The Grinning Man is a 2016 British musical based on the Victor Hugo novel: The Man Who Laughs. The show features a book by Carl Grose, music by Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler, and lyrics by Carl Grose, Tom Morris, Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler. The musical tells the story of Grinpayne, a man who has been facially mutilated and how his life is affected by his injury. As a child he becomes orphaned when his father is hanged and his mother forced away from him, and discovers another orphan, a girl Dea and together they are taken in by Ursus. Grinpayne finds himself performing at the local fair and when the royal family pays a visit, it appears that their lives and that of the orphans are far more entwined than they first think, holding the answers to the questions Grinpayne has posed all his life. 

The musical made its world premiere at Bristol Old Vic on 13 October 2016. The show was directed by Tom Morris with set design by Jon Bausor, costume design by Jean Cahn, movement direction by Jane Gibson, lighting design by Richard Howell, sound design by Simon Baker and puppetry direction and design by Finn Caldwell and Toby Olié from the company Gyre and Gimble. The role of Grinpayne was played by Louis Maskell, with Julian Bleach as Barkilphedro, Sean Kingsley as Ursus, Gloria Onitiri as Josiana, Audrey Brisson as Dea and Patrycja Kujawska as Queen Angelica.

The show transferred to the West End’s Trafalgar Studios playing Studio One with previews from 5 December 2017. Maskell, Bleach and Kingsley all returned, reprising their roles from the Bristol run, with Amanda Wilkin joining as Josiana, Sanne Den Besten as Dea and Julie Atherton as Angelica. The production received largely critical acclaim and thus extended its run, finally ending on 5 May 2018. 

During the recent lockdown, Bristol Old Vic made their archive recording of the show available on their YouTube channel for a limited time. 

If you haven’t given this show a listen yet Besties, I would. It contains some gorgeously haunting music and homegrown musicals must be supported.

Cast recording available on Spotify and AppleMusic. 

FACTS:

Music: Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler

Lyrics: Carl Grose, Tom Morris, Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler

Book: Carl Grose

Theatre: Trafalgar Studios (Studio 1)

Run: 5 December 2017 – 5 May 2018 (Around 16 previews and 152 performances)