Last month, social media was ablaze when the first-look images of Paddington: The Musical in London were released, with the people of the internet immediately losing their minds over how unbelievably adorable little Paddington bear looked on the big West End stage.
So, obviously, I had to get down to the Savoy Theatre to see Paddington in all his glory with my own eyes — and the whole experience was even more magical than I ever could have imagined.
For reference, the plot of the stage musical is inspired by the 2014 movie, with the Brown family discovering a small, lost bear from Peru at Paddington Station after he’s sent there by his aging Aunt Lucy in the hope of a better, safer life. As you can probably imagine, chaos ensues, marmalade is consumed, and trouble isn’t far behind when the vengeful villain Millicent Clyde sets her sights on the bear — leaving it up to the Browns to save him.
The story is adapted for the stage by Olivier Award-winning writer Jessica Swale and directed by Luke Sheppard, while Tom Fletcher from McFly supplies a genuinely brilliant set of songs and lyrics. Their work blends together so seamlessly that it feels like this show has existed forever — and yet the timing of it arriving right now somehow feels achingly necessary.
But before we get into that, we need to talk about the rest of the show — starting with the staging, which is honestly beyond impressive and packed with surprises that elevate the whole experience. I won’t spoil any of them for you, but I will say that at one point, sitting there in Row D of the stalls, I got an unexpected spritz of water to the face. And honestly? It was the perfect little immersive touch that made the whole thing even more delightful.
There are constant fun moments like this for the audience that completely catch you off guard, as well as clever staging decisions that somehow manage to be both magical and deeply emotional at the same time, like the way Aunt Lucy is woven into the show without a second bear puppet.
And then there are the songs. Oh my god, the songs. Multiple times throughout the show, I caught myself having a mini existential crisis over how some people are so talented they’re out here casually creating entire musicals this good from their brains — songs that are funny and theatrical and meaningful and narratively rich all at once. From the chaotic “Don’t Touch That” to the traditionally theatrical brilliance of “Pretty Little Dead Things” and “It’s Never Too Late,” all the way to a legitimately show-stopping production number entirely about marmalade, it’s an insanely impressive roster, with every single character getting their own moment to shine.
As an OG McFly stan, I’ve been enjoying the fruits of Tom Fletcher’s unbelievably creative mind for over two decades, and he did not disappoint. In fact, despite me going in with ridiculously high expectations, he still exceeded them — making me laugh out loud, choke up, and full-on sob over the course of the two hour and forty minutes run time, with some of his witty one-liners (*ahem* “If being a mom was easy, dad would do it!”) still living rent-free in my mind after just that one listen.
The expert combination of songs and script means that every single character feels fully formed, well-rounded, and perfectly cast. Adrian Der Gregorian even manages to breathe actual warmth, humor, and nuance into the famously grumpy Mr. Brown in a way that never feels forced or caricatured, and Amy Ellen Richardson is simply faultless as Mrs. Brown with her heart of gold. The whole show walks a beautiful tightrope where it’s funny without ever being slapstick or cheap, and emotional without ever feeling manipulative or overly earnest.
And now for Paddington himself — a marvel. A wonder. A full-blown theatrical miracle that will make every single person in the audience want to shed tears over how darn adorable he is.
First, the logistics, Paddington is brought to life by two performers: Arti Shah, who is inside the advanced puppet costume onstage, and James Hameed, who voices him and controls the facial expressions from backstage. The way these two work together is genuinely mind-blowing. The emotion conveyed through the puppet — the tiny blinks, the subtle mouth movements, the delicate tilts of his head — is so precise and so real that it borders on unbelievable. The attention to detail is staggering, and absolutely nothing is overlooked.
I also deeply appreciated how both performers are given proper kudos. The show opens with James onstage mirroring Paddington’s movements before he disappears into his booth away from the audience’s eyes, and at the curtain call, Arti does her much-deserved bow out of the Paddington costume, meaning that the audience can see and appreciate the person behind the bear. This level of transparency and creative respect feels rare and genuinely special, and it only heightened my appreciation of just how extraordinary this collaboration is.
As for the novelty of seeing Paddington onstage… It never, ever wears off. The first moment he appears, there’s a collective wave of gasps, awws, and delighted applause — and that thrill doesn’t fade for a single second. Heck, I’ll even admit that at points I’d look at him on stage doing nothing in particular and genuinely want to cry over how precious he is. He is somehow even cuter in person than any photo gives him credit for, and I felt a weirdly intense love and protectiveness over this little bear — which, honestly, may be the point, given that it becomes London’s (and the audience’s) new duty to look after him.
But while the production is dazzling, fun, and meticulously crafted, there’s also something heavier humming beneath the surface. After all, watching a small outsider arrive in London searching for safety and a better life hits very differently in the current political climate, and while the show never becomes preachy or overly self-aware, the emotional resonance is very much intentional. If you make it through “Dear Aunt Lucy” without crying, I admire your emotional fortitude, because I was simply a mess.
All in all, I went into this show with incredibly high hopes; I love the film, had heard rave things, trusted Tom Fletcher implicitly, and already knew the puppet looked adorable — but I have to admit, I did still have a few quiet worries. Would it be too twee? Too cutesy? Too contrived? Too on-the-nose? But not once did any of these concerns materialize.
I’m pleased to confirm that the team have totally nailed it. They’ve created something genuinely remarkable, enchanting, and unexpectedly moving, and if you’re ever in London, I cannot recommend seeing it with your own eyes enough. In short, Paddington: The Musical is long overdue, desperately needed, and a theatrical masterpiece — and I have absolutely zero doubt that London will be taking very good care of this bear.
Paddington: The Musical is currently booking at the Savoy Theatre, London, until October 25th, 2026. Click here for ticket info!
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