As previews begin this evening for PADDINGTON The Musical, producers Sonia Friedman Productions, STUDIOCANAL and Eliza Lumley Productions on behalf of Universal Music UK release the first images of Paddington and reveal the team bringing him to the stage.
Paddington is played by James Hameed (Paddington Off-stage Performer and Remote Puppeteer) and Arti Shah (Paddington On-stage Performer). The team behind the bear are Tahra Zafar (Paddington Bear Designer), Audrey Brisson (Bear Physicality Associate Director), Phill Woodfine (Remote Puppetry Coach) and Annabelle Davis (Paddington Bear Casting Director). The Alternate Paddington On-stage Performers are Abbie Purvis and Ali Sarebani.
Producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley said today, “After many years of exploration and development, we are thrilled, alongside STUDIOCANAL, to finally bring Paddington to life on stage. It takes an extraordinary team to share this very special bear with the world — our amazing performers James and Arti, our brilliant alternates Abbie and Ali, and the incredible group of artists led by designer Tahra, alongside Audrey, Phill, and Annabelle. Their collective creativity and vision are at the heart of our production, and it has been a true collaboration, helmed by Luke Sheppard, our Creative, Associate, Stage Management, Production and Development teams involved in supporting us in bringing Paddington to life in a truly beautiful and unique way.
“What we as producers always hoped to achieve was, quite simply, Paddington on stage — and thanks to the immensely talented artists, both on and off stage, we believe we’ve realised that.”
Also announced today, the production extends, now booking until 25 October 2026.
Sonia Friedman Productions, STUDIOCANAL and Eliza Lumley Productions on behalf of Universal Music UK present
PADDINGTON THE MUSICAL
MUSIC AND LYRICS BY TOM FLETCHER BOOK BY JESSICA SWALE
DIRECTED BY LUKE SHEPPARD
Based on A Bear Called Paddington written by Michael Bond and the film ‘PADDINGTON’, by special arrangement with STUDIOCANAL
Cast: Timi Akinyosade (Tony), Amy Booth-Steel (Lady Sloane), Tarinn Callender (Grant), Delilah Bennett-Cardy (Judy Brown), Adrian Der Gregorian (Mr. Brown), Tom Edden (Mr Curry), Brenda Edwards (Tanya), Amy Ellen Richardson (Mrs. Brown), James Hameed (Paddington Off-stage Performer and Remote Puppeteer, and Young Man), Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (Millicent Clyde), Teddy Kempner (Mr Gruber), Bonnie Langford (Mrs Bird), Arti Shah (Paddington On-stage performer), in the role of Jonathan Brown Joseph Bramley, Leo Collon, Stevie Hare and Jasper Rowse, and Alternate Paddington On-stage Performers Abbie Purvis and Ali Sarebani; with Esme Bacalla-Hayes, Tiago Dhondt Bamberger, David Birch, Aimée Fisher, Jacqueline Hughes, Kellianna Jay, Sam Lathwood, Natasha Leaver, Katie Lee, Sunny Lee, Vicki Lee Taylor, Jáiden Lodge, Andilé Mabhena, Rose Mary O’Reilly, Ben Redfern, Hugo Rolland, Simon Shorten and Hassan Taj
Matt Brind (Musical Supervisor, Orchestrations and Arrangements), Ellen Kane (Choreographer), Tom Pye (Scenic Designer), Gabriella Slade (Costume Designer), Tahra Zafar (Paddington Bear Designer), Neil Austin (Lighting Designer), Gareth Owen (Sound Designer), Ash J Woodward (Video Designer and Animation), Campbell Young Associates (Hair, Wig & Make-Up Designer), Majid Adin (Illustration and additional Animation), Laura Bangay (Musical Director), Natalie Gallacher CDG for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting (Casting Director), Nick Hockaday (Young Persons’ Casting Director), Annabelle Davis (Paddington Casting Director), Javier Marzan (Physical Comedy Consultant), Tobago Crusoe and Felix Ruiz (Additional Music Consultants)
A rather wonderful adventure is about to begin…
Hold on to your hats for the world premiere of PADDINGTON The Musical in London’s West End.
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.
Packed with show-stopping songs, dazzling choreography, mischief and mayhem at every turn – and of course, marmalade sandwiches – PADDINGTON The Musical is based on the iconic characters from Michael Bond’s books, with a story inspired by the award-winning 2014 film.
Michael Bond’s A Bear Called Paddington was published in 1958 by Collins, later Harper Collins – the first of 29 Paddington books he was to write, with the final one Paddington at St. Paul’s, published posthumously in 2018. The books have sold over 35 million copies worldwide.
Paddington has been adapted for television several times – first by the BBC in 1976; and most recently adapted by STUDIOCANAL who have produced three Emmy Award-winning series of The Adventures of Paddington. Paddington has also enjoyed three successful big-screen outings, all produced and developed by STUDIOCANAL – Paddington released in 2014, Paddington 2 in 2017, and Paddington in Peru in 2024, enjoying critical and commercial acclaim becoming the biggest independent family franchise of all time.
James Hameed is the Paddington Off-stage Performer and Remote Puppeteer, and Young Man. His theatre work includes Gaddafi: A Living Myth (London Coliseum), Spamilton (Menier Chocolate Factory), Asylum (Red Lion Theatre), Fiddler on the Roof (Menier Chocolate Factory/ Playhouse Theatre), Be More Chill (The Other Palace, Shaftesbury Theatre), Aladdin (Mercury Theatre), The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 (Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), A Permanent State of Emergency (Hope Mill Theatre), The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan (Crossroads Pantomimes/Darlington Hippodrome), Eugenius! (Turbine Theatre), Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical (The Old Vic/CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre/Shaftesbury Theatre). His television work includes Ball and Boe: Back Together Again, The ITV Gala at The London Palladium, and Song For Nature.
Arti Shah is the Paddington On-stage Performer. Her television work includesStar Wars: Andor, The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power, The Acolyte, Willow, Life’s Too Short, Come Fly With Me, Psychoville, Hope Springs, and The Legend of Dick & Dom. Her film work includes Paddington in Peru, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Story, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Frankenstein, Guardians of the Galaxy, WWZ, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Attack the Block, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
Abbie Purvis is an Alternate Paddington (On-stage Performer). Her theatre work includes Waldo’s Circus of Magic and Terror (Bristol Old Vic/UK tour), and pantomimes including Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk and Peter Pan. Her television work includes Dog Squad, and River City; and for film, Your Highness, and Willow.
Ali Sarebani is an Alternate Paddington (On-stage Performer). His theatre work includes Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Royal & Derngate/Theatre Severn/The Alban Arena). His television work includes The Witcher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, House of the Dragon, Willow, The Pentaverate, and Star Wars: Andor; and for film, Ant-Man, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Solo – A Star Wars Story, Artemis Fowl, and The After.
Tahra Zafar is the Paddington Bear Designer. With over 30 years of experience of working on live events, theatre, film and television, Zafar has created iconographic costumes, puppets, creatures and extraordinary creations that have become part of our collective cultural memories. Film creature and costume effects credits includes: The Banshees of Inisherin, Antman III: Quantumania, The Batman, The Last Duel, Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens, Annihilation, X Men: First Class, Kick Ass, Hell Boy 2, The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Lost in Space, and The Fifth Element. Children’s TV characters and puppets: In the Night Garden, Zingzillas, The Adventures of Abney and Teal, and Moon & Me. Pop promos and tours: The Monster for Lady Gaga’s Monster Tour, Eddie for Iron Maiden, Scissor Sisters for the Brit Awards and the dancing Milk Carton for Blur’s Coffee and TV. Commercials: She created the original Monkey Sidekick for ITV Digital which later became the PG Tips Monkey. Her theatre design and live experiences:Costume Design for Eugene Onegin (English National Opera); and Gunpowder Plot at the Tower of London; Set and Costume Designfor La Boheme and Rigoletto (Mid Wales Opera); and The Rake’s Progress (Aldeburgh Festival); Costume and Character Design for In the Night Garden Live and Bing Live. Live televised event credits include: She received a Royal Television Society Award for her role as Head of Costume Hair and Make-up for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies, for which her team delivered 23,000 costumes for the four ceremonies.
Audrey Brisson is the Bear Physicality Associate Director & Additional Puppetry. Her theatre includes Piaf (The Watermill Theatre); The Enormous Crocodile (Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park), The Land of Might-Have-Been (Buxton International Festival), Jekyll and Hyde (Reading Rep), Into the Woods (Theatre Royal, Bath), Amélie The Musical (Criterion Theatre/ The Other Palace Theatre/ Hartshorn-Hook/ Selladoor/ The Watermill Theatre – nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for the Olivier Awards and Best Performance in a Musical for the UK Theatre Awards), Dr Seuss’s The Lorax (The Old Vic), The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (Bristol Old Vic Theatre / Wise Children / Edinburgh Festival / Kneehigh), Pericles, Pinocchio, The Elephantom (National Theatre), La Strada (UK tour/The Other Palace), The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Vic), Romeo and Juliet (Rose Theatre Kingston), Dead Dog in a Suitcase & Other Love Songs, The Wild Bride and Midnight’s Pumpkin (Kneehigh), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Kensington Gardens). Her television work includes A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, Halo (S2), Outlander (S2) and Money; and for film, Napoleon, W.E., Hereafter.
Phill Woodfine is the Remote Puppetry Coach. He is an award-winning Creature Effects Puppeteer whose career began in theatre and has since led to an international career in film, television, and live performance. His extensive body of work include collaborations with Tim Burton, Ridley Scott, and George Miller. His credits include The Muppet Christmas Carol, Babe: Pig in the City, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd, Prometheus, Doctor Who, and the Star Wars and Jurassic World franchises. He was honoured with the C21 Media international craft award for his contribution to the performance of “Eric” a seven-foot-tall puppet with attitude, for the Netflix series of the same name. His work has taken him around the world collaborating with leading creative teams and continues to inspire audiences through his artistry, blending puppetry, performance and technology to create believable, emotive creature characters for film, television, and theatre.
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Listings
Paddington The Musical
SAVOY THEATRE
Savoy Court, Strand, London WC2R 0ET
Box Office: 0844 871 7687 / www.paddingtonthemusical.com
Previews from £15
Post Opening Performances from £25
PREVIEW SCHEDULE:
Monday 3 Nov 7pm
Tuesday 4 Nov 7pm
Thursday 6 Nov 7pm
Friday 7 Nov 7pm
Saturday 8 Nov 7pm
Monday 10 Nov 7pm
Tuesday 11 Nov 7pm
Thursday 13 Nov 7pm
Friday 14 Nov 7pm
Saturday 15 Nov 7pm
Monday 17 Nov 7pm
Tuesday 18 Nov 7pm
Thursday 20 Nov 7pm
Friday 21 Nov 7pm
Saturday 22 Nov 2pm & 7pm
Monday 24 Nov 7pm
Wednesday 26 Nov 7pm
Thursday 27 Nov 7pm
Friday 28 Nov 7pm
Saturday 29 Nov 2pm & 7pm
Sunday 30 Nov 5pm – OPENING PERFORMANCE
REGULAR PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
Monday 7pm
Wednesday 7pm
Thursday 2pm & 7pm
Friday 7pm
Saturday 2pm & 7pm
Sunday 2pm
Please check the website for the Christmas/New Year schedule.
Recommended for ages 6+