Paddington The Musical will have its world premiere this fall at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End. The production will open November 1.
Adapted from the beloved books written 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.
It’s Paddington as you’ve never seen him before. When a lost, small bear from Peru arrives in London in search of a new home, a chance encounter with the Brown Family leads him to the wonderful world of Windsor Gardens. But London isn’t all cream teas and friendly faces—and even the happiest families have their cracks beneath the surface. So when Paddington’s life is suddenly in peril, the Browns must decide just how far they’re willing to go—and what they’re willing to risk—to give this special bear a home.
“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 [Friedman] and Eliza [Lumley],” said Fletcher in a statement. “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.”
Michael Bond’s A Bear Called Paddington was published in 1958 by Collins, later Harper Collins, the first of 29 Paddington books. The final one, Paddington at St. Paul’s, was published posthumously in 2018. The books have sold over 35 million copies worldwide.
