Paddington The Musical has named the company that will take it into a second year at the Savoy Theatre. Abbie Purvis and Hassan Taj alternate as the Paddington on Stage Performer from 28 October.
The new company of Paddington The Musical begins performances at the Savoy Theatre on 28 October, a year after the musical opened in the West End.
Abbie Purvis and Hassan Taj alternate the role of the Paddington on Stage Performer, both making their West End debuts. Sonny Monaghan, also making his West End debut, plays Young Man and takes Paddington’s voice and remote puppetry. Freya Rose is the Standby Paddington on Stage Performer.
Haydn Oakley and Charlotte Wakefield play Mr Brown and Mrs Brown, with Linzi Hateley as Mrs Bird and Cassidy Janson as Millicent Clyde. Samantha Bingley plays Lady Sloane, Alex Crandon plays Hank the Pigeon, Sandra Marvin plays Tanya and Marc Pickering plays Mr Curry. Tarinn Callender and Teddy Kempner stay with the production, reprising Grant and Mr Gruber.
Hateley’s stage work includes Mamma Mia! and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Janson won an Olivier Award for & Juliet, and Callender’s credits include Hamilton and Come From Away.
Poppy Houghton and Francesca Ratcliffe alternate the role of Judy Brown, and Eddison Burch and Shayne Maphosa alternate Tony. Charlie Dean, Arlo Drage, Oliver Goodman and Finn Leonard alternate Jonathan Brown.
The company is completed by Esme Bacalla-Hayes, Sarah Benbelaid, Millie Gubby, Helen Gulston, Daisy Hanna, Jonathan Hermosa-Lopez, Jacqueline Hughes, Kellianna Jay, Kwame Kandekore, Sam Lathwood, Andilé Mabhena, Kate Parr, Billy Roberts, Hugo Rolland, Eugene Shire, Vicki Lee Taylor and Kevin Tristan.
Producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley said: “It is an absolute privilege bringing Paddington The Musical to the stage with our partners from STUDIOCANAL, and as we celebrate our first year in the west end, it’s a joy to announce this brand-new company. Shows like this don’t come along very often, and we’re continually in awe of how audiences embrace the production, and take this much-loved bear to their hearts. We know this wonderful company will make the show their own and continue to create magic on stage at the Savoy Theatre.”
The musical has music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, a book by Jessica Swale and direction by Luke Sheppard. It won seven Olivier Awards, among them Best New Musical and Best Director, equalling the most won by any musical, and took nine WhatsOnStage Awards, the most for a new musical in the awards’ history. It also won the Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Musical earlier this year. A new production opens on Broadway in March 2027 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
Paddington The Musical is booking at the Savoy Theatre until 13 February 2028, with tickets from £25. The producers say the best availability is from summer 2027. The production also runs its own ticket lottery.
