Year 11 Drama students, travelled to London to watch My Neighbour Totoro at The Gillian Lynne Theatre.
This trip was really exciting because it was a West End Production which we will be studying as our Live Theatre performance for our GCSE. The play is an anime adaptation that follows two sisters discovering their new home and dealing with the uncertainty of their mother’s illness.
During the journey, we got very excited as we passed through the city, getting closer and closer to the theatre. After lots of chat and games we arrived and entered the theatre. After stocking up on popcorn and programmes, we took our seats in the buzzing auditorium and prepared ourselves for the performance.
As soon as the curtain went up we knew how much fun this was going to be. Victoria Chen and Ami Okumura-Jones used their acting skills brilliantly to convey their characters’ young ages, which was very convincing to the audience and interesting to see as a drama student, inspiring me with ideas of how to portray a younger character. One of my favourite moments in the show was when the audience and Mei met the giant Totoro puppet for the first time, which was visually engaging, and the audience couldn’t wait to see them become friends. The vibrant lighting and set really helped portray the magical atmosphere of the show, helping to connect the audience with the action and tell the story. Another one of my favourite parts was the use of puppetry throughout the play. I thought it was so creative and helped bring the characters to life in an engaging and fun way. I absolutely loved this show because it was so exciting for the audience and seeing all the design elements put into practice really inspired me as a performer and designer.
I would definitely recommend the performance because it’s great for all ages and passes on messages of kindness, curiosity, and respect for nature.
