The award-winning show continues its life after two sell-out runs
The multi-award-winning My Neighbour Totoro has announced its West End cast.
The production, which was adapted by Tom Morton-Smith and directed by Improbable’s Phelim McDermott, broke the Barbican’s box office record for most tickets sold in a single day when it was first announced in April 2022 – and has only been going from strength to strength since then.
It premiered in October 2022 and received critical acclaim, winning five WhatsOnStage Awards and six Olivier Awards for its Barbican spell. It then returned to the Barbican in the autumn of 2023 for a second sell-out run.
It explores the magical fantasy world of childhood and the transformative power of imagination, following one extraordinary summer in the lives of sisters Satsuki and Mei.
Victoria Chen joins the company to play the role of Mei. Returning to their roles are Ami Okumura Jones as Mei’s older sister Satsuki, Dai Tabuchi as Tatsuo, Jacqueline Tate as Granny, and Ai Ninomiya as the Singer.
The show’s Kazego puppetry ensemble will once again include Matthew Leonhart, Heather Lai, Shaofan Wilson (Miss Hara) and Anna Kato, who will be joined by new members, Rachel Clare Chan, Sally Cheng, Sabrina Pui Yee Chin, Victor Itang, Gabriel S Janoras, Ronnie Lee, Kumiko Mendl (Nurse Emiko), Annakanako Mohri, Richard Peralta, Lucy Park and Chloe Ragrag.
Phyllis Ho (Yasuko), Steven Nguyen (Kanta), Jamie Zubairi (Hiroshi) and Deanna Myers (Tsukiko) complete the cast.
The play will run at the Gillian Lynne Theatre for 34 weeks from Saturday 8 March to Sunday 2 November 2025, with an opening night on Thursday 20 March.
My Neighbour Totoro has production design by Tom Pye, costume design by Kimie Nakano, lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun, movement by You-Ri Yamanaka and puppetry design and direction is by Basil Twist.
The production features music from 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.
Artwork for the stage adaptation of My Neighbour Totoro includes a hand-drawn title by Toshio Suzuki, producer for Studio Ghibli.