Paddington – The Musical
26 November 2025
Savoy Theatre
5.0 out of 5.0 stars
Paddington the Musical has finally opened in the West End! But does it live up to the expectations for this beloved character?
The story for the musical closely follows the plot of the 2014 film, in which National History Museum taxidermist Millicent Clyde seeks to add the rare bear to her collection, while the Brown family tries to help Paddington find a home in London before they realise that he is already at home within their family. It’s a compelling narrative with a strong villain and many colourful characters, and of course the adorable bear himself.
One of the biggest worries before the show opened revolved around the representation of the famous bear, would the puppeteering live up to what audiences expected of the well loved cuddly chaos-spreader? And does it ever! Rather than a puppet attached to a puppeteer, the bear is played by an actor of short stature in a full costume, moving independently with animated eyes and snout, gorgeously bringing Paddington to life and creating a piece of true theatre magic! The lively little bear moves across the stage so naturally and utterly adorably, bringing tears of joy to even the most hardened of audiences, an absolute masterpiece of stagecraft.
James Hameed lends his voice to the titular character, sharing the stage with the fuzzy ursine in a beautiful introductory scene before moving off-stage for most of the show. The voice and costume come together so beautifully, it is easy to forget that it is not an actual singing bear right there on the stage.
The music leading through this musical is the perfect addition to the story, giving each character a chance to shine and adding some incredibly touching, as well as incredibly silly tunes to the narrative. From a huge song-and-dance number about marmalade that encourages the audience to join to, over heartfelt songs from the Brown family, to pigeons singing in cockney rhyming slang, this show has it all. And most importantly, it has the best villain the West End has seen in a long time!
Accompanied with a strong villain theme following her every moment on stage, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt is stunning as Millicent Clyde, opening her appearance on stage with the most compelling song of the production, Pretty Little Dead Things. An instant favourite, the tune is a stunner from the first note, drawing up a refreshingly evil and unapologetic villain larger than life. Throughout the show, Clyde is deliciously wicked while Tom Edden’s Mr Curry provides plenty of comic relief. The balance of humour and emotionality is off the charts, creating the perfect family show that is a true triumph of a stage adaptation. With fantastic acting and vocal talent, a wonderful soundtrack, and a well written narrative, Paddington the Musical is a love letter to London, to Paddington Bear, and to musicals as a whole. Don’t hesitate to buy your tickets, you won’t regret it, this might just be the best family musical you have ever seen.
