The allure and bewitchment of the animated classic casts a new spell on the London stage through the UK premiere of John Caird’s theatrical adaptation. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if this extravagant production set in a world of fantasy actually built castles in the air.
Reality is wrong. Dreams are for real. No one gets any wiser than when they were a child. That pure, free-spirited period where wishes and hopes were only halted by the limits of our own wonder and imagination. A time when we allowed ourselves to believe, and when nothing wrong could truly happen as long as we preserved that sparkle within us. They often say that it all changes when we grow up, where the roughness of the world kicks in with all its severity – forcing us to forget about those simpler moments where we could resolve to the power of fantasy. Some of them accept the imposition. Some others revolt against the rules of someone else’s game. But it’s their clash against the norm that brings back peace to everybody’s hearts.
This week, St. Martin’s Lane takes a slight turn away from the West End to move towards the land of the rising sun. From this month on and until the end of summer, the London Coliseum hosts the UK premiere of Spirited Away, a sumptuous, spare-no-expense production taking the whimsical universe of the internationally acclaimed anime film onto the stage. Under the guidance of legendary director John Caird (also behind the script’s adaptation next to Maoko Imai), the piece is a lavish homage to the charm and nostalgic force of the original movie – presenting is with a captivating rendition which, though generally not surprising, will probably meet every fan’s expectations with sufficient ease.
Featuring designs by Jon Bausor (another familiar name within the bounds of theatreland), the production guarantees the visuals demands audiences will request for a show of this caliber: by all means, you will see your money onstage. Counting on traditionally conceived sets, based on the use of large, figurative props combined with old-fashioned puppetry and practical illusions, the montage manages to do the trick when it comes to painting the picture. However, one can’t ignore the fact that sadly there’s no element of surprise comprised in any of it.
Though usually enticing and able to emulate every scene in quite a compelling manner, it’s no lie either than there’s nothing in its staging that we haven’t seen before – recurring to techniques which, though always effective, slightly remind of other epic-style previous production following the trend of shows like Miss Saigon, Lion King or Wicked. That, of course, does not represent a major flaw, but it prevents the piece from finding its own identity as for its aesthetics, as well as the wow factor that, unfortunately, never happens to materialise.
The shocking component does play a role in the performance, in any case – but that stems from the company’s superb work. Relying on an enormous cast bringing to life the troupe of marvellous oddities that form the story’s parallel sphere, the whole company play their parts with incredible flair and magnetism – all of it, supported by the alluring sound of a grand orchestra, giving an almost perfect interpretation that exudes passion, sensitivity and the beguiling enchantment of a classical film score – transporting us into the narrative’s realm with astonishingly ease, through the smooth touch of its stirring notes.
As for the actors, Hikaru Yamano makes a memorable appearance in the role of Kaonashi through a portrayal which, though always masqueraded and necessarily constrained, feels tremendously haunting. In addition, Kanna Hashimoto stands out through her inviting, energetic performance as the lead, Chihiro. Yet, the highest praise goes to Romi Park as Yubaba and Zeniba, boasting stamina, presence and versatility in her register through her sometimes over-the-top, some others subtler acting when approaching both characters.
A journey to our early days memories, reuniting us with those forgotten emotions of innocent awe, Spirited Away excels in its task of returning the magic and sentimentality of a care-free past. It is, in all fairness, an accoa few mplishment on many levels. But there’s still layers to explore and craft to fully translate the marvels of its universe into its quality. It’s no doubt one of the strongest offers this season will bring. And the truth is that its production values are out of the ordinary. It’s the “extra”, though, that is yet to emerge.
All pictures credit to Johan Persson.
Spirited Away plays at the London Coliseum until 24 August. Tickets are available on the following link.