Friday, April 26, 2024
Studio Ghibli’s work ‘like Shakespeare’, says My Neighbour Totoro stage show’s director
Studio Ghibli | The Guardian: The work of Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki should be considered as remarkable and timeless as Shakespeare’s First Folio, according to the director of the hit stage adaptation of My Neighbour Totoro, which is returning to the West End next year.
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During the winter holiday, I watched My Neighbor Totoro in London's West End. It's truly a magical experience, especially when you see the reactions that the famous puppeteers at Jim Henson's Bioengineering studio bring to the lifelike Totoro character. The challenge of bringing a classic animation to the stage is to capture the essence and magic of the original while offering something new and engaging. The production seems to be very successful, especially the actors' control of the characters, making every movement seem natural and real. The use of puppetry to bring animated characters to life adds a unique, tangible dimension that animation cannot replicate. Skilled puppet performances combined with captivating choreography may have enhanced the storyline, making themes of nature and family ties more relatable to audiences. The goosebumps I get when Totoro appears on stage underline the power of live performance to evoke a strong emotional response, effectively bridging the gap between the animated world and the real world. This adaptation not only pays homage to Miyazaki's original work, but also enriches it by presenting its universal themes through a new medium that can be seen and felt in real time, creating an unforgettable theatrical experience!
I love Studio Ghibli movies. I just recently watched Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke, all of which were superbly told in ways that made me think about important topics like loss, childhood, etc without even realizing it. I’ve never seen My Neighbour Totoro but I know how much of a big deal it is to some people. I hope to watch it this summer so that I too can be one of the many people who enjoy that movie. I’m not surprised that this was the first Studio Ghibli movie to be made for the theatre. I would love to see one of these productions in person and live. I think with the puppetry and live acting as well as music, any Studio Ghibli movie would be good for the stage. The puppetry alone seems like it is a show-stopping aspect of this show. There are a multitude of reasons why puppetry is so beneficial to storytelling and Studio Ghibli on stage is one of those reasons. Not only would it help tell the story of these fictional characters, but it would also bring the fictional world to life on stage.
I have only in the past few years been watching Studio Ghibli movies, and although kinda weird, they are some of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. A bit basically, some of my favorites are Howl’s Moving Castle and Kiki’s Delivery Service. Over the summer I am hoping to watch more of the studio’s films. I had heard that they were developing My Neighbour Totoro insta a stage show a while ago, and thought it was very ambitious given all of the interesting animated creators and the fantical setting. Though, some of the production photos came up and looked absolutely stunning, with how emotional and poetic Studio Ghibli’s films can be, I can completely understand how the work could be compared to the caliber of Shakespeare. While it is slightly different due to Shakespeare’s use of language and verse contributing to the beauty of his work, the emotional vulnerability and movement of his pieces are very reminiscent of that quality.
I absolutely agree with this assessment of Studio Ghibli's work. I recently watched a film of theirs for the first time-spirited away-and it genuinely felt like I was inhabiting another world for the entire length of the film. The immersion was never broken. The assessment that their stories are "mythic" is extremely apt. The storytelling and world building in their films is an absolute masterclass in how to create immersive art. I think that Studio Ghibli is an incredible modern day example of boundary pushing art. I've felt more and more this feeling that where we can find the bounds of the theatre is in the animation studio. The amount of dedication put into animation should match the work put into a live performance. More theatre needs to have that deep kind of thoughtful care put into it. The audience really notices when that kind of care is put in.
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