L-R Stevie Hare, Amy Ellen Richardson, Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Adrian Der Gregorian, Arti Shah and Tom Edden in Paddington The Musical at the Savoy Theatre, London. Picture: Johan Persson
Paddington The Musical continues at the Savoy Theatre, London, booking until 25 October 2026.
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The phrase ‘national treasure’ is bandied around nowadays but there should be no debate about Paddington the Bear being the real deal. How wonderful, then, to report that Paddington The Musical, adapted from Michael Bond’s much-loved books, together with the award-winning movies, does the little bear from deepest darkest Peru proud.
Not since Matilda the Musical had its West End opening back in 2011 (and this show has surely been inspired by that one plus, maybe, Mary Poppins and 101 Dalmatians too) has there been such a creatively successful, heartfelt, imaginative, joyful, magical and entertaining take on a children’s classic. If it’s not a huge commercial hit, I will eat my explorer’s hat.
Instead of trying to replicate the original material by rote, attempted by so many book/movie to stage versions, librettist Jessica Swale, composer Tom Fletcher, director Luke Sheppard and all the creative team have developed a theatrical experience that makes use of everything the artform can offer.
So, when the Brown family takes Paddington home to Windsor Gardens for the first time and he floods the bathroom, audience members may well feel the consequences; or when Paddington has gone missing, and half of London is looking for him, it might not only be the performers onstage who are encouraged to take part in the search.
These are just a couple of the theatrical gems from a fast-paced, innovative production that is packed with clever flourishes that all serve the story.
It doesn’t seem right to completely reveal how we first meet the titular character, but let’s just say the Curiosity Shop, owned and run by Teddy Kempner’s Mr Gruber, plays a vital role in the framework of the storytelling.
So much care has been taken in the way both offstage performer and remote puppeteer James Hameed and onstage performer Arti Shah collaborate to bring Paddington to life – it takes your breath away.
Hameed’s versatile voicework is first class and perfect for both the dialogue and songs, whatever the style; be it poignant ballad (‘The Explorer & The Bear’ being one example), marmalade singalong or an all-singing, all-dancing love letter to London. Onstage, Shah is captivating as the enchanting onstage bear – every expression, gesture and movement making an impression. The audience is fully invested in Paddington’s search for a new home and a loving family from the word go.
It also rather helps that the cast surrounding Paddington is phenomenal, with each member getting their moment to shine. Swale’s topical, witty and laugh-out-loud book has the pathos to ensure these are three-dimensional characters rather than caricatures and Fletcher’s uplifting, infectious score only enhances that (is there anything the McFly frontman/songwriter and successful author cannot do?).
The score is in very good hands, namely Matt Brind (musical supervisor, orchestrations and arrangements), Laura Bangay (musical director) and Gareth Owen (sound designer).
It’s not an overstatement to say that every performer makes an impression. Among the Windsor Gardens residents there’s would-be poet Tony (an impressive professional stage debut from Timi Akinyosade), who is smitten with Judy Brown, and his wonderfully wise mum Tanya (the always charismatic Brenda Edwards, who also provides the voice of Aunt Lucy).
The quite fabulous Amy Booth-Steel pops up everywhere in a whole host of different comic roles with accents and costumes to match (the best of all being Lady Sloane, the stick-in-the-mud head of the Geographers’ Guild).
Tom Edden appears to be living his best life as the anally retentive Mr Curry who is so won over by Paddington that he leads a full-on panto-style production number about marmalade at the beginning of Act II. He realises around the same time that Victoria Hamilton-Barritt’s dastardly Millicent Clyde isn’t attracted to him – despite the fact she says she ‘dreams in red tape’ – and is just using him to turn Paddington into one of her ‘Pretty Little Dead Things’.
Hamilton-Barritt is quite brilliant as the villainess with Daddy issues, nicely balancing her scheming ways with some underlying humour. The scene when Millicent and sidekicks Mr Curry and Grant (Tarinn Callender) becomes Mr Brown’s back-up singers is a great touch.
Callendar’s character has had all his self-belief demolished by his self-obsessed boss, but in steps Bonnie Langford’s Mrs Bird to turn that around. No one believes Mrs B’s fantastical stories about her past, but could she be telling the truth about having starred in the musical Cats? Langford is on great form (throwing in her signature splits and high kicks) as she convinces Grant that ‘It’s Never Too Late’.
At the core of the tale, though, an audience must feel a close connection to the Brown family and, once again, the casting is spot on. On the night I attended Stevie Hare was delightful as the brave and brainy Jonathan and had great chemistry with his big sister Judy Brown (Delilah Bennett-Cardy). The latter is a fine young actress, great at ‘suffering from embarrassment’ and pushing her mother away while at the same looking for her approval.
Amy Ellen Richardson is outstanding as Mrs Brown, singing her heart out as she struggles to cope with the pressures of holding her family together and channelling her aspirations into the fictional superheroes she creates (this theme in very cleverly interwoven into the narrative).
And then there’s Adrian Der Gregorian as Mr Brown, the risk analyst who initially cannot cope with the unpredictability of inviting a bear into his home. Yet it’s Paddington who makes him realises how much he has lost himself over the years, how he needs to reclaim the would-be rock star (‘Risky Business’) Mrs B fell for – to recognise that for love to work, it takes work.
It’s Paddington’s kindness, decency and appreciation for how important family is that reunites the Browns. As Der Gregorian navigates all these twists and turns, and finally holds out his hand to Paddington towards the end of the evening, inviting him back home, it’s extremely moving for everyone present, be they children or adults.
This is a production where every detail seems to have been considered and that continues with a design that spreads beyond the proscenium arch and is so busy and colourful that it almost verges on the overwhelming. What I particularly love about the concept is the coordination between eye-catching and inventive costumes (Gabriella Slade), actual jaw-dropping sets (Tom Pye), video design and animation (Ash J Woodward) and illustration and additional animation (Majid Adin), all brilliantly lit by Neil Austin. No one element dominates.
One of the best numbers to illustrate this is when the audience travels with the cast (featuring a topnotch ensemble) from Borough Market to Tate Modern to Buckingham Palace and beyond for ‘The Rhythm of London’, all tied together by Sheppard’s inspired staging and Ellen Kane’s dynamic choreography (modern but with a hint of Golden Age Hollywood).
It’s interesting that at the heart of the recently released Wicked For Good movie, currently breaking box office records across the world, are the sentiments that ‘there is no place like home’ and that difference is something not to be feared but to be celebrated.
I don’t think it’s going too far to suggest that Paddington The Musical is also reminding us that at a time when the world is such a divisive place, home and family means so much more than convention dictates. It doesn’t matter that Paddington comes from a different part of the world, says the show, he is loved and that makes him family. Putting understanding before unkindness and disrespect is the subtly delivered message (the connection made in this context to Mr Gruber’s Jewish heritage is significant here).
Paddington The Musical is the right show at the right time. When Paddington is found, his label reads ‘please look after this bear’. And that is exactly what everyone involved in this production has done.
Lisa Martland
- A review of Paddington the Musical should credit all the practitioners involved with creating the title character: Tahra Zafar (designer), Audrey Brisson (physicality associate director), Phill Woodfine (remote puppetry coach) and Annabelle Davis (casting director).
- A plea to producers: This is such a special show, please consider ticket schemes in order to make it accessible for low income families. And, further down the line, relaxed performances would be very welcome too.
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