The 2024 Laurence Olivier Awards ceremony, the most prestigious event in the British theatre scene, took place on April 6 (local time) at the Royal Albert Hall in London. While the stage production of Spirited Away received nominations in four categories, it unfortunately did not win in any of them.

The Laurence Olivier Awards honor the best theatrical productions staged in the United Kingdom throughout the year, including plays, operas, dances, and musicals.

The stage version of Spirited Away (Japanese title: 『千と千尋の神隠し』), which ran at the London Coliseum from April 30 to August 24 last year, drew an impressive audience of 300,000 over the course of 135 performances across four months. The production was nominated in the following four categories:

Best Entertainment or Comedy Play
Best Costume Design (Sachiko Nakahara)
Best Set Design (John Bausor for set, Toby Olié & Daisy Beattie for puppetry, Satoshi Kuriyama/Magnux for video)
Best Sound Design (Koichi Yamamoto / SC Alliance)

Although it did not win in any of these categories, the nominations themselves stand as a testament to the high regard in which the production is held within the London theatre community. The innovative fusion of puppetry, video projection, and traditional stagecraft earned widespread praise from critics and audiences alike.

The stage play is based on the beloved animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki, originally released by Studio Ghibli. It was produced by Toho, in collaboration with Studio Ghibli and UK-based PW Productions.

Looking ahead, Spirited Away will continue its global journey, with performances scheduled in Shanghai, China, from July to August.

Source : ORICON NEWS