Review Round-Up: PADDINGTON THE MUSICAL at the Savoy Theatre

The beloved bear and British cultural icon from Michael Bond’s children’s book series has made his stage debut in Luke Sheppard’s musical adaptation at the Savoy Theatre. As always, the story follows Paddington Bear as he arrives in London from Peru in search of a home and is adopted by the Brown family. It features original music and lyrics by McFly’s Tom Fletcher, and a book by Jessica Swale. Paddington himself is portrayed by James Hameed as the Off-Stage Performer and Remote Puppeteer and Arti Shah as the On-Stage Performer.

What are critics saying about Paddington The Musical?

The Guardian

“An evening that will fill you with joy and melt your heart”

★★★★★

Arifa Akbar called it “a well-known story imaginatively staged, immaculately performed and utterly winning.” She wrote, “Tom Fletcher’s songs are marvellous, Jessica Swale’s book earnest, Ellen Kane’s choreography vigorous.” She was also delighted by the portrayal of Paddington, calling the puppet “adorable: pensive and childlike by turns”, while Hameed’s singing voice is astounding, and when he wanders on for some solo numbers as a human shadow, it is strangely moving.” She found the songs “fabulous”: “from vaudevillian slapstick to chorus numbers (Hard Stare is great fun) and big show tunes (Marmalade is an absolute blast)”. She thought Victoria Hamilton-Barritt stole the show as the villainous Millicent Clyde, “extraordinary vocals, her sultry, comic performance, and a shoulder-padded foxtail look.” She also thought the musical’s additions to the original story meant it “chimes importantly in today’s landscape of anti-immigrant fear and loathing.” Her conclusion: “you would have to be a cynic yourself to find fault in this gorgeous world of bearish adventure.”

Read the review here.

Evening Standard

“One of the most wonderful theatrical creations in years”

★★★★★

Tim Bano called the musical “a triumph of warmth and fun and theatricality, with a wonderful creation at the heart of it”, and thought it was “full of motion, so tight and seamless despite all the many moving parts.” He wrote, “It’s a multimillion pound piece of theatre that feels warm and fun and intimate, with no opportunity missed for a bit of extra silliness or a burst of theatricality.” He also praised Fletcher’s pop score: “Sometimes songs tend towards schmaltz, and all of them come to a belting climax, but it all works in such an uncynical show.” He loved Paddington’s design, calling it “uncanny in a very beautiful way”, comparing it to War Horse’s puppets in terms of ingenuity and creativity. He found the cast remarkable, especially Booth-Steel and Edden for their comedy, as well as Hamilton-Barrit’s “gleefully wicked villain Millicent”. He concluded: “It’s a musical made of silliness, naughtiness and unmitigated joy.”

Read the review here.

London Box Office

“A very welcome new addition to the London theatre scene”

★★★★★

Stuart King also thought the portrayal of Paddington “works remarkably well”. He enjoyed Victoria Hamilton-Barritt’s compelling villain and the “frenzied comic support” brought by Tom Edden’s Mr Curry, Amy Booth-Steel’s Lady Sloane, and Ben Redfern’s Hank the Pigeon. Calling the musical “unashamedly whimsical and charming”, he praised its “deft and daft use of fourth-wall breaking comedy”, ability to maintain a steady pace, and the fact that it “manages to avoid ever being saccharine”. His verdict: “thoroughly entertaining”, and sure to “enjoy a long and sold-out run at the beautiful Savoy Theatre.”

Read the review here:

Photo by Johan Persson

WhatsOnStage

“A paw-fect stage adaptation”

★★★★★

Sarah Crompton called it “a show so emotionally and tonally perfect that the entire audience is enraptured from the moment the bear steps on stage.” She found the musical “superbly and energetically directed”, with “much thought and care”. Like other critics, she found Tahra Zafar’s design of Paddington magical and “utterly real”. She enjoyed the “propulsive action, high comedy, and just the right dash of poignancy”, and praised “Tom Pye’s designs, back by Neil Austin’s thrilling lighting, Ash J Woodward’s video design, and Gabriella Slade’s richly textured costumes.” She wrote, “Sheppard and choreographer Ellen Kane use Fletcher’s jaunty, attractive tunes to create high-energy routines”, where each cast member has a moment to shine. She also appreciated the show’s emphatic messaging about “welcoming foreigners, about asserting the values of kindness and tolerance that used to be Britain’s hallmarks.” The comedy “never lets up”, with special mention to Amy Booth Steel and Tom Edden’s performances. She concluded, “This is a show with a heart as big and generous as Paddington himself.”

Read the review here.

The Independent

“This production abounds in warmth, eccentricity and ambition that goes beyond its huggable protagonist”

★★★★★

Alice Saville thought the “huggable” design of Paddington was “absolutely spot on”, with Arti Shah giving him “authentically bear-like movements while singer James Hameed lends his incongruously powerful vocals to punchy songs by Tom Fletcher.” She enjoyed the characters, whom she described as “oddballs – the caricatures that capture the essential weirdness of English society.” “Victoria Hamilton-Barritt is fantastically camp,” she wrote. She thought the musical’s “edgier, darker touches only heighten the gorgeously bright palette that this story is working in.” The staging “abounds with warmth, eccentricity and ambition”, thanks to “huge-hearted musical numbers” and “costume designer Gabriella Slade’s cosy multicoloured knitted get-ups.” She found the songs “deliriously fun”, especially ‘Marmalade’ and ‘It’s Never Too Late’. She concluded with her delight that “we’re finally getting a show that’s made with serious heart, dedication, and enough spectacular special effects to thrill its audiences.”

Read the review here.

TimeOut

“A very enjoyable show indeed”

★★★★

Andrzej Lukowski was amazed at how much Shah and Hameed’s portrayal of Paddington was “enough to make us believe that Paddington is really in the room with us.” “Hameed can sing well,” he wrote, and “a couple of elaborately choreographed sequences in which our hero pings around causing chaos are impressively physical.” Compared to the Paddington film, he thought “it has a looser, more knockabout air, less droll, more cartoonish.” He also praised “Hamilton-Barritt’s scenery chomping Millicent.” and “Tom Pye’s lovely, junk-strewn set.” Like other critics, he appreciated how “it’s unabashedly celebratory of London, immigration and multiculturalism as a positive legacy of colonialism.” He thought Fletcher’s songs were “very decent” but not “sidesplittingly funny”, with his favourites being “big sweeping ballads like ‘The Explorer and the Bear’ and ‘One of Us’.” His only criticism was that the musical “can’t quite settle on who it wants to be about”, with too many characters in focus, making it feel “overstuffed”.

Read the review here.

Financial Times

“Brings the stowaway bear gorgeously to life”

★★★★

Sarah Hemming thought Paddington’s design was “a triumph”, calling it “furry but not too fluffy, endearing but not too cute, he has the slightly lived-in look of every favourite soft toy”, with James Hameed and Arti Shah collaborating brilliantly to “give their little charge emotional depth.” She praised the “jaunty and accessible” soundtrack, particularly Millicent’s spiky ‘Pretty Little Dead Things’ and ‘The Rhythm of London’, “a rousing celebration of the multicultural city.” She also enjoyed the cast: Hamilton-Barrett is in “top panto villain mode” and Tom Edden is “creepily funny”. Like Lukowski, she thought the “heap of plot” and “so many eccentric characters” made the musical feel “overcrowded”, with less time for key moments to breathe. All in all, she found the production “intensely moving” with its themes of “empathy and acceptance”. Her conclusion: “although its star is a small bear, this is really a show about humanity.”

Read the review here.

Photo by Johan Persson

The Telegraph

“A funny, feel-good sensation that looks set to run and run”

★★★★

“Children will love him and adults will warm to his restorative sweetness,” wrote Dominic Cavendish. He praised Paddington’s portrayal, calling Shah’s movement eloquent and emotional, while Hameed brings a sweet speaking and singing voice. He found the production design “bustling, colourful and slick”, but thought there was “something generic and sanitised about the sights and sounds of modern London.” Fletcher’s music and lyrics, he thought, “may not be game-changing, but the pure novelty value is off the charts.” He thought it fell slightly short in comparison to Mary Poppins or Matilda, calling it “a touch threadbare, and a little over-stuffed with songs”, but ultimately found it to be “a very welcome addition to the British musical family.”

Read the review here.

The Stage

“Sweeter than a marmalade sandwich”

★★★★

Sam Marlowe thought Fletcher’s songs were not particularly memorable and that Jessica Swale’s script was “full of holes and needless diversions”, but despite that, “there’s an overwhelming amount in Luke Sheppard’s production that is fundamentally just right.” Paddington’s onstage portrayal, with its “ingenious puppet bear suit”, has a “heart-tugging magic”. He also appreciated how the production encourages us to see, through Paddington, “the experience of those who come to our shores seeking safety and succour”. “Hamilton-Barritt is superbly nasty and outrageously camp,” he wrote, “and terrific fun”, but he was less convinced by the “screeching handbrake tone change” her character brought to the story. He found the “scenes towards multicultural London… feel cursory at best, cringe at worst.” But Paddington’s “vulnerability, mischief and innocence” made up for all the production’s faults.

Read the review here.

The Times

“this singing bear will capture your heart”

★★★★

Clive Davis, in contrast to Cavendish, thought Paddingon “will surely give Matilda a run for its money as a children’s favourite.” He praised “staggeringly atmospheric scenic designs by Tom Pye — his ever-shifting backdrops are a love letter to London’s landmarks.” He thought Hameed and Shah brought Paddington to life perfectly, while the human characters are equally enjoyable, especially Tom Edden’s “busybody neighbour Mr Curry who gets some of the best lines.” He called the production “effervescent, if slightly overlong”, and thought “Fletcher’s nimbly crafted songs come with deft lyrics and, occasionally, sleek harmonies that wouldn’t be out of place on an early Queen anthem”, with special mention to ‘One of Us’, ‘Don’t Touch That’, and the ever-popular ‘Marmalade’.

Read the review here.

Don't miss your chance to go see this enchanting, whimsical and heartwarming musical that has all the critics raving. And before you do check, out our article about Everything You Need To Know About Paddington The Musical to get you ready for London's newest and most delightful theatrical experience.