Beautiful Photos From the Stage Production of Studio Ghibli's SPIRITED AWAY
A series of photos have been released showing off the live stage production of Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away. I wasn’t sure what to think about this when it was first announced because it was hard to imagine how the creative team would actually be able to pull it off. Well, as you’ll see in the photos, they have managed to pull it off, and it looks like a visually beautiful production!
The Spirited Away play was directed by Tony winner John Caird (Les Misérables) and produced by Toho Studios and it recently finished its initial run at Tokyo's Imperial Theater. The play will now tour additional Japanese cities throughout the summer including Osaka in April, Fukuoka in May, Sapporo in June, and Nagoya in July.
The play features 32 performers and uses over 50 puppets to recreate the fantastical creatures and spirits from Hayao Miyazaki's classic anime.
The play stars Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi who portray Chihiro in the play. Mari Natsuki, who voiced Yubaba in the film, reprises her role in the. and Romi Park (Fullmetal Alchemist) plays the witch. Koharu Sugawara and Tomohiko Tsujimoto portray the enigmatic spirit No Face, and when the character goes berserk, it’s brought to life with over 12 performers to creatively recreate the massive creature's size and undulating form.
The story begins as Chihiro, a girl who is heading to her family’s new home, goes into a tunnel to find herself lost in the world of gods and supernatural beings. She encounters many spirits, but courageously overcomes their challenges on her way back to the human world. The Imperial Theatre will turn into the Bathhouse, inviting the audience to the enchanted world of spirits.
I would love to see this play. Unfortunately, I won’t be going to Japan anytime soon.
