LONDON: The stage play adaptation of Japanese anime great Hayao Miyazaki’s global megahit “Spirited Away” has made its West End debut at the London Coliseum.
On Tuesday, which marked the production’s kickoff, the fully packed theater erupted in laughter over the popular characters’ gestures during the performances and in enthusiastic cheers and applause for the cast during the curtain call.
Reflecting the popularity of the animated film in Britain, the theater adaption is showcased at the West End’s largest theater. The show will run until Aug. 24, with the run being extended by five weeks from the initial schedule.
The theater adaptation of Spirited Away will be a long-running show rare for a theater production hailing from Japan, according to Toho Co., the stage’s producer. The company expects around 300,000 spectators during the period.
After Tuesday’s performances, many members of the audience said that the world of Spirited Away in the film was showcased as it is on stage.
Kanna Hashimoto, 25, who played the protagonist, Chihiro, in the daytime program, said in a statement that she was deeply moved by the wild enthusiasm displayed by the audience during the curtain call.
Mone Kamishiraishi, 26, who played Chihiro in the evening program, said she was delighted that the audience responded also to Japanese phrases in the production.
JIJI Press