Paddington Bears Magical Musical

A through-composed children’s operetta, “Paddington Bear’s Magical Musical” was the first full-scale musical to be created for the well-known character, in celebration of Paddington’s twenty-fifth birthday. Charting the arrival of the little stowaway from Peru, it explores some of the bear’s adventures from Michael Bond’s best-selling books, together with the Brown family and friends Mr. Curry and Mr. Gruber and features songs such as “Please Look After This Bear”, “Marmalade’n’Me”, “Do the Duffle”, “Wellington Waltz”, and Paddington’s big ballad “Cross My Paws and Hope to Die” (later re-recorded by actor Martin Shaw as “Cross My Heart and Hope to Die”). Cast size:15 plus two children’s choirs on stage in the style of “Joseph”.

“Pop star Paddington rocks the house down! The warmth of the irresistibly cuddly Paddington Bear in his “Magical Musical” stole the hearts of the audience last night. Numbers like the rocking “Do the Duffle” and the athletic “Bearobics” got both children and parents foot-tapping and hand-clapping. Spellbound children sat on the edges of their seats. One four-year-old said it was wonderful – “much better than telly” (Thurrock Gazette)

“This is a musical in the Technicolor Dreamcoat style – all dazzle and action, with the music getting better as it goes along. The children will hate you if you fail to take them along.” (Wimbledon News)

“Before you can say Shakin’ Stevens, Paddington is in Barkridges Department Store trying on glittery new clothes and rockin’ and rollin’. The songs by Shirlie Roden, the production as a whole, project that unique mixture of wistfulness and joyful gallantry that is Paddington. “I’ve got the recipe”, sings Sir Huntley Martin, and this sums up the show.” (Liverpool Echo)

“Dazzling entertainment: In “Paddington Bear’s Magical Musical, the Theatre Royal have a children’s show of undoubted success. The colour, vitality and catchy tunes in the production last night provoked a youthful audience into near frenzied activity. A hugely entertaining show”

“Two year old Oliver and four year old Ben, together with several hundred other youngsters, sat spellbound throughout the two-hour family musical. The younger members of the audience sat almost transfixed following the antics of their hero. What makes this such an excellent all-round show is its dynamic vibrancy with the music, dancing, stage-play and super colours neatly packaged to create the perfect balance.” (Shropshire Star)