My Neighbour Totoro

Director Phelim McDermott’s adaptation brings the beloved story to the stage with a mix of puppetry and performance art. Strikingly, the audience is seated on stage, creating an intimate setting. The production features massive action puppets of Totoro and the Catbus, with performers manipulating them in full view. Praise goes to the design and puppetry, though some find the story’s magic gets lost in the scale. It’s a visually impressive spectacle, but perhaps more for those already fond of the film.