'Paddington The Musical' to have world premiere in the West End

Adapted from Michael Bond's Paddington book series, the musical will have music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, book by Jessica Swale, and direction by Luke Sheppard.

Paddington The Musical will have its world premiere in the West End this autumn. The show about the much-loved bear from Peru will open at the Savoy Theatre on 1 November.

Adapted from Michael Bond's Paddington book series (of which there are 29), the musical will have music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, book by Jessica Swale, and direction by Luke Sheppard.

Paddington has also been adapted for screen several times, including a TV series by the BBC in 1976 and, more recently, for the big screen with Paddington (2014), Paddington 2 (2017), and Paddington in Peru (2024). Stars of the films include Ben Whishaw (voicing Paddington), Hugh Grant, Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, and Jim Broadbent.

Tom Fletcher: “It’s an honour to be entrusted to bring the story of Paddington to life on stage with the very best of creative collaborators in Jessica, Luke, and our producers Sonia and Eliza. This unique and special bear is at the very heart of our nation, and I’m aware of the awesome responsibility we all have in taking on his story. It’s beyond exciting, and an absolute dream come true – we look forward to welcoming you to join us at the Savoy this Autumn.”

Jessica Swale: “It's such a privilege to be telling the story of this beloved cultural icon. Paddington is so much more than a fictional character; this special bear has come to represent hope, kindness and acceptance, so it's never felt like a more apt time to bring this story to the stage. And with such a dream team! Tom's songs are extraordinary, earworms on a first listen, Luke is the most masterful director, and our producers are so incredibly passionate and dedicated, it really is a great honour to be on this adventure with them all. I can't wait to share this beautiful, funny and heartwarming story.”

Director Luke Sheppard: “Discovering how to bring Paddington’s story to the stage continues to be an enormous privilege - with Jessica Swale and Tom Fletcher, it’s been thrilling to see this show grow into something very special, packing an incredible new score and a heart wrenching script into a marmalade filled suitcase. This is Paddington as you’ve never seen him before, bought to life by a team celebrating all of the magic and wonder of live theatre. Alongside our producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley, who look after this bear with the greatest care, we’ve been dreaming up big things for Paddington and can’t wait to welcome him to this iconic venue later this year.”

Full cast and creative team will be announced shortly.

Check back for Paddington tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Paddington artwork. (Courtesy of production)