Jim Henson’s Creature Shop teamed up with Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Company to make puppets for a stage show based on Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbour Totoro.
The show will feature the score that composer Joe Hisaishi created for 1988 film, plus additional music that wasn’t used in the movie.
The story is set in 1950s Japan and follows the adventures of Satsuki and Mei, young sisters who move from Tokyo city to the countryside. There they encounter spirits and awesome creatures. Two furry ones capture their imaginations: a giant fluffy creature known as the Totoro and a gargantuan cat bus that collects willing passengers then soars off into the sky.
The puppets being built at the Creature Shop are based on designs created by Basil Twist, one of the UK’s most innovative puppeteers. Mervyn Millar, of Britain’s Significant Object puppet studio will create additional puppets as well.
Peter Brooke, creative supervisor of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop said in a statement released through the RSC: “We know all too well the importance of maintaining the visual style and personality of beloved characters.
”Whether an audience member is a longtime fan of this iconic story, or new to Miyazaki’s fantastical world, they will be simply amazed when they see these magical creatures live on stage in a whole new way in My Neighbour Totoro.”
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| John Criswell, animatronics supervisor at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in Los Angeles. working on "My Neighbour Totoro" |
The show will have an initial run of 15 weeks at London’s Barbican, with performances from October 8 through January 21, 2023.
Tickets are on sale now at the Royal Shakespeare Company's website.
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