Sonia Friedman Productions, STUDIOCANAL, and Eliza Lumley Productions, on behalf of Universal Music UK, have announced that Paddington The Musical will receive its world premiere this autumn. The show will open at the Savoy Theatre on 1 November.
Adapted from the beloved books by Michael Bond and the award-winning films by STUDIOCANAL, Paddington The Musical features music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, a book by Jessica Swale, and direction by Luke Sheppard. Priority booking opens on 13 May, with public sales starting on 15 May. The full cast, creative team, and performance schedule will be announced soon.
Tom Fletcher expressed his excitement: “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 shared her enthusiasm: “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 added: “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, brought 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.”
Producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley commented: “It’s a true honour to be giving Paddington a new home at the Savoy Theatre with this glorious and deliciously funny new musical from Tom Fletcher and Jessica Swale. We’re thrilled to be embarking on this special journey with our incredible team, led by Luke Sheppard, to bring the world of this much-loved bear, the Brown family, and many more of Michael Bond’s beloved characters to life. Paddington holds a unique and lasting place in so many hearts. He represents so much that is good in the world, including kindness, warmth and decency—and it’s an immense privilege to look after this bear as we bring him to the West End stage.”
Anna Marsh, CEO of STUDIOCANAL, Deputy CEO of CANAL+ & Chief Content Officer of CANAL+, stated: “We are delighted that this brilliant team will be bringing Paddington to the West End stage with us. Their collective gift in bringing Paddington The Musical to life with such heart, humour, wonder and vivid imagination has been a privilege to witness and we simply cannot wait for audiences to discover the magic of this production. We are constantly thinking of innovative ways to continue Paddington’s journey while honouring Michael Bond’s legacy and his invitation to ‘please look after this bear’.”
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
