Previews for Paddington: The Musical have begun in London, and now we know how the beloved bear is brought to the stage! To celebrate the launch, the show’s creators have shared the first pictures of Paddington, along with a trailer – available to watch above – showing his arrival at Paddington Station.
In the musical, Paddington is brought to life by two performers: James Hameed, who provides the voice and controls Paddington’s facial expressions remotely, and Arti Shah, who performs as Paddington on stage.
Along with a sneak peek at the adorable bear, Paddington: The Musical has been extended! You can now book tickets to see the show at London’s Savoy Theatre through October 25, 2026. Tickets are available from ATG Tickets, TodayTix, and LoveTheatre.
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The creative team bringing Paddington to life includes Tahra Zafar, who designed Paddington Bear, Audrey Brisson, responsible for the bear’s physical movements, Phill Woodfine, the puppetry coach working remotely, and Annabelle Davis, who cast the actor playing Paddington. Abbie Purvis and Ali Sarebani are the understudies who perform as Paddington on stage.
Producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley announced their excitement to finally present a stage version of Paddington after years of work with StudioCanal.
Bringing this unique bear to life takes a truly talented team! We’re so grateful for our wonderful performers James and Arti, as well as our fantastic alternates Abbie and Ali. A huge thank you also goes to the creative team led by designer Tahra, and including Audrey, Phill, and Annabelle.
The stunning and original production of Paddington is the result of a fantastic team effort. Luke Sheppard led the creative process, with invaluable support from our Stage Management, Production, and Development teams. Their combined talent and vision were essential to bringing this beloved bear to life.
We always dreamed of bringing Paddington to the stage, and we’re thrilled to say we’ve achieved that thanks to the incredible talent of everyone involved, both performers and the behind-the-scenes team.
Before Paddington: The Musical opens in London’s West End, writer Jessica Swale shared that the show will capture the heart of the Paddington films and Michael Bond’s original books, but it won’t simply retell the story from the movies. It will be a fresh take on the beloved character.
She said she wouldn’t have considered the job if it simply meant recreating the movie on stage. She felt it wouldn’t be a creative endeavor to just use the film’s existing lines, and ultimately, a film is best experienced as a film.
Film allows you to show a character’s thoughts through close-ups, like with Paddington, without needing dialogue. But on stage, with the audience further away, you have to find other ways to convey those inner feelings. We’ve found using music is a fantastic way to bring the story to life and express those emotions.
You can currently book tickets for Paddington: The Musical through October 25, 2026. Tickets are available from ATG Tickets, TodayTix, LoveTheatre, and other ticket sellers.
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2025-11-01 23:19