Ten of the best animal characters on stage

We recently welcomed a bear-y special new resident into the West End!

Paddington has ridden marmalade sandwiches into the Savoy Theatre in the world premiere of the first ever musical based on London’s (and Peru’s) most-loved bear. You can find out all about the new musical here.

After a much-anticipated wait, audiences now know how Paddington is realised on stage. James Hameed (Paddington off-stage performer and remote puppeteer) and Arti Shah (Paddington on-stage performer) share the role of the famous bear in what’s being applauded as an incredible feat of theatrical magic, garnering worldwide attention and viral success.

Abbie Purvis and Ali Sarebani are the alternate Paddington on-stage performers. The team responsible for the bear includes Tahra Zafar (Paddington bear designer), Audrey Brisson (Bear physicality associate director), Phill Woodfine (remote puppetry coach), and Annabelle Davis (Paddington bear casting director).

His arrival had us thinking about the other animals who take on starring roles in stage shows and the wonderful teams who help bring them to life.

The Jellicle Cats from Cats

The cats from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical have been portrayed in numerous ways across the years, including CGI on film and as New York City ballroom dancers in a recent revival. More often than not, they don’t stray too far from John Napier’s original designs – think slinky bodysuits, fur leg warmers, fluffy gilets, and 80s punk hair. They’re street cats above all. With a new revival on the way, we can’t wait to see what the felines may be wearing to the ball!

The Frogs in The Frogs

They’re a little unconventional and they play a key part in Stephen Sondheim’s most bonkers musical – including a toad-ally awesome ballet! To play the chorus, the recent revival, led by Kevin McHale featured spandex costumes by Libby Todd.

Sven from Frozen

Reindeers are better than people! And that’s surely true if you’ve witnessed the spectacle that is how Sven is brought to life on stage. In the West End and subsequent Disney Plus recording, Mikayla Jade and Ashley Birchall alternated the role of Kristoff’s best buddy. The puppet is designed by Michael Curry, and sees the actors placed on four stilts for up to nine minutes at a time for a scene. You can check out Jade’s TikTok for lots more insights into playing the role!

Milky White from Into the Woods

To be the standout in a Sondheim musical is a massive honour and achievement, and it’s often earned by whoever is behind Milky White in Into the Woods. The most successful revivals (note: Encores! Broadway stint), see a puppet commandeered by an equally charismatic performer like Kennedy Kanagawa. The upcoming revival at the Bridge Theatre is yet to reveal its plans for the cow as white as milk, but we can’t wait!

A special mention must also be made to all of those pantomime cows up and down the country, and in particular to Rob Madge’s legendary Pat the Cow at The London Palladium in 2022!

The shipmates from Life of Pi

Zebras, orangutans, turtles, and, of course, a tiger, all come vividly to life in the stage adaptation of Life of Pi. The seven actors: Fred Davis, Daisy Franks, Tom Stacy, Romina Hytten, Scarlet Wilderink, Tom Larkin, Habib Nasib Nader, known on stage as the hulking beast Richard Parker, jointly picked up the Olivier Award. Kudos also to the West End’s puppet and movement director Finn Caldwell, and puppet designers Nick Barnes and Caldwell.

The Pride Landers from The Lion King

There’s a reason why The Lion King has roared on in the West End and on Broadway for so many years. Okay, there are many reasons: The music, the much-loved Disney characters, and of course, the breathtaking puppetry. The cast uses puppets, masks and makeup up and wigs to extend the characterisation rather than hide the performers as they play the all-animal inhabitants of the Pride Lands, including big cats, monkeys, gazelles, birds, giraffes and more. Julie Taymor’s landmark direction and costume design (collaborating with Michael Curry) continues to wow audiences.

Aslan from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Another lion, and another masterclass in puppetry! This one is the ruler of Narnia. To bring the beast to life on stage, an actor prowls proudly beside a puppet, operated by a disguised team. The result is very majestic. Aslan, as well as many other puppets in the show, is directed by Toby Olié (also responsible for 101 Dalmatians, Spirited Away, and many more) and designed by Max Humphries.

Joey from War Horse

Joey is more than a puppet, he represents masterful storytelling. Anybody who has seen War Horse on stage would struggle and never wish to forget it. Joey and Tophorn are the biggest of the horses in the production, at eight feet long and ten feet tall, each controlled with a “head,” “heart,” and “hind” operator. What makes the lifelike puppets, designed by Rae Smith and Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, most distinctive is the winding cane mimicking bone and muscle, leaving just wide enough gaps to see the performers inside. Like the other puppets in this list, movement directors, puppetry directors and choreographers all play a massive part in the final presentation.

Dr Dillamond from Wicked

The literal GOAT of Shiz University, Dr Dillamond, is portrayed by an actor wearing impressive make up, hair and costumes. Kudos to Susan Hilferty, Tom Watson and Joe Dulude II. The result does resemble an animal/human hybrid, which the film has been keen to avoid by using CGI (voiced by the one and only Peter Dinklage), instead highlighting that Dr Dillamond is not human, and that is the core of his mistreatment and discrimination.

Toto from The Wizard of Oz + many other dogs

There is no shortage of dogs on stage – take Toto, Bruiser (Legally Blonde), Sandy (Annie), and Nana (Peter Pan), plus Pongo, Perdita, and all of their pups, Dog from The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and Uggie from The Artist, for just some examples. We’ve seen these portrayed with adorable real-life doggy stars, as well as by puppets and by actors in onesies! They are both man, and theatre’s best friends.

Honourable mentions must go to the Central Park escapees of Madagascar who love to move it move it, Winnie the Pooh and his friends in the 100 Acre Woods, Totoro (if we count a forest spirit), and the chickens who join him on stage, as well as The Wind in the Willows.