Winter 2022 in Stratford and London

MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO

The world premiere of the stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbour Totoro will open at the Barbican for a strictly limited run from 8 October 2022, in collaboration with Improbable and Nippon TV.

The celebrated 1988 animated feature film by Hayao Miyazaki will be brought to the stage by its original composer Joe Hisaishi in a landmark new adaptation written by playwright Tom Morton-Smith.

This enchanting coming-of-age story explores the magical fantasy world of childhood and the transformative power of imagination, as it follows one extraordinary summer in the lives of sisters Satsuki and Mei.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

David Edgar’s critically-acclaimed adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol returns toplay inthe Royal Shakespeare theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 26 October 2022.

Described by The Telegraph as “a magnificent achievement”, the socially-conscious adaptation of Dickens’ classic fable opened in 2017 to critical acclaim in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, where it played to sell-out audiences. The production was later revived the following year due to audience demand.

This festive tale of redemption and compassion follows cold-hearted businessman Ebenezer Scrooge, who – over the course of one ghostly Christmas night – learns to pity himself and to love his neighbour – but is that enough?