My Neighbour Totoro
166 Drury Ln, London WC2B 5PW
Tubes: Holborn, Covent Garden & step-free access via Tottenham Court Buses: Loads
2 - 3 hours
Based on 3 reviews
About My Neighbour Toroto
“The way puppets were used and how the people on stage controlled different props using string was amazing” – Ansh age 15
My Neighbour Totoro at the Gillian Lynne Theatre is one of the most visually astonishing family theatre showsyou’ll ever see and it’s ending in January 2027 – so make sure you don’t miss it. Warm, funny, emotional and genuinely magical, it takes the beloved Studio Ghibli film and turns it into a huge, living, breathing stage adventure packed with giant puppets, soot sprites, live music and moments that leave both kids and grown-ups open-jawed.
The story follows sisters Satsuki and Mei, who move to the countryside while their mum is ill in hospital. Exploring forests, fields and strange new surroundings, they discover a hidden spirit world filled with curious creatures, including the enormous, fluffy forest guardian Totoro and the unforgettable Catbus.
This isn’t a hyperactive, sugar-rush musical , it’s gentler, slower and more dreamlike. Some younger children may find bits slightly emotional or intense, especially the louder moments and giant puppets appearing through the audience. But older kids, tweens, teens, animation fans and adults who grew up loving Studio Ghibli will love it. And the puppetry? Honestly ridiculous – in the best possible way.
Top Tip from the KidRated Team:
Try and get seats slightly further back rather than right at the very front. The stage expands into the audience and some of the bigger visual moments actually work better when you can properly take everything in.
Official guidance is 6+, and that feels about right. Bright, confident younger children may love it, but it’s quite long (around 2 hours 40 minutes including interval) and there are some loud sounds, emotional themes and giant puppets that could overwhelm more sensitive little ones. Tweens, teens and adults absolutely adore it.
Not at all. If you already love the Studio Ghibli film, you’ll appreciate loads of the detail and references. But newcomers can easily follow the story and still get swept up in the magic.
Not really scary-scary — more emotionally intense in places. Some younger children may get nervous during louder scenes or when the huge puppets move through the audience. But it’s overwhelmingly warm, funny and comforting rather than frightening.
The Gillian Lynne Theatre is surprisingly spacious and modern compared with many older West End theatres. Good legroom by London standards, decent sightlines and a much less cramped experience than some of the more historic venues.
Nope. This is much more theatrical and atmospheric than a traditional musical. There’s beautiful live music and sound throughout, but it’s really about storytelling, imagination, puppetry and visual wonder rather than big singalong numbers.
Honestly? Teens who love anime, fantasy, gaming, art, design, animation or visually creative stuff tend to absolutely love this. It feels cool, immersive and different from standard family theatre.
The show contains themes around an ill parent in hospital, which may prompt a few emotional questions afterwards. Also worth knowing there are large-scale puppets interacting through audience spaces, which younger kids usually find thrilling.
It’s definitely a premium West End ticket — but this feels properly special. The scale of the production, puppetry and design is genuinely world-class. One of those shows people tend to talk about for days afterwards.
Without spoiling it: wait for the first full appearance of Totoro himself. The reaction from the audience is pure joy every single night.
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