Paddington Musical Opens Previews at Savoy Theatre

Paddington: The Musical opened in preview at London’s Savoy Theatre on Saturday, a West End adaptation of Michael Bond’s books (and the recent films) with a book by Jessica Swale, music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, and direction by Luke Sheppard. The production kept the bear’s look secret—opening-night programmes were withheld—and creators described the onstage reveal as an emotional, “magical” moment. Paddington is realised by two performers in tandem: Arti Shah wears the suit as the bear’s body while off-stage puppeteer James Hameed provides the voice and remote-controlled facial expressions in a creature costume designed by Tahra Zafar. Early reaction has been rapturous, with critics, fans and children praising the mix of traditional craft and modern remote puppetry. The show has extended its booking and is running at least through October 25, 2026, with previews continuing ahead of a full review later in November.