The enchanting production of My Neighbour Totoro has made its highly anticipated return to London’s West End! The multi-award-winning stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s beloved 1988 animated film is brought to life by the Royal Shakespeare Company, in collaboration with iconic composer Joe Hisaishi. Following its acclaimed run at the Barbican Centre in 2022, the production has now transferred to the Gillian Lynne Theatre, continuing to captivate audiences with its spellbinding storytelling and imaginative staging.

Having supplied the lighting fixtures for the original production, we were happy to be approached once again by lighting designer Jessica Hung Han Yun and associate lighting designer and programmer Tamykha Patterson to provide the lighting rig for the transfer.

The production tells the heart-warming tale of sisters Satsuki and Mei, who move to the countryside with their father while their mother is hospitalised. During their summer adventures, they encounter an array of woodland spirits, including the gentle and loveable Totoro. We were delighted to speak with Tamykha about the transfer and her unique role in the production. She explains: “The unusual thing about this show is that I’m both an associate lighting designer and a programmer. During the prep leading into tech weeks, I wear my associate hat. But from the moment we step into the theatre, my programmer hat goes on. I really enjoy the dual nature of my role on this production.”

Tamykha collaborated with Jess on the original Barbican production in 2022, and she shared how exciting it was to reimagine the lighting design for the new venue: “The Gillian Lynne Theatre has a smaller stage than the Barbican, which meant the set had to be adapted. As a result, we couldn’t simply replicate the previous lighting design. We decided to cut back on generic fixtures and rework the rig from scratch. Jess and I created a new lighting rig, cross-referencing them with the Barbican’s to remind ourselves of the key effects we wanted to retain. Our aim was to make the design future-proof, budget-efficient, and easy to maintain.”

The creative team worked tirelessly to preserve the magic of the original production, while cleverly overcoming the challenges of the new venue. Reflecting on how she helped bring Jess’s lighting vision to life, Tamykha says: “The front-of-house layout is quite different, so we had to adjust fixture positions to ensure the audience experienced the same visual impact as they did at the Barbican. Some of the props were also changed from 3D to 2D, which required us to rethink how we incorporated set electrics. The reduced stage depth meant we had to find new ways to recreate shadow backlighting. Fortunately, having worked closely with Jess from early on in our careers, I understand her vision instinctively, which allows me to be more hands-on and express creative ideas.”

During the dry tech period, Jess and Tamykha meticulously refined every preset with the new rig, adjusting colours and ensuring the lighting interacted seamlessly with the set and stage floor. Tamykha explains how they maintained consistency across venues: “Jess and I are both extremely detail-oriented. There are certain key moments in the show that we know so well, we can immediately tell if something feels off. During our time at the Barbican, we documented every preset and cue to ensure continuity. Of course, creative direction evolves, so communication between all departments is essential. It’s funny how much is ingrained in you; you don’t realise it until you see it play out again. One of my proudest moments was hearing the audience gasp at our lighting effects; it’s incredibly rewarding to know that the magic is still there, no matter how many times I’ve seen the show.”

To create the production’s signature magical atmosphere at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, the lighting team increased their use of moving fixtures by 28%, while drastically reducing the number of generic units, by more than half. This streamlined rig helped cut down focus time and featured fixtures such as ETC Halcyon, Martin Mac Encore, Martin Mac Aura XB, Ayrton Eurus, and High End Systems SolarFrame, all controlled via an ETC Eos console.

Tamykha praised White Light’s support throughout the transfer process: “The support we received from WL was fantastic. We were able to use WL’s WYSIWYG suite to prep our fixture swaps and colour-match, which was especially helpful during the hectic post-Christmas period. The team was incredibly flexible and accommodating.”

WL’s Hire Business Development Manager, Stuart Porter, reflects on the partnership: “We’re incredibly proud to continue working with Jess and Tamykha. The production is visually stunning, and they’ve done a phenomenal job adapting it for the new venue. The show looks even slicker now, and we hope it continues to enjoy a long and successful run. Their hard work has elevated what was already an exceptional production.”

Following its official opening night last Thursday, My Neighbour Totoro has once again received glowing reviews from critics and audiences alike. We are honoured to have played a role in bringing this magical production to life.

My Neighbour Totoro, Gillian Lynne Lighting Team:

Lighting Designer – Jessica Hung Han Yun
Associate Lighting Designer and Programmer – Tamykha Patterson
Assistant Lighting Designer – Jeannie Fong
Assistant Lighting Designer (Placement) – Fee Dalgleish
Lead Production Electrician – Martin Chisnall