Shared an wonderful evening with treasured family, watching the stage adaption of the Studi Ghibli film My Neighbour Totoro at the Barbican. We thought this day would never come as it was booked so long ago, but it finally arrived!
This film, the second by Studio Ghibli, written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and released in 1988 is one of our family’s favourite, introduced to us by my brother in the early 2000’s. At the time my nieces were small and very similar to the two main characters, sisters Satsuki and Mei. My elder niece, featured in the photo, is now all grown up and it was such a special occasion for us to watch together.
The story opens with the girls and their father moving to the countryside for the health of their mother, who is currently in hospital. We follow the girls as they explore with trepidation their new ramshackle house, inhabited by ‘soot sprites’ who are chased away with a dose of laughter. These are the first of the other-worldly beings that live in and around the forest by the house and we soon get to know other sprites, Totoro (guardian of the forest – you can just about see his wide smile in the photo) and the fantastic cat bus who help the children through the difficult period they are going through.
The themes the story explores are very poignant. The sisters don’t know the details of their mother’s illness, when she might come home, or if they will ever see her again. This situation was very relatable to my family as we almost lost one of our parents when my siblings and I were children. It’s hard to rationalise and deal with life/death, love/loss when you are young and Miyazaki illustrates it well, using the landscape of the forest and the mythical creatures who dwell within it.
A brilliant film (and soundtrack) and a brilliant stage adaption by the Royal Shakespeare Company, my verdict is 5 stars and a recommendation that you really must watch it!
Elizabeth Mooney 