The Japanese stage production of Spirited Away will make its European debut on the West End in 2024
Following in the footsteps of the smash hit My Neighbour Totoro, which had a sell-out run at the Barbican (and is set to have another this winter), a new Studio Ghibli play is headed for the city. Spirited Away, arguably one of the studio’s most impactful films, will be brought to the West End to spend almost four months at the London Coliseum in 2024.
If you haven’t seen the film, the story follows 10-year-old Chihiro who gets lost in a fantasy world after her parents, after angering Shinto spirits by eating their food, are turned into pigs. She takes a job at a magical bathhouse while working to get her parents back and return to her own world.
The Spirited Away play, written and directed by Tony award-winning stage director John Caird, debuted in Tokyo last year before touring Japan with stints in Osaka, Fukuoka, Sapporo and Nagoya. In the original production, Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi shared the role of Chihiro and both will be reprising their roles for the London edition. The play will also be performed in Japanese with English captions.
If you have seen the movie, you’ll know that bringing those characters to life is a real feat. Expect to see Kamaji, the spider-like boiler man, with 19-foot-long arms; No-Face played by as many as 12 actors; Haku’s transformation into dragon form; and more remarkable visuals. And, of course, the film’s legendary original score (composed by Joe Hisaishi) will be performed by a live orchestra throughout.
Tues 30th April – Sat 24th August 2024
London Coliseum, St. Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4ES
londoncoliseum.org