The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has announced its exciting casting for the upcoming “My Neighbor Totoro” production at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London’s West End.

Key Cast Members

Victoria Chen, known for her role in The Night Before Christmas, will portray Mei. Joining her is Ami Okumura Jones, reprising her role as Mei’s older sister Satsuki. The cast also features Dai Tabuchi as their father Tatsuo, Jacqueline Tate as Granny, and Ai Ninomiya as the Singer from Les Misérables. Additional cast members include Phyllis Ho as Yasuko, Steven Nguyen as Kanta, Jamie Zubairi as Hiroshi, and Deanna Myers as Tsukiko.

Puppetry Ensemble

The Kazego Puppetry Ensemble welcomes back Matthew Leonhart, Heather Lai, Shaofan Wilson (Miss Hara), and Anna Kato, while introducing new talents such as 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.

Creative Team

The creative vision behind this adaptation includes Tom Pye for production design, Basil Twist for puppetry design and direction, Will Stuart for orchestration, and Tony Gayle for sound design.

About the Production

My Neighbour Totoro is adapted by Tom Morton-Smith from the beloved 1988 animated feature by Hayao Miyazaki, and is directed by Phelim McDermott. Joe Hisaishi serves as executive producer for the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), in collaboration with Nippon TV and Improbable.

Performance Dates

The show will run at the Gillian Lynne Theatre from March 8 to November 2, offering a unique opportunity for audiences to experience this enchanting story brought to life on stage.

Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L’Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.