Prepare to be swept away with the magical spirits, river gods and squeaking sprites of Yubaba’s bathhouse for a timeless adaptation of the classic Japanese animated film, Spirited Away.
A sensation on all counts, this review could be written in just five words: Spirited Away is theatrical perfection!
A soon-to-be sellout success (I’d bet money on it), this stunning live-action production performed by the original Japanese cast honours the West End with its international debut, turning the London Coliseum into an enchanted forest for three months only.
Supported by the deep pockets of one of Japan’s largest film production companies, this no-expense-spared production is a treat for anime newcomers and avid Studio Ghibli fans alike. The gorgeous costumes, adorable puppets and fluid transitions go hand-in-hand with rotating doors and revolving set pieces to make you feel as if you are moving through a dream world, raptly following the fantastic coming-of-age story of Chihiro as she undergoes initiation into the otherworldly bathhouse.
The choreography is equally mesmerising, meticulously devised to allow the oversized cast to flow as one across the stage. Standout performances include the contortionist agility of Hikaru Yamano as Kaonashi (No-Face) who slinks across the stage with silent menace and the dynamite physicality of Yuya Igarashi as the three-headed Kashira. Skilled puppetry meanwhile brings life to Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘Boiler Geezer’ Kamaji and Haku’s dragon form, not to mention Yababa’s harpy bird servant and the much-loved soot spirits.
A feat of creative engineering as much as beastly puppetry, you’ll be wide-eyed throughout, invested in Chihiro’s growth journey as much as the fates of all the characters who get eaten by No-Face, enlarging his threatening form until he almost subsumes the entire bathhouse. Hats off to the production team and director John Caird for creating a show that truly lives up to the magic of the animation, succeeded by a live orchestra that brings to life Joe Hisaishi’s original film score.
Note: The show is performed in Japanese with English subtitles embedded each side of the stage.
