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 in September 2027.
Based on the beloved A Bear Called Paddington written by Michael Bond and the award winning 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 here. 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.
“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,” said Producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley.
“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,” said Friedman and Lumley.
“As an Australian producer, I am immensely proud that Sydney will be the first city in Australia to welcome PADDINGTON The Musical,” added Australian Producer Suzanne Jones from JONES Theatrical Group. “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,” said Jones.
“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,” said Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper.
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.
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.
PADDINGTON The Musical opens at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre in September 2027. Join the waitlist for tickets. For more information, visit: www.paddingtonthemusical.com.au for details.
Image: PADDINGTON The Musical (supplied)