My Neighbour Totoro announces new West End cast ahead of first anniversary
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s My Neighbour Totoro has revealed fresh casting for its West End production at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, as it approaches its one-year run milestone in March 2026. Helen Chong will make her West End principal debut in the role of Satsuki.
My Neighbour Totoro, adapted from Hayao Miyazaki’s 1988 animated feature film, opened at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in March 2025 after two successful runs at the Barbican Centre. The production is presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company in collaboration with Nippon TV and Improbable, with Joe Hisaishi serving as executive producer.
Helen Chong joins the previously announced principal cast, including Victoria Chen as Mei, Dai Tabuchi as Tatsuo, Jacqueline Tate as Granny, and Ai Ninomiya as the Singer. All continue in their roles alongside Chong, who steps in as Satsuki for her West End principal debut.
The ensemble has expanded with new members in the Kazego Puppetry Ensemble, including Karen Barredo, Melisa Camba, Jeffrey Chekai, and others. They join continuing ensemble performers such as Rachel Clare Chan, Phyllis Ho, and Jamie Zubairi, with swings Ronnie Lee, Wenhsin Lee, Amber Lin and Sera Maehara supporting the company.
The creative team features Phelim McDermott as director and Tom Morton-Smith as adaptor, with Tom Pye providing production design. Puppetry design and direction are by Basil Twist, and costume design by Kimie Nakano. Lighting design is by Jessica Hung Han Yun and movement by You-Ri Yamanaka. The score, originally composed by Joe Hisaishi, has been re-orchestrated by Will Stuart, with live performance accompanied by sound design from Tony Gayle.
The production has previously broken box office records at the Barbican and won six Olivier Awards and five WhatsOnStage Awards. It was praised as a “sumptuous Studio Ghibli staging” in its initial Barbican run.
My Neighbour Totoro continues performances at the Gillian Lynne Theatre with tickets on sale until 30 August 2026, sustaining its presence as a prominent adaptation of a beloved animated classic on the London stage.
