The world of Michael Bond’s irrepressible, marmalade-loving agree with Paddington is to be re-created for an immersive theatre experience at London’s County Hall.
Audiences would perhaps be invited to uncover the environs of 32 Windsor Gardens, the build Paddington settles with the Brown family after getting again from Peru, at the side of an array of familiar settings from Bond’s books. Opening later this yr, The Paddington Accept Skills will unfold across a residing of 26,000 sq ft at the constructing, a worn local govt headquarters, on the Thames. The production is designed by Immersive Octopus, the inventive collective in the encourage of Peaky Blinders: The Rise, which runs in London unless Can also and brings to life the violent world of the gangster TV sequence.
The cherished, accident-susceptible Paddington – illustrious for his blue duffel coat and battered red hat, in most cases concealing a sticky sandwich – will huge name in a considerably extra family-pleasant affair. Fashion designer Rebecca Brower, who has been working on the Route Leisure Neighborhood’s prove for six months, acknowledged its multi-sensory, interactive mixture of video games, dwell efficiency and video converse “works for all ages” – from younger cubs to extensive aunts.
Written by Katie Lyons, the experience has a account built spherical serving to the Brown family prepare for a particular occasion. “We don’t are searching out for to give too great away,” acknowledged Brower, at the side of that the appearance of Paddington himself would perhaps be share of the surprise. “I’m able to sigh that Paddington is prove nonetheless I’m able to’t sigh but how he’s going to be prove,” she acknowledged with a snigger.
Followers of the Paddington books and cartoons will receive every fashion of “hidden nods” to these worlds spherical the experience nonetheless Brower acknowledged that the comely is mostly impressed by the two dwell-motion motion photos, wherein Ben Whishaw voiced a CGI Paddington, released in 2014 and 2017. “I read the books as a kid,” acknowledged Brower. “When the motion photos came out, I if truth be told plunge in love even extra with the persona.” She visited a pair of of the London areas ancient in the motion photos and aims to attain a life like derive whereas presenting the capital with a identical “compose of magic that they introduced into quite a grey city”.
Immersive Octopus’s previous productions encompass Doctor Who: Time Fracture, which opened in 2021. Brower created these designs correct thru the Covid-19 pandemic, which required never-ending adjustments for diverse levels of social restrictions. After Covid tips net been lifted, Peaky Blinders: The Rise was as soon as one draw to “reach out to audiences who had been longing to come collectively and net a derive collectively”.
Immersive theatre is at prove booming, with the Bridge’s production of the musical Guys and Dolls letting theatregoers intermingle with the actors and even dance with them for the prove’s finale. Post-pandemic, many audiences crave “extra than just sitting and watching a prove” acknowledged Brower, who is designing interactive rooms the build it is seemingly you’ll perchance “contact everything, originate drawers and cabinets, and climb into areas and enact stuff”. With themed food promised as share of the entertainment, that would effectively encompass having fun alongside with your net marmalade sandwich.
The County Hall production of Agatha Christie’s court thriller Query for the Prosecution will continue to creep alongside The Paddington Accept Skills.
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