Sonia Friedman Productions, STUDIOCANAL, Eliza Lumley Productions on behalf of Universal Music UK, and Suzanne Jones are thrilled to announce that the record-breaking, smash hit, seven-time Olivier Award-winning Best New Musical PADDINGTON The Musical will open in Sydney, September 2027.
Based on the beloved “A Bear Called Paddington” written by Michael Bond and the awardwinning STUDIOCANAL film ‘PADDINGTON’, PADDINGTON The Musical features music and lyrics by Olivier Award winner Tom Fletcher, a book by Olivier Award winner Jessica Swale and direction by Olivier Award winner Luke Sheppard.
PADDINGTON The Musical is the most awarded new musical in the history of London’s West End. The show won seven 2026 Olivier Awards, tying the record for the highest number of wins for any musical in Olivier Award history – including winning Best New Musical, Best Director for Luke Sheppard, Best Set Design for Tom Pye and Ash J Woodward, and Best Costume Design for Gabriella Slade and Tahra Zafar – the latter, who designed the bear.
The production also received a record nine WhatsOnStage Awards – the most for any new musical – including winning Best New Musical, and Best Direction for Luke Sheppard. The production also recently won the Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Musical. PADDINGTON The Musical opened at the Savoy Theatre, London, on 30 November 2025, and is now currently booking until February 2028. It will also open a Broadway production at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in New York on 17 April 2027, and is currently booking until November 2027.
‘PADDINGTON The Musical – Original Cast Recording’, written by Tom Fletcher and produced by Matt Brind, is out now on Decca Records and available to stream. The album is the fastest-selling physical West End Original Cast Recording of the 21st Century in the UK. Less than 6 months since PADDINGTON The Musical opened in the West End, the Paddington album, recently released on vinyl, CD, cassette and Yoto, topped the Official UK Compilation Chart. Not since the 1990s has a recording of original music for a brand-new stage production reached this level of popularity so quickly. Passers-by stopped in their tracks when Paddington was spotted on the famous Abbey Road Studios crossing. This led to him gracing the cover of Rolling Stone UK Magazine, in another first for the unassuming bear.
Producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley said,
“From the outset, we have wanted PADDINGTON The Musical to open only in cities where it can be produced with the same ambition, care and theatrical scale as in London. Paddington’s journey across the world in search of a new home – and his discovery that home can be found through kindness, acceptance and a sense of belonging – feels particularly resonant for Australian audiences. Together with Sydney’s extraordinary appetite for world-class musical theatre and the affection Australians have long held for Paddington, this makes the city a natural new home for our production. We are thrilled to be bringing the show to the Capitol Theatre with STUDIOCANAL and deeply grateful to Destination NSW for its belief in the production and for helping us bring Paddington to Sydney.”
Australian Producer Suzanne Jones from JONES Theatrical Group added,
“As an Australian producer, I am immensely proud that Sydney will be the first city in Australia to welcome PADDINGTON The Musical. It is a rare new musical: spectacular in scale, but always led by character, humour and heart. Our partnership with Sonia, Eliza and the wider creative team gives us the opportunity to bring Australian audiences a production with all the imagination, craft and ambition that have made the show such an unprecedented success in London. I cannot wait for Sydney audiences to meet this very special bear at the Capitol Theatre.”
Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said,
“To be only the third theatre district in the world, after the West End and Broadway, to secure PADDINGTON The Musical is a fantastic coup for Sydney. The Minns Labor Government is thrilled to partner with the UK and Australian producers to bring this much-loved story to the Harbour City.”
“With its broad cross-generational appeal, PADDINGTON The Musical will draw audiences from across Australia and around the world, supporting Sydney’s hotels, restaurants and local businesses. World-class events like this are a key part of our Visitor Economy Strategy 2035 and help keep Sydney on the global stage.”
Composer Tom Fletcher said,
“It has been the greatest adventure of my career to be entrusted with bringing Paddington’s story to life on stage alongside my brilliant creative collaborators Jessica, Luke and our producers Sonia and Eliza. The response from West End audiences of all ages has been unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I’ve made many happy memories writing, recording and touring Australia over the years and I am so excited to have the opportunity to bring our show to Sydney and share this very rare and special bear with Australian audiences.”
Anna Marsh, CEO of STUDIOCANAL, Chief Content Officer of CANAL+ expands,
“It is an immeasurable privilege to bring PADDINGTON the Musical to Australia with Sonia, Eliza and the exceptional team they have assembled. To witness their collective gift in bringing Paddington to life on stage has been a masterclass in production. Over the past 12 years we have put such genuine care into honoring Michael Bond’s legacy with our films, series and as proud owners of the IP. We cannot wait for a new audience to delight in the heart, humor, wonder and magic of Paddington’s Australian debut.”
In PADDINGTON The Musical, a small, lost bear from Peru arrives in London in search of a place to call home. A chance encounter with the Browns leads him into an unexpected world of adventure, where kindness has the power to change lives and strangers can become family. But London isn’t all afternoon tea and friendly faces—and even the seemingly happiest of families can have cracks beneath the surface. So, when a mysterious and vengeful villain sets her sights on Paddington, the Browns embark on a thrilling rescue mission, realizing they need this special bear as much as he needs them.
Filled with laughter, wonder, spectacular songs, dazzling choreography, and a generous helping of marmalade, PADDINGTON The Musical is based on Michael Bond’s beloved characters, with a story inspired by the award-winning films developed and produced by STUDIOCANAL with Heyday films and distributed by STUDIOCANAL worldwide.
It features original music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, a book by Jessica Swale, and direction by Luke Sheppard. Michael Bond’s “A Bear Called Paddington” was published in 1958 by Collins, later Harper Collins – the first of 29 Paddington books he wrote, with the final one “Paddington at St. Paul’s,” published posthumously in 2018. The books have sold over 35 million copies worldwide.
Paddington has been adapted for television several times and most recently by STUDIOCANAL who developed and produced three series of Emmy & Annie award-winning “The Adventures of Paddington” with Heyday Films, Simon Quinn and Karen Davidson. Paddington has enjoyed three successful big-screen outings released in cinemas to critical and commercial acclaim, developed and produced by STUDIOCANAL with Heyday films and distributed by STUDIOCANAL worldwide. A fourth feature film is in development with Armando Iannucci attached to the write the script with his co-writer Simon Blackwell.
Also in development is a new animated Paddington feature film which will introduce Paddington to a new younger generation across all geographies and with an exciting new look for Paddington. As proud owners of the Paddington IP, STUDIOCANAL has grown Paddington into a globally recognized brand over the past 12 years. The Paddington films are the highest-grossing independent family franchise of all time, with over $800 million in box office worldwide.
PADDINGTON The Musical features musical supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Olivier Award nominee Matt Brind; choreography by Tony and Olivier Award nominee Ellen Kane; scenic design by Olivier Award winner and Tony Award nominee Tom Pye; costume design by Tony and Olivier Award winner Gabriella Slade; Paddington and puppet design by Olivier Award winner Tahra Zafar; lighting design by Tony and Olivier Award winner Neil Austin; sound design by Tony and Olivier Award winner Gareth Owen; video design and animation by Olivier Award winner Ash J Woodward; hair, wig and makeup design by Campbell Young Associates, and Paddington Casting Consultant Annabelle Davis.
The Australian premiere of PADDINGTON The Musical is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.
Casting for the new Sydney production will be announced at a later date.
To join the waitlist and more information visit www.PaddingtonTheMusical.com.au
All Images supplied.
