First Look at Paddington Bear in Paddington the Musical

Paddington The Musical has officially begun previews, marking the first time the nation’s favorite bear has taken to the stage.

The show introduces audiences to a spectacular new version of Paddington which mixes puppetry, performance and heartwarming storytelling.

Paddington himself is brought to life by James Hameed as the off-stage performer and remote puppeteer, and Arti Shah as the on-stage performer.

They’re joined by alternates Abbie Purvis and Ali Sarebani, supported by a creative team including Tahra Zafar as Paddington Bear Designer, Audrey Brisson as Bear Physicality Associate Director, Phill Woodfine as Remote Puppetry Coach, and Annabelle Davis as Casting Director.

Together, this team has worked to create a production that captures the gentle charm, humor and curiosity that generations have loved about the famous bear from Peru.

The production has already announced an extension, now booking until 25 October 2026.

Producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley said: “After many years of exploration and development, we are thrilled, alongside STUDIOCANAL, to finally bring Paddington to life on stage. It takes an extraordinary team to share this very special bear with the world – our amazing performers James and Arti, our brilliant alternates Abbie and Ali, and the incredible group of artists led by designer Tahra, alongside Audrey, Phill, and Annabelle.

“Their collective creativity and vision are at the heart of our production, and it has been a true collaboration, helmed by Luke Sheppard, our Creative, Associate, Stage Management, Production and Development teams involved in supporting us in bringing Paddington to life in a truly beautiful and unique way.

“What we as producers always hoped to achieve was, quite simply, Paddington on stage — and thanks to the immensely talented artists, both on and off stage, we believe we’ve realised that.”