Paddington The Musical: Cast, storyline, songs, tickets and who plays Paddington revealed
He's a very rare sort of bear.
16 December 2025, 15:21
Paddington The Musical is blowing fans away on stage – here's everything you need to know about the magical show currently running in London's West End.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Pack your marmalade sandwiches and prepare for an evening of magical wonder as Paddington The Musical is currently showing at the Savoy Theatre in London's West End.
The hotly-anticipated production, adapted from Michael Bond’s original story, has already broken theatre records with its spellbinding script, charming soundtrack and glittering cast, with plenty of famous faces involved.
But what is the hit new musical about? Who plays Paddington bear? And how can you get tickets to the hottest show of the year?
Here's everything you need to know about Paddington The Musical, from the actors and writers to exactly how the very rare bear is brought to life on stage.
What is Paddington The Musical about?
Paddington The Musical follows the iconic story of the 2014 blockbuster movie, which sees the famous bear arriving in London for the very first time.
It tells the tale of the marmalade-loving creature meeting the Browns after a long journey from darkest Peru, settling into his new home in Windsor Gardens, with plenty of hijinks in-between.
Taxidermist Millicent Clyde makes an appearance as the nasty villain in this brand-new production, setting her evil eyes on her latest prey as she tries to capture and stuff Paddington for her grisly collection at the Natural History Museum.
His adopted family and their loyal neighbours fight to save the loveable bear from her vicious claws in a tense rescue mission that is sure to spark nail-biting drama and heartwarming laughs.
Tom Fletcher presents 'One of Us' (Official Music Video) | PADDINGTON The Musical
Who wrote Paddington The Musical?
Olivier-winning book writer Jessica Swale has adapted the beloved childhood story for the stage in the Savoy's brand new production, directed by Luke Sheppard.
She worked closely with McFly frontman Tom Fletcher, who dreamt up more than 18 original songs for Paddington The Musical.
The pop star penning the music and lyrics makes perfect sense as in recent years he has carved out a new career for himself as a children's author and composer.
Tom Fletcher presents 'The Explorer & The Bear' (Official Music Video) | PADDINGTON The Musical
Who plays Paddington in Paddington The Musical?
The magic of Paddington himself has been an incredible feat, with many of the cast and crew working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring the loveable bear to life.
He's played on stage by actor Arti Shah, who climbs into the hand-crafted bear suit for the performance.
But it's the not same star voicing Paddington or creating his facial expressions – those are expertly executed by performer and puppeteer James Hameed off-stage.
Paddington The Musical's official cast
- Paddington Bear (in the suit) - Arti Shah / Abbie Purvis / Ali Sarebani / Hassan Taj
- Paddington Bear (voice and puppeteering) - James Hameed
- Mr Brown - Adrian Der Gregorian
- Mrs Brown - Amy Ellen Richardson
- Judy Brown - Delilah Bennett-Cardy
- Jonathan Brown - Joseph Bramley / Leo Collon / Stevie Hare / Jasper Rowse
- Mrs Bird - Bonnie Langford
- Millicent Clyde - Victoria Hamilton-Barritt
- Mr Gruber - Teddy Kempner
- Mr Curry - Tom Edden
When is Paddington The Musical in theatres?
Paddington The Musical will run at the Savoy Theatre in London's West End from late November 2025 until late October 2026.
How to get tickets to Paddington The Musical
With eight performances each week, there's plenty of Paddington The Musical tickets for sale.
You can buy yours directly through the Savoy Theatre's website, which takes you to ticket seller ATG Tickets.
There's also some available through the London Box Office and LOVEtheatre, as well as other sellers.
- Read more: The Queen and Paddington Bear sketch: Watch full video here
- Read more: Paddington Bear stamps released by Royal Mail for 65th anniversary
