Fans of Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away were met with delight this week as the curtain rose on the theater adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki’s iconic animation. And even if you aren’t able to travel to Tokyo to see the production, we have some sneak peeks, courtesy of some of the creatives that were involved in what looks like an absolutely magical production.
Above is a 1:25 scale model of the set created by stage designer Jon Bausor, who describes it as “a constantly revolving box of tricks based on a Japanese Noh stage that spins like a merry-go-round, evolving with different scenic elements that connect like jigsaw pieces as the bathhouse revolves.”
Below are photos of some of the beloved characters, turned into puppets by puppetry designer and director Toby Olié.
UPDATE
Streaming service Hulu just announced that they will stream two performances of the play, both part of its engagement at the Misonoza Theater in Nagoya. The performances will be streamed on July 3 and 4 at 12:00 noon JST.
Below are the two posters that were created for the production, which feature actresses Kanna Hashimoto (left) and Mone Kamishiraishi (right), double-cast in the role of Chihiro. The production, which runs for about 3 hours including one 25-minute intermission, was adapted and directed by John Caird with original score by Joe Hisaishi. It runs at Tokyo’s Imperial Theater through March 29, 2022 at which point it moves to Osaka, Fukuoka, Hokkaido and Aichi.
