Spirited Away Stage Adaptation Will Play London Coliseum in 2024

The stage adaptation of Studio Ghibili's 2001 film Spirited Away will make a European premiere at the U.K.'s London Coliseum in 2024, with performances beginning in April 2024. The work will play a 12-week limited engagement, with specific dates to be announced.

John Caird (Les Misérables) brought the animated film from Hayao Miyazaki to the stage with a Japanese premiere last year. The production, co-adapted by Caird and Maoko Imai, toured Japan and streamed live on Hulu Japan. Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi, who shared the role of Chihiro in the Japenese run, will reprise their performances in London, where the production will be performed in Japanese with English captions.

The show features Joe Hisaishi's film score arranged by Brad Haak, scenic design by Jon Bausor, puppet design by Toby Olié, choreography by Shigehiro Ide, costumes by Sachiko Nakahara, lighting by Jiro Katsushiba, sound design by Koichi Yamamoto, hair and make-up design by Hiroaki Miyauchi, and projection design by Satoshi Kuriyama.

READ: How Spirited Away the Play Uses Puppets to Bring Hayao Miyazaki’s Classic Film to Life

Spirited Away follows 10-year-old Chihiro, who moves to a new home with her parents. After they get lost in a mysterious world and her parents are turned into pigs, the young girl must survive in the strange land and return to the human world.

“I am proud and delighted to present the original Japanese stage production of Spirited Away at the Coliseum Theatre next year," says Caird in a statement. "We had a wonderful time creating the show in 2022, and I’m so happy now to be spiriting away a British audience into Hayao Miyazaki’s magical world. A world of gods and frogs, dragons and sorcerers, giant-sized babies and bouncing heads, spider-armed boilermen, no-faced loners, and a young girl’s valiant quest for courage, identity, and love.”

TOHO Co Ltd is producing the London run along with PW Productions Ltd, with Haruka Ogi serving as producer and Iain Gillie as co-producer.

Spirited Away will be the second Studio Ghibli film to get a West End stage adaptation. My Neighbor Totoro, adapted from another Miyazaki-directed film, played London's Barbican via Royal Shakespeare Company last year.