When Paddington first waddles on stage throughout the brand new West Finish musical primarily based on the beloved bear, the viewers on the Savoy Theatre can hardly comprise their pleasure. Exclamations of “aww,” loud chuckles and enthusiastic yelps ring out from the gang as Paddington sings, dances and crinkles his furry face to convey happiness, unhappiness and confusion — it’s actually like watching the bear come to life.
However how precisely did the staff behind “Paddington the Musical” translate the Peruvian cub’s likeness to the stage? The reply is one expertly crafted bear go well with and two very gifted performers: James Hameed and Arti Shah.
Hameed, whose credit embrace “Gaddafi: A Residing Delusion” and “Only for One Day — The Reside Help Musical,” is the voice of Paddington and remotely puppeteers the bear’s facial actions. In the meantime, “Star Wars,” “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Harry Potter” alum Arti Shah is contained in the go well with, embodying Paddington’s physicality on stage for many of the musical’s two-hour-and-40-minute runtime. Each performers have been with the present by a number of workshops for the previous three years, working collectively to excellent Paddington’s each phrase, observe and transfer.
Directed by Luke Sheppard with music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher — and co-produced by Studiocanal, which owns the “Paddington” IP — “Paddington the Musical” formally opens on Sunday evening on the Savoy. Under, Hameed and Shah give Selection perception into the work that has gone into bringing Paddington to life, what it was like assembly Prince William and Kate Middleton and the message they hope the viewers takes away from the present.
What have been your respective relationships with the character of Paddington earlier than becoming a member of the manufacturing?
Arti Shah: Being 7 or 8 years outdated and watching “Paddington” on TV after college with my older brother, that’s my first reminiscence. After which clearly, we’ve the movies in 2014. And when my younger son was born, he was gifted the “Paddington” books by his aunt. So we have been studying them to him as properly, and we’ve cherished the movies as a household. But additionally, two years in the past, I used to be advisable to work on “Paddington in Peru,” doing loads of the bodily work on the second unit. So Paddington has been in my life all through childhood and in my grownup years, not simply household however work as properly.
James Hameed: I’m from a blended heritage, and my mum, being very, very British, had clearly a really completely different relationship to Paddington than my father, who came to visit within the ’70s. For my mum, he represented all one of the best issues about Britain — manners, politeness, tea. And for my father, he represented leaving a house to discover a new dwelling, for no matter cause, and never being welcomed at first and that problem of coming to a spot that has a very completely different tradition. I believe there’s such a duality with Paddington that each exist on the identical time — this concept that everybody has such a person relationship and all of them are legitimate, all of them are true. I believe that’s most likely one of many the reason why he’s so particular. He type of encompasses every thing. Regardless of your political or spiritual perspective, he simply can symbolize a facet of you that’s so true and susceptible.
Teddy Kempner and James Hameed in “Paddington the Musical.”
Johan Persson
Actually, one of many major messages I walked away with from the musical was the significance of kindness, particularly with every thing occurring within the present political local weather.
Shah: That’s one factor that all of us appear to overlook, it’s about kindness and it’s free and it’s easy and all of us have it inside us. It’s only a light reminder that we are able to all be variety, and that is what the world actually wants proper now.
Hameed: It’s an excellent lens to show that to not solely kids, however to adults as properly. I believe it strips away any preconceptions anybody might need, and makes it essentially the most susceptible model of that story and I believe that’s what permits it to be advised with none resistance.
How precisely do you’re employed collectively to convey Paddington to life?
Hameed: On my facet, I begin off as a separate character known as the Younger Man. He arrives together with his personal story and with a view to inform his story, he kind of items his voice to Paddington Bear. The Younger Man then disappears and Paddington tells his story together with his personal lens, his personal physicalities, however with the voice of the Younger Man, which is basically Paddington’s voice.
I additionally remotely puppeteer Paddington’s facial expressions. Within the very early days, there have been initially three individuals behind Paddington. We had the voice, the bodily presence after which the distant puppeteer. And we did a check right here on the Savoy in early ’23 I believe, however what we quickly discovered was there was at all times simply going to be a slight delay. With this type of puppeteering, it must be as true and as related as potential, and if you happen to’ve acquired three completely different individuals making an attempt to realize the identical factor, it’s somewhat more durable than if you happen to had two. We acquired Phill Woodfine, who has been teaching me on distant puppetry, who’s a legend in his discipline. They only have been like, “Nicely, James, do you wish to attempt to make the mouth transfer to what you’re saying and let’s see what that appears like?” It’s meant that we’re capable of mix very well and there’s no delays between what we’re doing. That’s as a lot as I’m allowed to offer with out making a gift of every thing else, however I believe that we do sufficient that you’ll imagine you’re seeing Paddington within the room.
Arti, you’re within the bear go well with, bringing physicality to Paddington. What’s it like in there and the way do you keep cool on stage?
Shah: It retains me good and heat. I take my job very significantly, and earlier than we began rehearsals I sat in a sauna absolutely clothed day-after-day for every week, simply to mentally put together myself. The thoughts is a robust software. I put on loads of padding after which the beautiful go well with, which makes me stand in a sure method and brings the physicality to life. However I additionally contact on a type of Methodology appearing, drawing alone feelings as a result of it’s not nearly being the bear, it’s important to present the feelings. However I’ve had loads of expertise within the movie trade engaged on issues like “Star Wars” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” The heaviest go well with I’ve ever worn was on “Assault the Block,” it was half my physique weight and I used to be working on all fours with arm extensions. I don’t assume I might do this now as a result of I’m rather a lot older, nevertheless it’s not as robust as doing that. So, it’s bearable.
“Paddington the Musical.”
Johan Persson
Paddington is dancing and working across the stage for a lot of the present — Arti, what’s that like for you? What’s your imaginative and prescient like within the go well with?
Shah: I don’t know what I’m allowed to say…
Hameed: Possibly I can say it, so that you don’t get in bother. Basically, Arti’s imaginative and prescient is extraordinarily restricted within the go well with and that’s the place her plethora of earlier work actually comes into play. Between us, we attempt to work out methods to get as a lot imaginative and prescient as potential, however there are occasions the place Arti has actually none. And that basically simply speaks volumes for her line of labor and anybody who does that line of labor, as a result of I couldn’t do this. There have been instances after I would go dwelling and attempt to reenact the blocking with my eyes closed as a result of I needed to see what you have been experiencing, and I used to be like, that is terrifying. It gave me a complete new line of empathy for what you have been going by. So a part of my job is to attempt to ensure that whoever is performing bodily Paddington is protected — that’s at all times my precedence above every thing else.
I noticed that Paddington acquired to fulfill Prince William and Kate Middleton a few weeks in the past. What was that like?
Shah: Paddington did very properly. He minded his manners, he tried to share his marmalade sandwich and he tipped his hat. He was very, very impressed. Nonetheless, Prince William was making an attempt to ask Paddington loads of questions as in, “Does he get scorching?” I believe he was asking me, however Tom Fletcher did very well and stated, “Paddington’s from Peru, he’s used to the warmth!” I believe Paddington was very excited however very calm on the identical time. He’s an expert.
Clearly, “Paddington the Musical” is simply opening in London, however is there hope for the present to journey different locations — possibly New York?
Hameed: I’ll say that Paddington is properly traveled and beloved by all, so I believe he would work in any setting internationally. Let’s get by London first, however he’s been very properly acquired to date.
Shah: He’s very adaptable. And he’ll at all times have his suitcase filled with marmalade.
The corporate of “Paddington the Musical.”
Johan Persson
