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Paddington Bear made his debut on the West End, and it might have been the cutest thing ever to step foot on stage.
The beloved bear has been stealing hearts for decades, only exacerbated by the release of the 2014 live-action comedy, which introduced the character to a whole new generation.
Now, the marmalade-loving bear has turned his talents to the stage, in Paddington: The Musical, which debuted on Saturday night.
The first look at the bear had been a closely guarded secret until the night of the performance, and it was worth the wait.
Paddington was portrayed by a puppet and by a person in an expertly designed costume, and it was heartachingly adorable.
In his signature blue duffel coat, the bear portrayed Paddington’s famous hard stare, and according to critics, was still perfectly expressive even to those in the back row.
Paddington The Musical: Everything you need to know
Where is Paddington The Musical being staged?
Paddington the Musical is currently playing at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End, with tickets available until October 25, 2026.
Where can I buy tickets?
Tickets for Paddington The Musical are available from atgtickets.com.
Prices range from £25 to nearly £300 based on performance times and seat locations.
How long is the show?
Paddington the Musical is approximately two hours and 45 minutes long, including an interval.
What is Paddington The Musical about?
An official synopsis for the show reads: ‘When a small, lost bear from Peru arrives in London in search of a new home, a chance encounter with the Brown family leads him to the wonderful world of Windsor Gardens.
‘But London isn’t all afternoon teas and friendly faces – and even the happiest families have their cracks beneath the surface. So when a mysterious and vengeful villain sets her sights on Paddington, the Browns embark on a thrilling rescue mission, realising they need this special bear as much as he needs them.’
WhatsOnStage branded the stage show ‘paw-fect’, adding: ‘So much thought and care have gone into everything concerned with this show, superbly and energetically directed by Luke Sheppard. It wants you to love it, and it is ultimately impossible to resist.’
The Guardian wrote: ‘State-of-the-art animatronics, imaginative staging, fabulous performances and some marvellous songs about marmalade make for an evening that will fill you with joy and melt your heart.’
The Daily Mail said it was ‘magic’ and ‘off-the-scale’, while Radio Times simply said that ‘London needs this musical.’
Variety commented that ‘it’s alive not only with joy but that vanishingly rare theatrical quality: completely beguiling charm.’
Meanwhile, London Evening Standard summarised that the Paddington musical was ‘one of the most wonderful theatrical creations in years.’
Designer of the puppets and costume, Tahra Zafar, told the BBC that they were not going to reveal the secrets behind making the bear so perfect for stage.
‘I don’t want people to think about how we’ve done it. I just want people to love him.’
She did reveal that the team looked at ‘some very innovative ways’ to get Paddington to move, and added that traditional puppetry was ruled out.
While it might be a mystery as to how they made the bear so lovable on stage, it has been confirmed that the bear was portrayed in two ways.
The performers playing Paddington are James Hameed who plays Paddington off-stage performer and is a remote puppeteer.
The second performer is Arti Shah, who is an on-stage performer who plays the bear from inside a costume.
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