Paddington Stands Tall: The Bear Necessities of a New Look
Paddington stands before us, an imposing figure with a round belly and wavy fur, his bright brown eyes shining warmly as he surveys the scene. This is no mere puppet or prop – this is a living, breathing, walking bear, brought to life by the ingenuity of its creators.
Tahra Zafar, the designer behind Paddington Bear, has breathed new life into the beloved character. "We looked back at the books and Peggy Fortnum's beautiful illustrations," she explains, "and all the different versions of Paddington over the years." The result is a design that is both familiar and yet, refreshingly unique.
Arti Shah and James Hameed are the duo behind the bear, physically performing inside the costume for each performance. Their partnership is seamless, allowing them to convey emotions and reactions with ease. As Arti explains, "Physically performing inside the bear requires immense strength, stamina and skill." For her part, she has experience with unusual performance constraints, having worn a heavy costume in the movie Attack the Block.
The emotional resonance of Paddington goes beyond nostalgia for bedtime stories. For many of the team, the character represents something deeper – a visualisation of their own story or a sense of home. The label on Paddington's neck, "Please look after this bear," serves as a reminder of the importance of care and compassion.
As we watch James Hameed take his final bow after each performance, it is clear that all those involved are deeply invested in this production. The love and care that has gone into crafting Paddington can be seen in every detail – from the wavy fur to the subtle label on one of the bear's paws.
When asked about her design process, Tahra Zafar smiles knowingly. "I think when you really love making something, that love gets transferred to the thing you're creating. I'm hoping that's what you see in Paddington. All that love on stage." And indeed, we do see it – a bear that is full of love, kindness and a sense of wonder, brought to life by the talented team behind this musical production.
Paddington stands before us, an imposing figure with a round belly and wavy fur, his bright brown eyes shining warmly as he surveys the scene. This is no mere puppet or prop – this is a living, breathing, walking bear, brought to life by the ingenuity of its creators.
Tahra Zafar, the designer behind Paddington Bear, has breathed new life into the beloved character. "We looked back at the books and Peggy Fortnum's beautiful illustrations," she explains, "and all the different versions of Paddington over the years." The result is a design that is both familiar and yet, refreshingly unique.
Arti Shah and James Hameed are the duo behind the bear, physically performing inside the costume for each performance. Their partnership is seamless, allowing them to convey emotions and reactions with ease. As Arti explains, "Physically performing inside the bear requires immense strength, stamina and skill." For her part, she has experience with unusual performance constraints, having worn a heavy costume in the movie Attack the Block.
The emotional resonance of Paddington goes beyond nostalgia for bedtime stories. For many of the team, the character represents something deeper – a visualisation of their own story or a sense of home. The label on Paddington's neck, "Please look after this bear," serves as a reminder of the importance of care and compassion.
As we watch James Hameed take his final bow after each performance, it is clear that all those involved are deeply invested in this production. The love and care that has gone into crafting Paddington can be seen in every detail – from the wavy fur to the subtle label on one of the bear's paws.
When asked about her design process, Tahra Zafar smiles knowingly. "I think when you really love making something, that love gets transferred to the thing you're creating. I'm hoping that's what you see in Paddington. All that love on stage." And indeed, we do see it – a bear that is full of love, kindness and a sense of wonder, brought to life by the talented team behind this musical production.
Paddington is defo not just a cute teddy, its like a living breathing being with so much heart 
I mean Tahra Zafar's design is fire 
and Arti & James Hameed's performance skills are on point 
the way they physically perform inside that costume is insane 
. And you know what really gets me? The emotional connection people have with Paddington, it goes beyond just nostalgia 
for so many of us its like a visual representation of our own story or a sense of home 
. The love and care that's been poured into this production is palpable 
you can see every detail from the fur to the little label on that paw 
, I'm really impressed with how they've updated Paddington's look while still keeping his essence. The costume designers have done an amazing job, it's like you can see the emotions on his face. And Arti and James are literally inside that bear, wow that's crazy! 
paddington is so underrated imo, everyone loves simpson's but who needs when u have a bear that literally says please look after me on his neck lol. also arti shah & james hameed r the real MVPs they're literally wearing heavy costumes and performing inside the bear 
. i love how tahra zafar put her heart into designing paddington, its not just about looks its emotional resonance is what makes it special 
& thas what makes arti shah & james hameed's perfomance soooo mesmerizin'!! 
i think its amazing how dis show brings ppl togethr w/ a shared love of paddington & nostalgia 4 bedtime stories 
I mean, can you imagine having to do that every night? 
It's not just about nostalgic feelings, though - Paddington is a symbol of care and compassion, which is super important. And let's be real, it's also just plain adorable 
? i also just got the new season of 'Stranger Things' on netflix and i'm hooked 
. It's amazing how much emotional depth this character has for everyone involved – it's like we're all connected through Paddington 
It's like a warm hug from the heart 
i love how she brought back the original illustrations and gave it a fresh spin 
arti & james are amazing too, their chemistry on stage is like wow 
they're not just performing inside the costume, they're living padington's emotions 
plus that quote on his neck "please look after this bear" gives me all the feels 
paddington just got a major upgrade and i am HERE FOR IT 
the new design is giving me all the feels, it's like tahra zafar bottled up love and kindness into one bear 
their physical performances are so impressive, i mean who needs CGI when you have these two rockstars 
anyway back to paddington...i mean have u seen those costumes they wear? talk about commitment 
arti shah and james hameed are basically superheroes in furry suits 
i'm not surprised that people are relating to paddington on a deeper level, he's more than just a cute bear, he's a symbol of kindness and care 
it's like they're just saying "sorry not sorry" on social media with all the photoshopped pics of sunny skies and happy people... meanwhile the real impact is on the ppl who lost their homes 
