By India McCarty
Paddington Bear has been brought to life in this stunning West End production!
“It’s really quite an astonishing thing,” Jessica Swale, a co-creator of “Paddington: The Musical,” told the BBC. “I have worked in theatre since I was 19, 20, which is a little while ago, and I have never ever seen anything quite so magical in my life.”
Related: Your Favorite Bear Will Soon Hit the Stage
In the show, Paddington is played by two people — actor James Hameed performs as Paddington off-stage, as well as remotely controls the puppet’s facial expressions, while Arti Shah wears the bear costume onstage.
“Paddington Bear is, like, the most iconic character Britain has ever created,” Hameed said in a video released by the musical, sharing that he and Shah have been involved in the making of the show for the past three years.
He continued, “Audiences can expect a really wonderful story that is able to tell a multitude of really complex issues but through a really relatable lens.”
“And showing the story of kindness, which the world absolutely needs right now, and showing that everybody is an equal and should be treated with respect and love,” Shah added.
Audiences have taken to social media to share their delight in seeing Paddington onstage, with one TikTok stating, “Needed to document the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life on tiktok because LOOK AT HIMMMMM! Never thought I’d cry so much at a person in a bear suit.”
PADDINGTON: THE MUSICAL’s producers, Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley, are equally excited by the way the beloved bear comes to life onstage. In a recent statement, they shared they are “thrilled” by the success of the show “after many years of exploration and development.”
“What we as producers always hoped to achieve was, quite simply, Paddington on stage,” they continued. “And thanks to the immensely talented artists, both on and off stage, we believe we’ve realized that.”
A synopsis of “Paddington: The Musical” 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, realizing they need this special bear as much as he needs them.”
Paddington Bear will continue to dazzle audiences on the West End through October of 2026, but many have their fingers crossed the show will make its way across the pond to America!
Read Next: PADDINGTON IN PERU Makes Its Mark at Domestic Box Office
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