REVIEW: Paddington Lo-Commotion: Full steam ahead for a wonderful immersive experience

Paddington has a habit for causing chaos, but also bringing people closer together, and this wonderful immersive experience at Blenheim Palace will surely do that for countless families over the course of the summer.

Our ‘Paddington Lo-Commotion’ experience begins in the Lost and Found section of the Blenheim Palace Railway Station, where Paddington is searching unsuccessfully for his train driver's whistle.

He's just finished his training but can't possibly operate the locomotive without his trusty train driver’s whistle and we - his loyal band of railway helpers - are going to help him find it.

To help us in our quest, we're in the more than capable hands of The Brown's housekeeper, Mrs Bird. While frustrated by Paddington's antics at times, she's also protective of him and, fortunately for us, she has a feeling in her knees that we'll find the lost whistle, and 'her knees never lie!’

Paddington, a hopeful bear at heart, sets off in hot pursuit of his whistle, retracting his steps that day and consuming a huge number of Marmalade jars in the process. It's a good job he's a very rare sort of bear because there would possibly be a worldwide Marmalade shortage if he wasn't.

Our crew, led by Mrs Bird, follow on behind, catching up with him - and his expert puppeteers - on several occasions as we get closer and closer to uncovering the mystery of the lost train whistle.

En route we encounter Pat the firefighter as he attempts to put out a blaze threatening to engulf The Brown's campervan, Pigeonton the Pigeon, who offers more helpful advice. We help Paddington remove his paw after he gets it jammed into the engine of one of the locomotives and search for buried treasure with Mr Gruber using metal detectors.

Our Mrs Bird was simply brilliant and her caring interaction with the children as they raced from one clue to the next was the most heartwarming aspect of this production. Not only did she play the part of a Scottish housekeeper perfectly, but she also engaged with the smallest of helpers, using their names to keep them focused on the task in hand, asking them questions and responding to their tips on how to help Paddington. Seeing my youngest talking with her and being playfully reprimanded for eagerly trying to dash ahead to the next scene, was lovely to see.

优秀的游戏是在一个大circus tent, with plenty more chaos and fun before Paddington eventually discovers where his whistle has been hiding all this time. He's now ready to drive the steam train 'Winston', and the audience can also hop on board a real locomotive back to the start where there are further arts and craft activities and a gift shop featuring Paddington and Blenheim Palace themed souvenirs.

The show is perfect for fans of the Paddington books, film and cartoon, as well as families who love being in nature and exploring the great outdoors. The 55-minute show flew by and will be enjoyed by young children and the young at heart.

All ages are welcome, and entrance is free to those under six months of age who are carried. All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Additionally, at the end of the show there's a miniature Rover Railway Rescue Experience for children aged 4-10 and a Paddington Lo-Commotion Souvenir Photo however, both are sold separately.

The show runs until Sunday, September 3. Clickhereto book tickets.

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• This is a 0.75km long, outdoor adventure through Palace parkland. Although the route has been mowed and rolled and is designed to be accessible by pushchair and wheelchair it may become less accessible after heavy rain. Every effort will be made to keep the route as accessible as possible throughout the run and any significant change in accessibility status will be posted on the Paddington™ Lo-Commotion website.

• No dogs allowed.