Japanese fantasy film ‘Spirited Away’ set for West End stage debut

The stage version of Studio Ghibli’s renowned film ‘Spirited Away’ has been scheduled for a spring debut in London.

The collaboration between TOHO Co Ltd and PW Productions will present the production in its original Japanese language, complemented with English subtitles. The stage adaptation, inspired by Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award-winning animation, is crafted by John Caird with assistance from Maoko Imai, and retains the original music compositions by Joe Hisaishi.

The premiere in Europe will feature the original Japanese cast, including notable performers Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi, both of whom portray the main character, Chihiro.

Spirited Away (original title: 千と千尋の神隠し, “Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi”) is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film is widely regarded as a masterpiece of animation and is one of the most critically acclaimed and successful films in the history of cinema.

The story centers around a 10-year-old girl named Chihiro, who, while relocating with her parents to a new town, stumbles upon what seems to be an abandoned amusement park. However, after sundown, the park transforms into a world of spirits, gods, and supernatural beings. When her parents are turned into pigs after consuming food meant for the spirits, Chihiro must navigate this mysterious world, taking a job in a bathhouse for spirits to find a way to free her parents and return to the human world.

The film delves into various themes such as greed, environmentalism, identity, and the transition from childhood to maturity. Miyazaki’s intricate world-building and deep character development make ‘Spirited Away’ a compelling watch for both children and adults.

‘Spirited Away’ garnered numerous awards, most notably the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003, making it the first (and, as of my last update in September 2021, the only) hand-drawn and non-English language animated film to win that honor. The film also broke box office records in Japan and remains one of the highest-grossing films in Japanese cinema history.

The team behind the stage production has expressed their commitment to making the play accessible to a wide audience, emphasizing ticket prices as affordable as under £30 for every showing.

The music direction, credited to Brad Haak, and Conor Keelan’s additional music oversight and advanced sound programming, are among the highlights of the show’s production. The dedicated team also includes professionals like Jon Bausor for set design, Toby Olié for puppetry, Shigehiro Ide for choreography, and Sachiko Nakahara for costume design, among others.

The much-anticipated European introduction of ‘Spirited Away’ will take place at the London Coliseum. This exclusive run spans 12 weeks, starting 30 April and wrapping up on 20 July 2024.