Paddington: The Musical to open in Sydney in September 2027

Paddington: The Musical, a stage show that has been running in London's West End theatre district since 2025, is heading to Australia. It will be staged at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney for 10 weeks from September 2027. The producers have not yet named dates for other Australian cities, and the Australian cast has not been announced.

About the show

The musical draws on Michael Bond's 1958 book A Bear Called Paddington and the popular film adaptations of the past decade. It follows the clumsy but lovable bear from Peru who is taken in by the Brown family at London's Paddington Station and wins over the neighbourhood. The production has collected many five-star reviews, including from the Guardian.

The animatronic puppet that portrays Paddington has drawn particular attention. It was designed by costume designer Tahra Zafar. In London the bear is played by two performers: James Hameed provides the voice and operates the puppet remotely, while Arti Shah wears the furry costume.

Awards and further plans

Earlier this year the musical won seven Olivier awards, tying the record for the most wins by a single musical. These included best new musical, a joint best actor in a musical award for Hameed and Shah, and best set design. It also took a record nine WhatsOnStage awards and the Critics' Circle award for best new musical.

The London run will continue until at least 2028, and the show opens on Broadway in New York in April 2027.

Producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley said they were thrilled to bring the show to Sydney, citing the city's appetite for world-class musical theatre and Australians' long affection for Paddington. They said they want the musical to open only in cities where it can be staged with the same ambition, care and scale as in London. Composer Tom Fletcher called the project the greatest adventure of his career.