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PADDINGTON is getting a West End musical! | New adaptation of beloved story to open at Savoy Theatre
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Mickey Jo
I do not believe I am exaggerating even a single bit when I tell you this has the capacity to be the biggest new British musical in decades. Oh my God. Hey. Welcome back to my theatre themed YouTube channel. Or hello to you if you are listening on podcast platforms. My name is Mickey Jo and I am obsessed with all things theatre. I'm a professional theatre critic and content creator here on social media. And today we have to discuss some very, very big West End theatrical news, because London is about to welcome a brand new stage star in the shape of one Paddington. So, a few weeks back, when we were discussing the early closure of Mean Girls the Musical at the Savoy Theatre, I teased that there might be another show heading there after Burlesque's summer run later this year and that that show might be the musical adaptation of the Paddington Bear story. Does Paddington make sense at the Savoy? We will have to wait and see. Well, that has now been confirmed with a press release that was sent to me today. And so the song we should all be singing is Don't Cry for Me, Sonja Friedman. Because the hit making powerhouse producer who was behind Mean Girls presumably isn't lamenting that early closure. After all, a West End home is available for what could be her next huge hit. So, in this breaking news video, we're going to discuss everything that we know so far about Paddington, who is writing this, who is involved creatively, as well as just a couple of as yet undisclosed details that I heard about the show's recent workshop presentations. I'm bringing you some exclusive bear gossip today. How exciting. Speaking of which, how thrilled am I that I will get to add another stagey bear to my ever growing army of plush. Anyway, I'm very curious to know what you all think about the upcoming Paddington musical. Do we think it's going to be a huge success? Because I do. Let me know what you think in the comments section down below. And as always, if you want to stay up to date with all of the theatre news, whether that's in the West End or on Broadway, make sure you're subscribed right here on YouTube with the notifications turned on so you don't miss any upcoming videos or following me on podcast platforms or other social media apps. In the meantime, let's talk about Paddington. So here is the press release. Paddington the Musical to premiere at the Savoy Theatre in London's West End. For those of you already thinking about booking your tickets, priority booking will open on 13th May with public booking then on 15th May. Sonja Friedman Productions, Studio Canal and Eliza Lumley Productions on behalf of Universal Music uk. Big, big Names today announced that Paddington the Musical will receive its world premiere this autumn, opening at the Savoy Theatre on the 1st of November, just in time for the Christmas season. Though the show is of course not a limited run, it plans to go on and on and on and presumably on and on. A quick word on Sonia Friedman. I described her earlier as a hitmaker producer and this is really what she's become. She is such a powerhouse on either side of the Atlantic, often seen on stage at the Tony Awards, at the Olivier Awards, she was name checked a lot at the most recent Olivier Awards. Did you catch that in Leslie Manville's speech for Best Actress? She said, thank God that the West End has Sonja Friedman and she can smell a theatrical hit on the air as well as a handful of brilliant, artistically driven, prestigious, award winning plays and musicals. She is also the producer behind huge moneymakers like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which of course we don't want to buy tickets to in the current climate because J.K. rowling, who benefits hugely financially from that show, has gone on to become the very evil that she wrote about as well as Stranger Things, the First Shadow. A little more about this then, Adapted of course from the much loved books written by Michael Bond and the award winning films by Studio Canal. That answers the first question. Is this going to be a new Paddington story? Is this going to be at all linked to the film franchise which I only recently saw, but I can confirm they are very special, very sweet wonder films. Check them out if you haven't already. With music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, book by Jessica Swale and direction by Luke Shepard. Full cast, creative team and performance schedule will be announced shortly. Let's talk about these creatives then. So it does seem as though they're going to be adapting this says, based on the award winning films, plural, whether they'll be pulling from more than one of the films. There, of course are now three that have been released. Tom Fletcher is providing the score. Tom Fletcher, who, if you don't know, used to be the frontman of a UK boy band called McFly. He is the brother of Carrie Hope Fletcher, the musical theatre star and he's become a very endearing British household name over the following years. This isn't his first time composing for the stage. He scored a family show called the Creakers over the recent festive period that I didn't get the chance to see, that being an adaptation of a book which he had Written himself, I think. Christmasaurus. Is that another one of his? This, however, seems like it's going to be his first major West End musical theatre project. And we have a little quote from him as well. 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 producers Sonja 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. And they have released a little trailer clip in which you can hear a snippet of the score that he's composed. We will react to that in a little bit. But first, Jessica Swale, a name who is not known to me. Perhaps she ought to be. Let's scroll down. Ah, she's an Olivier Award winning filmmaker, writer and director. As a playwright, her first play, blue Stockings, won her an Evening Standard Most Promising Playwright nomination and is now on the GCSE drama syllabus. Oh, she wrote Nell Gwynn. Ah, she wrote the Olivier Award winning comedy Nell Gwynn. Oh, and she wrote the leading lady parts short. That was a big viral thing on social media with like Felicity Jones and Amelia Clark and Tom Hiddleston. There's a statement here from Jessica as well, who says, it's such a privilege to be telling the story of this beloved cultural icon. And if that sounds silly about a fictional bear, it's also true. More on that in just a moment. 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, which is an encouraging thing for the book writer of this musical to be saying, because there is always this sort of undercurrent message within Paddington about accepting in those who need help, accepting in those who have traveled from afar. And there is such a, you know, incendiary conversation happening politically right now in this country and other countries about immigration. And it's so contrary to everything that is like, embraced about Paddington Bear. Like the whole ethos of the story is not really well understood by the British public, I don't think. And I'm not suggesting that it's going to be a very politicized musical, but I think that message, especially based on this little quote here, I think that will power through, she goes on to say, 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, dedicated. It really is a great honor to be on this adventure with them all. I can't wait to share this beautiful, funny and heartwarming story. All qualities you would expect from the Paddington musical. Now, director Luke Shepard. His work was most recently seen on stage with the likes of Starlight Express at the Troubadour Theatre, Wembley park in a brand new production that really made the show very accessible to family audiences, to kids. He also directed the Little Big Things and and Juliet, still seen on Broadway, currently touring around the uk. Running work is this enduring sentimentality, this very endearing quality that makes it really great, really special for family audiences. He is one of the most exciting directors working right now. He is incredibly prolific. I should add as well that Luke Shepard is also the director of Rob Madge's show My Sons Are Queer but what can youn Do? Which is about to finally be seen in New York for a couple of performances at New York City Centre and another of his projects, Just for One Day, the Live Aid musical, is set to transfer to the West End, opening next month at the Shaftesbury Theatre. And he's certainly a creative that I trust with this project right now. He makes a huge amount of sense for this. Here's what he had to say, he says. 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 Sonja Friedman and Eliza Lumley, who look after this 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. On that notion of Paddington as you've never seen him before, this is not the first sort of Paddington Bear live thing because there is also the Paddington Bear experience in London. But you know, he's never arrived in a full stage musical before. So just like when other huge intellectual properties have been brought to the stage, this is going to be very exciting regardless of whether or not it's brilliant. Now let's hear from producers Sonja Friedman and Eliza Lumley. It's a true honor 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 Shepard, 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. We also have a statement from Anna Marsh, CEO of Studio Canal, Deputy CEO of Canal and Chief Content Officer of Canal. 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, humor, 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 honoring Michael Bond's legacy and his invitation to please look after this bear. And those are all of the creatives and the producers who have been named in the official press release. But it would be remiss of me not to let you know that Baz Bamigboy for Deadline, who loves a scoop like a child in line for an ice cream van, has exclusively revealed that the choreographer attached to this show is Ellen Kane, another hugely exciting name with many shows on her theatrical cv. But the most important thing that I think we should mention is that she choreograph choreographed the Matilda movie and that iconic viral scene with the. With the Red Beret Girl. I didn't even plan this in advance, giving you a little bit naughty, all of that stuff. I'm not entirely sure if there is going to be a cast of children. You'd assume there will be at least some child characters in Paddington, but certainly the whimsy of that choreography and the fun of it all and the joy of it all and the childishness seem like important things to be able to bring to the world of Paddington and the dance language of this particular show. And I think Ellen Kane is really just one of the most exciting choreograph working right now. I loved her work on why Am I so Single? But I think she's definitely an incredibly exciting creative force. Baz reports that while her name has not been included in the Savoy Theatre announcement, Deadline can reveal that she has come up with some stunning showstopping choreography Paddington will be dancing on all paws. And there's chatter about a chorus line of dancing bears chomping away on marmalade sandwiches. And why not? We shall see if that comes to pass. So all of this may be a little bemusing to you if you don't know about Paddington Bear. Let's tell you a little bit of the history and cultural significance of this Peruvian icon. So, as the press release tells us, Michael Bond's A Bear Called Paddington was published in 1958 by Collins, later Harper Collins. The first of 29 Paddington books he was to write with the final one, Paddington at St. Paul's published posthumously in 2018, the books have sold over 35 million copies worldwide. Paddington has been adapted for television several times, first by the BBC in 1976, and most recently adapted by Studio Canal, and has enjoyed three successful big screen outings. Released in 2014, Paddington 2 in 2017 and Paddington in Peru in 2024, enjoying critical and commercial acclaim. The concept is that this young bear arrives in London at Paddington Station, where he is found by a family and attached to him is a tag that says, please look after this bear. He is named Paddington because that's where they are a little like Ernest Worthing and the importance only with fur. And Paddington, since his creation, has always been a very beloved icon, but even more so, I think, in recent years, since the films, and frankly, since the passing of the late monarch, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ii, because there had been a little film made about her sharing a marmalade sandwich with Paddington Bear. And then when she passed, there was like a drawing done of her holding hands with Paddington Bear and people were bringing marmalade sandwiches to the palace. It was all a little bit unusual, if I'm honest. But since then, Paddington has been more so than ever enshrined in British culture. Not necessarily for the values that he represents, but certainly for the cute fluffiness. And if I'm being a little critical here, it has nothing to do with Paddington himself. It's only really because of the bleak political landscape that we are enduring right now. But maybe with a Paddington musical opening at the Savoy Theatre, all of that could be brightened a little bit. I don't know. The power of musical theatre, in any case, he is a huge, huge deal, and that is why this could be an enormous show. There is likely, as Baz reports, a stampede for tickets when the show does go on sale next month, and a little information on those. According to this press release, Tickets begin at £15 in previews and will be priced from £25 after the press night performance. Recommended for ages six plus, which is unsurprising. This is going to be a family show, but one which I expect will aim to be sophisticated enough to be enjoyed by theatre goers of all ages. In other words, a little less Winnie the Pooh on stage, a little more Mary Poppins. Now we have got some artwork here to take a look at. And it's very hand painted with the Paddington face being evoked and the little tag around his neck saying, please look after this bear. Thank you. I like the text there with the Paddington, the musical title. I think it's meant to look like it's made out of marmalade. I think that's the color going on there. He loves marmalade sandwiches. It's a whole thing. But it's also sparkling because it's the musical version of Paddington. It's a West End musical. We have to give it a little bit of glitz. This is not the film. This is musical theatre. I do the dot of the I is a paw print. That's very sweet. And going back to the actual logo artwork himself, those vivid colors with that blue background with the red hat, it is unmistakably Paddington at a glance, which is what you need. But also, is it kind of playing on the Wicked logo because the eyes are covered by the wide brim of the hat and we just see a nose and a smirk. Does he not kind of look like Elphaba in the iconic Wicked logo? It's also reminding me of the likes of the Lion King logo, where you have that lion just in the black against the yellow or sometimes seen in yellow against the black. And it's more of like an artistic rendering. Also, the faces of Oliver and Cosette, currently seen on Shaftesbury Avenue, this is a little familiar of those as well. And I'm sure the artwork and the poster for the show is going to evolve, but this is a really strong image. We also have a trailer here as well. Let's take a look at this. London, are you listening? London? Are you there? London? Please look after this bed. Okay? Lots to talk about there. Lots that I enjoy. I love that slogan popping up at the end there. He's found a new home. This is announcing the show going to the Savoy Theatre after all. I love these shots of the artwork coming from together. But the headline here is that little snippet of the score that we heard there. And it sounds as though that might have been a demo version being performed by Tom Fletcher himself. I don't necessarily think that that is a voice of anyone who has been attached to a developmental version of the show or a workshop. I think that might have been Tom singing himself, but I could be entirely wrong about that. Feel free to speculate in the comments if you think that might be someone else. It does sound like a very Paddington esque voice, like very familiar of the voices that we've heard for Paddington in the past, like Ben Whishaw for the films. I really like what I'm hearing of the music so far. Obviously it's only a very tiny little snippet, but it's incorporating the Westminster chimes, the sounds of London. I enjoy that very much. And it reminds me a little bit of the song that Remy sings in the Ratatouille musical Paris, I hope you're ready, which I think is slept on as one of the greatest. I want songs of the last 10 years. I'm not even kidding here a little bit. So if there similarity there, that can only be a good thing. Finally then, let's take a look at this little description of the show that we have been offered here. It reads, a rather wonderful adventure is about to begin. The world premiere of Paddington the musical lands in London's West End this autumn, bringing one of Britain's best loved characters to life on stage. This unmissable major new production at the Savoy Theatre is jam packed or marmalade packed with irresistible songs, dazzling choreography and of course, marmalade sandwiches. There you go. They repeat. It's Paddington as you've never seen him before. More on that momentarily when a lost small bear from 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. Oh my gosh. 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. And then just repeating what we already know about the creative team and once again the line, please look after this bear. Thank you. They're really leaning into that with all of the branding at the moment with those lyrics that we heard as well. Let me tell you then at this point, the little details that I've heard about the show's workshop. Now, there was a workshop, I believe, taking place towards the end of last year. I heard really exciting things. There were a bunch of interesting names attached I did hear one particularly exciting name that I'm not going to reveal to you here, because who knows if they're going to continue with the show. But it was a very funny scenery chewing West End performer who is attached to play the villain, or should I say the villainess, or at least was. During the workshop, I've heard that the way that Paddington is brought to life as a character is spellbinding and spectacular. It may involve a performer. I don't know if that performer is also providing the voice or if there are multiple people involved in bringing Paddington to life, if there is a puppetry element here or if it's somebody inside of a costume. We brilliant things recently, especially in terms of characters being brought to the stage. You need only look at a production like My neighbor Totoro to see how creatively some of these characters can be realized. But my favorite detail that I heard about these workshops is that there were a bunch of kids invited and that at one point, Luke Shepard dismissed all of the adults from the room, gathered all of the kids around and asked them for their feedback, which is not something I've heard of being done before and makes so much sense when you're developing a show for family audiences. And I think that really speaks to his character and his mind with the whole thing being in the right place and valuing that feedback and engaging a young audience at the workshop phase. I mean, these workshops, to put it in perspective, are usually full of industry types and producers and agents, but it seems like a really ingenious, just profoundly smart move to invite a bunch of kids and ask them what they think of Paddington. Hopefully, that is a big indication of the care with which they are treating this show. And how could they not? Like I said said, this is a huge intellectual property that stands to be this really successful show. This could be the next huge, huge hit. And I think that a Paddington musical makes sense. We've seen that. I mean, there's a little Sondheim number at the end of the second film. If you haven't caught that, that's reason enough to go and watch it. So I have no reservations, really, about the concept of adapting Paddington for the stage. I think these are the right writers, the right creatives. The combination of Luke Shepard and Ellen Kane, I think, is a hugely exciting one. Certainly Sonja Friedman is going to produce the Hell My only reservation. And this is the smallest thing, is it going to the perfect theatre? Now, we have a real issue at the moment in the West End with a scarcity of West End houses, because so many shows have opened over the last few years and just stayed put. I'd kind of been anticipating, if I'm being honest, back to the future, possibly parking the car this year, closing the production at the Adelphi Theatre, and then Paddington being a show that was waiting for the Adelphi. I'm sure there are multiple shows waiting for the Adelphi. It's one of the most sought after West End houses, especially for musicals, especially for Broadway Trans, and it's in the middle of the Strand and they have that great poster spot. The Savoy Theater is a theater that I enjoy, but because of its attachment to the Savoy Hotel, I always think it's best served when there are shows there that are glitzy and sparkly and luxurious. Sunset Boulevard made a lot of sense there. Mean Girls even made sense to me there. Dream Girls certainly made sense there. Pretty Woman was another one that just perfectly matched that vibe. And the Savoy is not one that I readily associate with enormous quantities of family audiences. There's nothing to say that it can't be, and certainly there have been a huge variety of shows produced there in the past, but I don't know that it's the first place I would have thought of for Paddington. But I dare say in the current West End there wasn't a great deal of choice. In any case, that's where it's going to be happening and if it's as successful as I think it might be, this could be at the Savoy for years and years and years to come. This could be the next moment that a long Runner opens, which is very exciting and of course I will be reporting on it all the way. Make sure you're subscribed right here on YouTube or following me on podcast platforms or other social media apps to stay up to date with all things Paddington the Musical as we begin the slow journey towards the start of performances and opening night. Hopefully I might get to show you a little bit of a sneak peek before then, but we will see how much they reveal to us. In any case, I am very excited to meet Paddington on stage and I hope that you are as well. Tickets go on sale next month. You can head to Paddington for more information as well as to sign up for priority booking. Like I said before, let us all know what you think in the comments section down below. Are you excited for this? Will you be trying to book tickets next month? Until then, thank you so much for listening. I hope that everyone is staying safe and that you have a stagey day for ten more seconds. I'M Mickey Jo Theatre. Oh, my God. Hey, thanks for watching. Have a stagey day. Subscribe.