Not since the resurrection of Jesus Christ has there been a more compelling three-day narrative. Even though he only took his first bow on the West End during a preview performance on Saturday, November 1, the lifelike titular bear from Paddington: The Musical already has thousands of worshippers around the world ready to die on his behalf (myself included). What’s not to love? The stage version of the beloved children’s character blinks eyes that are full of whimsy and optimism. He’s cute, he’s cuddly, and he’s got a British accent — of course the internet is obsessed. “i feel so maternal toward him. i know if he was trapped under a 3500lb car i could lift it,” one tweet declares, while another muses, “i’d get kicked out for running on stage to hold him.”

His social-media rollout

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