The production, based on the 1988 animated feature film, will now run until 30th August 2026 at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London.
Schools can take advantage of discounts on Tuesday and Wednesday evening performances and Thursday matinees when booking for ten or more pupils to see My Neighbour Totoro the West End.
The show, which opened in March this year, is produced by Joe Hisaishi and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), in collaboration with Nippon TV and Improbable. It features larger-than-life puppetry from puppetry director and designer Basil Twist and puppetry associate Mervyn Millar (War Horse).
Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey, RSC co-artistic directors said: “My Neighbour Totoro is a story of kindness, courage and the power of the imagination. Our audiences get to meet the magical creatures of the forest through extraordinary storytelling, dazzling puppetry and beautiful songs.
“Watching the joy on people’s faces when they meet Catbus, Chu, Sho and of course Totoro, is a delight to behold, and we can’t wait to welcome more people to the show at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.”
My Neighbour Totoro has won six Olivier awards and five WhatsOnStage awards. It broke the Barbican’s Box Office record for most tickets sold in a single day in April 2022.
About the show
My Neighbour Totoro tells the story of sisters Satsuki and Mei as they move to their curious new home in the countryside to be closer to their mother when she is taken ill. The sisters explore their new surroundings only to encounter a world of spirits, sprites and magical creatures, and Mei’s new friend, the giant, ancient protector of the forest named Totoro and his friend the Catbus.
Although Satsuki doesn’t believe her little sister at first, they are soon both swept up in exciting adventures with their new neighbours.
The cast includes Victoria Chen as Mei, Ami Okumura Jones as Mei’s older sister Satsuki, Dai Tabuchi as Tatsuo, Jacqueline Tate as Granny, and Ai Ninomiya as the Singer.
Learning with My Neighbour Totoro
Teachers can download a My Neighbour Totoro teacher pack, created by the RSC containing activities for students in KS3 and KS4 which can be adapted for other age groups.
Activities can be used as standalone practical approaches to the story or as supporting activities for students seeing the production. Learning activities focus on the story, characters and themes within the production, along with theatre making, use of puppetry and Japanese origins.
To enquire about booking a school visit to see the production contact schools@totoroshow.com, or call 020 8064 0124.
For more information about the show, including ticket information and to download the learning pack, visit totoroshow.com.
