Spirited Away Review | What we thought

A global phenomenon reimagined for the stage

Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away is widely considered to be one of the best animated films of all time, developing an enormous global fan base since its release in 2001. Unsurprisingly, the first run of its stage adaptation in Tokyo sold out in four minutes flat, which just goes to show its enduring popularity.

Now, this adaptation has made its way to London, taking up residence in one of the West End's largest theatres – the Coliseum. On the day of our visit, a midweek matinee on the hottest afternoon of the year, there was barely a free seat in the house. The story follows Chihiro, a young girl who finds herself inexplicably transported to a magical bathhouse run by a ruthless witch and frequented by all manner of gods and monsters. Trapped by the witch and forced to work, Chihiro has to navigate the strange inhabitants of this new world in order to save her parents and find her way home.

It's a spectacular, action-packed film, and it's easy to see why so many people love it so much. There was a feverish excitement in the theatre before the show began, with the audience eagerly anticipating just how this film, with all its fantastical thrills, would translate to the stage. Would it be like the other Studio Ghibli stage adaptation, of Miyazaki's My Neighbour Totoro, that recently took the West End by storm with its incredible puppetry and energetic performances? Or would it be something else entirely?

An ambitious portrayal of the magical Spirited Away world

Well, in the end it's kind of both. Spirited Away is performed entirely in Japanese, with the English translation shown clearly on screens around the edge of the stage, and the story unfolds almost exactly as it does in the film, without any obvious omissions or changes to scenes. And, much like Totoro, puppets and elaborate costumes play a major role in pulling the audience into this magical world, from giant dragons to adorable soot-sprites to the strange spirit No Face, one of Studio Ghibli's most iconic creations.

On a technical level, it's an amazing achievement to see such a vibrant world brought to life on stage in this way. But one of the joys of the film is how its animation allows these impossible creatures to be expressive and just as much a part of this world as anything else, and that just isn't possible with the limitations of puppetry. It works well in Totoro, where the puppets have a smaller role based on their presence on stage rather than their actions, but everything is action in Spirited Away, and in the end the more spectacular moments from the film, recreated so faithfully, feel a little bit awkward and unnatural.

Still, for the most part the magic of Spirited Away comes through on stage, and the story remains just about as wonderful and vibrant as it is on screen. And while the production is maybe a little too ambitious for its own good, it's hard to not be blown away by its imagination. The rapturous applause at the end made it clear that the audience, long-time fans and newcomers alike, were just as captivated by the creativity and dedication to bringing Miyazaki's vision to life as we were.