To say that Michael Bond's Paddington Bear has had a resurgence since the 2014 film would be an understatement, as would be to say a musical adaptation could be a huge risk: The slightest hint of a shameless cash-in on such a beloved character could have gone very badly. Fortunately
Paddington the Musical is in very safe hands with Tom Fletcher (music and lyrics,) Jessica Swale (book) and director Luke Sheppard. When an elderly bear, Aunt Lucy (voiced by Brenda Edwards) can no longer look after her orphaned nephew, she sends him from Darkest Peru to London, where she hopes he'll find the explorer who was kind to her years before. Instead he finds Mrs Brown (Amy Ellen Richardson) and her son Jonathan (Jasper Rowse, alternating with Joseph Bramley, Leo Collon and Stevie Hare.) Against the wishes of Mr Brown (Adrian Der Gregorian) and permanently embarrassed teenager Judy (Delilah Bennett-Cardy) they invite him home.
