Paddington the Musical

Savoy Theatre

Booking until 25th October 2026

Book tickets

Photo credit: Johan Persson

Seeking a new home in London after a devasting earthquake destroyed his habitat in Darkest Peru, Paddington (played by Abbie Purvis in the bear costume, voiced by James Hameed) meets the Brown family at the Paddington station. Mary Brown (Amy Ellen Richardson) is the first to take notice of the young bear and suggests to her husband, Henry (Adrian Der Gregorian) to look after Paddington until he finds a permanent home.

Mr Gruber (Teddy Kempner), the owner of an old antique shop sets the scene for a young man (James Hameed) who picks up a small stuffed bear carrying a paper tag that says “Please look after this bear, Thank you”, which initiates the subsequent stories as we bear witness to Paddington’s grand adventure, which rips him away from everything he knows as he attempts to understand an unfamiliar landscape, people and culture.

Jessica Swale’s book conveys a dysfunctional Brown family. While they all talk to each other, they hardly talk with each other, at least not until Paddington came along and with the not-so-subtle nudge from Mrs Bird (Bonnie Langford), their lodger, forcing them into have frank and honest conversations. Through Paddington’s travels across London and into the Geographer’s Guild to look for the explorer that visited Darkest Peru, the show has done a phenomenal and meticulous job at showcasing how the Brown family helps and supports each other to overcome each and every challenge. 

I had no doubt that Tom Fletcher would succeed in creating earworm after earworm, but his ability to create musical numbers that align so well with the story is truly astonishing. In addition, some of the musical numbers are furthered bolstered by a sense of Christmas spirit with elements of bells and jingles, which also serve as reference to the chimes of London’s icon, the Big Ben. Numbers such as “The Explorer and the Bear” and “One of Us” highlight a sense of tenderness and togetherness. “Pretty little Dead Things” on the other hand, is imbued with the perfect whacky and mildly threatening energy for Millicent Clyde (Victoria Hamilton-Barritt), the explorer’s daughter and a taxidermist that wants to kill and stuff Paddington, giving the all too fitting blend of Cruella and “Evil like Me” vibes from Descendants.

The various design elements of Paddington the Musical could simply be described as magical, almost as if the audience is looking at a brand-new world that is London through the impressionable young bear’s eyes. From the moment we walk through door of Mr Gruber’s antique shop to the epic finale, each scene is looked after with immense care. Paddington and puppet design by Tahra Zafar in particular, brings all of those standalone components together with the wonderfully expressive facial expressions of a young bear controlled by James Hameed behind the scenes. Of note, the lighting design by Neil Austin is one of the highlights of the show, projecting the heroes in Mary’s comic novels and transporting the audience to a Peruvian forest as needed, creating synergy with the narrative, music and lyrics to bring wonder to the stage.

The ensemble of actors in this production is nothing short of phenomenal, with Der Gregorian and Richardson leading the charge as Mr Henry Brown and Mrs Mary Brown, respectively. Henry is an uptight risk analyst that has left his wild days behind when he started a family, while Mary is a caring artist and the first to extend a welcoming hand to Paddington, each with their family’s best interest at heart but has gone about it in very different ways. The two characters undergo their respective journey as the story progresses, ending with a rescue mission involving the whole family that includes their daughter Judy (Delilah Bennett-Cardy) and Jonathan (Leo Collon). As the head of the family, Der Gregorian takes charge of the situation and the actor fully expresses the character’s evolution and how his feelings towards the young bear changes as the plot unravels.

One could not have a heroic story without villains, and this show has them in aplenty. From Hamilton-Barritt’s crazed taxidermist, to the glory seeking chair of the geographer’s guild, Lady Sloane (Amy Booth-Steel) and even the easily manipulated unfriendly neighbour, Mr Curry (Tom Edden), each serve as an exciting and hilarious antagonist in their own right. Edden’s rendition of the song “Marmalade”, which opens Act II, instantaneously fills the auditorium with boundless energy, urging audience members to sing along to a song they have just heard.

Just like the books and subsequent movies that came before, this musical warms the hearts of London’s West End, teaching and reminding us the importance of kindness. Though this show will undoubtedly be a hit among the younger audiences, it also has the soul to reach people of all ages, touching the heart of each and every one of the audience members with a warm and fuzzy feeling and a marmalade-licious delight.

Creatives

Book: Jessica Swale

Music and Lyrics: Tom Fletcher

Director: Luke Sheppard

Musical Director: Laura Bangay

Musical Supervision, Orchestration and Arrangements: Matt Brind

Choreographer: Ellen Kane

Scenic Design: Tom Pye

Costume Design: Gabriella Slade

Paddington and Puppet Design: Tahra Zafar

Lighting Design: Neil Austin

Sound Design: Gareth Owen

Video Design and Animation: Ash J Woodward