Behind the Scenes of Paddington's Magical West End Debut!

The Paddington musical recently premiered at London's Savoy Theatre, giving audiences their first look at the beloved bear on stage. Jessica Swale, the co-creator of the show, described the moment Paddington appeared as 'magical. ' Swale, who grew up in Berkshire, worked alongside Tom Fletcher from McFly to bring the musical to life. The show is based on the popular books by Michael Bond, who was also born in Berkshire. Swale shared that she and Fletcher have watched Paddington's reveal on stage hundreds of times, and it still makes them emotional every single time. She said, 'It makes us weep every single time because he's so beautifully done. ' The team behind the musical worked hard to keep Paddington's new look a secret for years, wanting to make sure that the character would be just as lovable on stage as he is in the books and films. Swale explained, 'Paddington is so beloved and has become such an icon that we had to make sure that if we were going to put him on stage he would be utterly lovable. ' She added that, despite her years of experience in theatre, she has never seen anything quite as magical as Paddington's stage debut. Michael Bond, Paddington's original creator, was born in Newbury and grew up in Reading, making the bear a source of pride for people in Berkshire. Swale herself was born at Reading's Royal Berkshire Hospital and attended local schools, so she feels a strong connection to the area even though she now lives in London. At home, Swale is busy making Paddington-themed gifts for the hundreds of people involved in the production, following a theatre tradition. She joked that her house is covered in sticky marmalade because she has made nearly 300 pots for the cast and crew. 'I loved marmalade but I'm having a difficult relationship with it now because nearly 300 pots of marmalade later, I can't get out of my front door without everything sticking to me,' she said. The musical features Paddington in his famous red hat, carrying a suitcase, and with a note tied around his neck. He moves freely on stage, without a human directly operating him or puppet strings, which adds to the magic of the performance. The show has been praised for its creativity and for capturing the spirit of Paddington. Fans of the books and films are excited to see the bear brought to life in a new way. The musical is not just a celebration of Paddington, but also of the people who helped create him and the community that loves him. Swale and the team hope that audiences will feel the same sense of wonder and joy that they do every time Paddington appears on stage. The show is a reminder of the power of storytelling and the importance of bringing beloved characters to new generations. For Swale, working on the Paddington musical has been a dream come true, even if it means dealing with a house full of marmalade. She hopes that the magic of Paddington will continue to inspire and delight audiences for years to come.