Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre Review
James Hameed and Arti Shah (Paddington). Photo by Johan Persson
Written by Sarah for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Buy, beg, borrow, or blackmail your way to the hottest ticket in town to see this iconic bear. Paddington the musical is charming, heartwarming, irreverent, moving, funny, fantastic, layered with meaning and feeling, featuring a first-class creative team and a dream cast. This show will run and run. It’s a natural tourist trap, a love letter to London without the whitewashing of a Curtis movie.
The plot largely follows that of the 2014 film based on the books of Michael Bond. The Peruvian bear arrives in London, lost and alone. He is taken in by the Brown family, who find him at Paddington Station, much to the chagrin of Mr Brown, who is reluctant to accept a foreigner into his home. It’s not just furry frivolity; it’s an allegory.
The music and lyrics by former boy band member Tom Fletcher of McFly fame are everything we want from a musical: catchy, characterful, melodious, and camp. He has proved himself one of the most successful crossover artists of this generation and cemented his status in the musical canon.
The choreography by Ellen Kane also satisfies classic musical theatre criteria, complete with high kicks and a seamless pinwheel, but with enough going on to keep it feeling fresh and modern. The book by Jessica Swale is laugh-out-loud funny, well-paced, and moving. Luke Sheppard's direction is tight and hits all the right notes. The design by Tom Pye is beautiful, detailed, and well curated. Combined with the magical projections of Ash J Woodward, it's a visual feast. Gabriella Slade's exquisite collage costumes also deserve a special mention within Paddington the Musical, too.
The casting is perfection, complete with a star turn from the legendary Ms Bonnie Langford, who has some lovely tongue-in-cheek lines. Amy Ellen Richardson as Mrs Brown is endearing, frustrated, and well-rounded, and her solo “One Page At A Time” is so well performed, it’s spine-tingling. All the performances are on point, maximising the opportunities these colourful characters provide. Particularly enjoyable is Tom Edden as the jobsworth neighbourhood watch slimy pedant, Mr Curry, who really comes into his own in the second act.
Delilah Bennett-Cardy as Judy Brown is the sulky adolescent who simultaneously pulls off teen angst, combined with a perfect vocal performance. Brenda Edwards is joyous and vibrant, and as a next-door neighbour, with another top-notch performance under her belt. Amy Booth-Steel brings some notable eye-wateringly funny cameos, along with some lovely characterisations from the rest of the ensemble.
The real show stealer is Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as the malevolent taxidermist Millicent Clyde, who plots to exterminate our beloved Paddington. A breathtaking triple threat, elastic vocals, exquisite comedy and sheer theatricality. Her performance of “Pretty Little Dead Things” is nothing short of sublime. If she doesn’t receive all the awards, I will eat my red felt hat.
Part of the hype and mystery surrounding the show was how the title role would be realised. A combination of puppetry, animatronics, and a woman in a bear suit, played by Abbie Purvis, for this performance. If the definition of a great performance is how believable the character is, then Purvis has smashed it. Instantly, Paddington is alive on stage, with the haphazard innocence, vulnerability, earnestness, and courage that we expect. The performance had grown adults laughing and crying in equal measure. This was also due to the extraordinary vocal performance and synchronised puppetry of the off-stage voice of James Hameed. The whole effect is extraordinary.
Particularly moving are the brief moments that James Hameed appears on stage as the ‘young man’. Something transient, almost ethereal, about the effect and is suggestive of a personified Paddington; a migrant who struggles to find a home in London but is embraced by the community.
Leaving the Savoy theatre, the drizzly streets of London shine; the lights are brighter, and the strangers really are friends we haven’t met yet. Whilst we may be high on marmalade fumes, Paddington is about compassion, kindness, acceptance and community. Paw-fection.
Paddington The Musical is currently booking at the Savoy Theatre until 25 October 2026.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
