My 10 year old son loves anything anime or manga. A friend told me about a show we HAD to go and see at the theatre. I just had one question. Is the show My Neighbour Totoro suitable for children? I will share an honest review of the show with you without revealing any of the magic! We saw the show at the Gillian Lynne theatre in London. If you are thinking of taking your children to see the show then I have tried to answer as many questions as I can for you in this article. If there is anything else you would like to know then please drop me an e-mail, you can contact me here.
What is my neighbour Totoro?
My neighbour Totoro has an overwhelming number of 5 star reviews and is highly acclaimed. It is set in a rural area of Japan. It features 2 sisters, Satsuki and Mei. They move with their father to this rural area because their mother is in hospital. It is assumed she has tuberculosis, as hospitals for this were set up in rural Japan in the past. While waiting for their mother to recover they explore their new home and nearby forest. While playing in the forest the girls encounter some magical spirits, one of these is Totoro. So begins the story of them settling into their new home and making new friends.
Is it suitable for children?
Definitely! Due to the length of the show it is recommended for ages 6 and over. The show is 2.5 hours long with a 20 minute interval. For some kids this would be too long to sit still, and it was too long for my 8 year old. He struggled to sit through all of it. My 10 year old, however, was mesmerised by every single moment. He does love anime and all things Japanese though! There aren’t any scary or inappropriate moments during the show. The themes within it are appropriate for children, and the Mother’s illness is handled sensitively.
They do have ‘relaxed showings’ and they recommend these for people with children under the age of 4 or anyone with disabilities or neurodiversity that may make the show overwhelming otherwise. During these showings you are able to move around and talk. If you are unsure about whether your child can manage to sit still then it may be worth booking onto one of these performances instead. You can filter the dates to only show these performances, they don’t happen very often though.
It’s very good, but it was very long so i’m glad there was space next to me to move about.
Arthur – aged 8
Is it expensive?
Tickets can be expensive, especially if you are unsure whether your child will enjoy it. However, there are a number of more affordable options. Tickets range from £15 each to £143.50 for VIP packages. I booked our tickets quite a long time in advance for a birthday surprise. This meant there was good availability for tickets and I was able to get some tickets for £30 each. These were in the circle and to the side. To be fair we had a good view. There was also a number of empty seats so it didn’t matter as much if the kids were fidgeting. We were sat against a pillar and it gave the perfect space for my 8 year old to fidget as much as he needed to. It was very high though!
The merchandise was expensive, so be prepared. Small plushies began at £25. There was also umbrellas, badges and plenty of lovely things to choose from. My son got a journal for £17 as an extra birthday present. The programmes were priced at £5 each which I felt was very reasonable. We didn’t buy any food or drinks whilst there as we had eaten before we went in. We were allowed to take in our bottles of water and some snacks (see below about food).
Should I go and see My Neighbour Totoro?
I’m going to be a little bit controversial here, but hear me out! Firstly, yes you should definitely go and see it! However, I do think it is overhyped. Looking online, I couldn’t see a review lower than a 5 star anywhere. Was it lovely? Yes it was. Did the children love it? One did and one didn’t. Was it life changing? No. I enjoyed it but it felt too long for me. There isn’t much to the story, I feel it could have been wrapped up a lot sooner. Having said that I am from the doom scrolling generation where nothing keeps my attention for long. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars.
Anything else I should know?
Circle seats. If you are sitting in the circle, it is very high and very steep! It doesn’t look like that on the POV photos, so bear that in mind. There is also no way to access these seats without using the stairs. If you have anyone with mobility issues in your party this could be an issue. There are lifts to reach other parts of the auditorium, so please speak to the venue if you have any concerns over accessibility.
Food. You are unable to bring any cooked food into the auditorium. My son had a sausage roll he hadn’t eaten and we were asked to throw it in the bin before we were allowed in. Things such as sweets etc were allowed in. Bag searches are undertaken as you arrive.
Photography. The show is absolutely beautiful and there are many surprises along the way. Photography is now allowed during the performance. To avoid spoiling the surprise for others everyone is given a sticker to place over the camera of your phone upon arrival.
Puppets – Puppets are used throughout the show, some are very small and some are quite big. None of them are scary though.
It was one of the best shows in the World!
Henry – Aged 10
Let me know in the comments below if you have been and what you thought!
