Paddington’s West End musical declared a hit by critics

A new stage adaptation of Paddington has received good reviews from critics following its West End premiere.

Paddington The Musical, featuring new songs by McFly’s Tom Fletcher, follows the lovable bear to London and is captured by the Brown family.

The Guardian’s five-star review said the show is “fantastically staged, immaculately performed and utterly winning”, while the Telegraph described it as a “fun, feel-good, family-friendly musical that looks ready to go on and on”.

Awarding four stars, The Times said: “Break the Marmalade: There is a new hit musical in the West End that will certainly propel Matilda as a children’s favourite.”

The stage musical, written by Jessica Swail and directed by Luke Sheppard, is adapted from the 2014 film and the original books by Michael Bond.

In a show that was based on a computer-animated character from the films, many critics praised the way Paddington was presented on stage.

Andrzej Lukowski of Time Out reported, “Paddington is a small woman (Arti Shah) in a bear costume (by Tahara Zafar), with a regular-sized man (James Hameed) providing the voice and controlling facial expressions with a remote.”

“Which doesn’t sound unprecedented but it’s enough to make us believe that Paddington is actually in the room with us. Which is certainly the point of the effort.”

Sarah Hemming of the Financial Times agreed, saying that the musical “brings the Stowaway Bear gorgeously to life”.

“The hero himself is a triumph. Cute but not too furry, cute but not too cute, he has the look of every favorite soft toy and he’s a beautiful mix of a real bear and Ted.”

The musical, which has been in development for over five years, is currently scheduled to run at the Savoy Theater until October 2026.

West End veteran Bonnie Langford and actor and Loose Women panellist Brenda Edwards join the cast.

The Independent’s Alice Saville wrote, “At a time when the West End is filled with underfunded, ill-conceived riffs on big-name franchises, we’re finally getting a show that’s made with serious heart, dedication and enough spectacular special effects to thrill its audience.”

“It’s almost obviously eager to please – and if you don’t welcome it straight into your heart, you might want to check if some marmalade is shutting it down.”

However, although critics praised the show as a whole, many added a grain of skepticism to their reviews.

According to Sam Marlow of Stage, “All the vulnerability, mischief and innocence that makes her so charming are right here… and even when everything around her seems on the brink of disintegration, all she has to do is restore your trust.”

“Really, more work needs to be done on the content,” she warned. “But whatever the show’s flaws, it’s sweeter than a marmalade sandwich, and if the charming creation at its core doesn’t make it a hit, I’ll eat its hat.”

Dominic Cavendish of The Telegraph awarded four stars and also noted some shortcomings, writing: “Is this a new classic on par with Mary Poppins or Matilda? No, it’s a little threadbare, and a little overstuffed with songs,” he said.

“But appropriately, it’s still a very welcome addition to the British music family. ‘Please look after this bear’? Of course we will.”

Meanwhile, Arifa Akbar of the Guardian said: “The last few scenes feel inconsequential and it’s a little overlong, but you’d have to be a skeptic yourself to find fault in this grand world of meltdown thrillers.”

The show provides a somewhat immersive experience, especially for spectators seated in the stalls.

“A lot of things are left up to the audience or thrown at the audience,” Lukowski said. “The youth will not be bored.”

In her five-star review, Olivia Garrett of Radio Times singled out Paddington’s favorite snack.

“[The]perfect moment is the Marmalade song in the second act – you knew they had to do it there – where the whole stage transforms into a sea of ​​dreamy orange, with dance breaks, feathered hats and interaction with the crowd,” she said.

City AM’s Adam Bloodworth concluded that the show is “really a fairly analogue music experience at its core”, which maintains its quality “without relying on particularly viral moments, gimmicks or tricks”.

“Instead the overall show is a perfect tribute to Luke Shepard. Just a good group with good songs and some great writing. What more could you ask for?”