The creators of Paddington the Musical have unveiled the design of the beloved bear, a closely guarded secret for years. Standing 1.2 metres tall, the new Paddington features shaggy caramel fur, a white snout with a brown nose, and his iconic blue duffel coat and red hat. The design draws inspiration from Peggy Fortnum's original illustrations, giving the bear a wide, teddy-like quality rather than the realism of the film versions.
Producer Sonia Friedman described the project as unprecedented, with the goal of having Paddington appear alone on stage without visible puppeteers. Creature effects designer Tahra Zafar, known for work on Star Wars and PG Tips ads, led the design. She explained that while they explored advanced technology, they kept returning to simpler ideas to capture the bear's purity. 'We wanted to create something that you respond to with your heart,' she said.
The bear is brought to life by two performers: Arti Shah, who physically performs inside the suit, and James Hameed, who provides the voice and remotely controls facial expressions via a control panel. Their synchrony, developed over years of workshops, allows the audience to believe they are watching a walking, talking, singing bear. Hameed described his role as 'Paddington's soul,' a phrase coined by a child during rehearsals.
Shah, who trained by sitting in a sauna to prepare for the heat inside the costume, noted that the suit is lighter than previous roles she has played. The musical, directed by Luke Sheppard with music by Tom Fletcher and book by Jessica Swale, will feature eight shows a week, with alternate performers Abbie Purvis and Ali Sarebani. Shah, who has never taken a bow before, said she is 'humbled and excited' to be part of the production.
