Photo by Danny Kaan.
16 Oct to 22 Nov 2026
Three generations of butoh on one UK stage, for the first time
Mitsuyo Uesugi returns to The Place after 46 years
London · Bangor · Newcastle · Norway
See what's on

Tom Pye, Basil Twist and Kimie Nakano lead the creative team

My Neighbour Totoro features production design by Tom Pye, puppetry design and direction by Basil Twist, costume design by Kimie Nakano, lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun, and movement by You-Ri Yamanaka. The production features music from Joe Hisaishi’s iconic score in a new orchestration by Will Stuart, performed live with sound design by Tony Gayle. Video design is by Finn Ross and Andrea Scott, the Dramaturg is Pippa Hill, Casting Director is Hannah Miller CDG and Sound Effects & Soundscape Designer is Nicola T Chang.

Black and white photograph of Victor Itang reaching up to work a piece of equipment in the wings
Victor Itang at work in the wings. Photo by Danny Kaan.

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.

Two hooded figures silhouetted against a warmly lit wooden wall of the set
Michelle Miners and Rachel Clare Chan silhouetted against the set. Photo by Danny Kaan.
Natsumi Kuroda in a headscarf lit by blue light in the wings, as a crew member with a torch checks a clipboard
Natsumi Kuroda in the blue light of the wings. Photo by Danny Kaan.

Satsuki, Mei and the forest spirit they call Totoro

Satsuki and Mei’s mother has taken ill. In order to be closer to her while she recovers in a rural convalescent hospital, their father moves the two sisters from their home in a city to the countryside. And though the countryside is beautiful and the people friendly, it’s hard not to be scared when the wind rustles the trees at night. As the sisters explore their new surroundings, young Mei encounters magical creatures and the ancient protector of the forest she calls “Totoro”, and they are to be the girls’ neighbours.

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.

Black and white photograph of hooded performers standing in the dark of the wings
Sera Maehara and Gabriel S. Janoras in the wings. Photo by Danny Kaan.
A performer in dark clothing handling a piece of green scenery in the shadows of the wings
Sera Maehara at work in the wings. Photo by Danny Kaan.

My Neighbour Totoro performance times until 3 January 2027

  • Show: My Neighbour Totoro
  • Venue: Gillian Lynne Theatre, 166 Drury Lane, London, WC2B 5PW
  • Booking details: totoroshow.com, 020 7087 7750
  • Bluesky and TikTok: @totoro_show
  • Instagram and Facebook: @totoroshow / TotoroShow
  • YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TotoroShow

Now playing until 3 January 2027. Group bookings are on sale until 3 January.

  • Tuesday to Saturday, 7pm performances
  • Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, 2pm performances
  • October half term matinee: Tuesday 27 October, 2pm
Black and white photograph of Sera Maehara in a headscarf and patterned dress laughing beside a door marked Stage
Sera Maehara, one of the production’s swings, beside the door to the stage. Photo by Danny Kaan.

Christmas performances

DatePerformances
Tuesday 22 December2pm and 7pm
Wednesday 23 December2pm and 7pm
Thursday 24 December2pm
Friday 25 DecemberNo performance
Saturday 26 DecemberNo performance
Sunday 27 December1pm and 6pm
Tuesday 29 December2pm and 7pm
Wednesday 30 December7pm
Thursday 31 December2pm
Friday 1 January5pm
Saturday 2 January2pm and 7pm
Sunday 3 January2pm

Assisted performances

  • Signed performance: Sunday 11 October 2026, 2pm
  • Relaxed performance: Sunday 8 November 2026, 2pm
  • Audio Described Performance: Saturday 5 December 2026, 2pm
  • Captioned Performance: Sunday 6 December 2026, 2pm

Booking details for each date are on the production’s assisted performances page.

Steven Nguyen in a white vest getting ready at a dressing room mirror covered in photographs
Steven Nguyen getting ready at his dressing room mirror. Photo by Danny Kaan.
author-avatar

Written by Simon Martin

Simon first fell for Japan over a cup of Hoshino Coffee—and he hasn’t looked back since. Today, the Japan Nakama founder champions Japanese culture across the UK and US, sharing its charm with our Nakama community of curious readers and culture lovers.

View All

You May Also Like

How the My Neighbour Totoro Stage Show Was Made

How the My Neighbour Totoro Stage Show Was Made

Five Totoro puppets, a 1.9 metre Catbus smile and 600 toffees eaten on stage. The team behind the London production told us how it was built.

NodaMap: -320 Fahrenheit Review

NodaMap: -320 Fahrenheit Review

Why does this bewildering production linger long after the curtain falls? Read how its chaos builds towards one of theatre's most affecting finales.