Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre
Following an explosive world premiere as part of Bristol Old Vic theatre’s 250th season, then an extended West End run, The Grinning Man is a truly unique, magical and macabre musical with a soaring score and complex characters, which has only just been released for amateur productions.
Based the novel 1869 ‘The Man Who Laughs’ by globally renowned French Romantic author Victor Hugo (Les Miserables, The Hunchback of Notre Dame), and with the book by Carl Gross, music by Tim Phillips & Marc Teitler, and lyrics by Carl Grose, Tom Morris, Tim Phillips and Mark Teitler, WLOS are delighted to be one of the first UK AmDram societies to bring this compelling, strange and uplifting story to life.
Combines macabre fairytale, musical and puppetry in this ingenious tale of twisted love.- Guardian (Bristol Old Vic)
Dark and stylish, it has the best British score in years.- WhatsOnStage (Bristol Old Vic)
The lyrics and melodies – from Phillips and Teitler – are enchanting, unique, often hummable, and occasionally heart stopping.- WhatsOnStage (Trafalgar Studios)
“Welcome to a time in history that never was, to a world wildly different and yet weirdly similar to your own…”
A strange new act has arrived at Trafalgar Fair’s freak show. Who is Grinpayne and how did he get his hideous smile?
Grinpayne, a young man cursed with a haunting, permanent grin, was rescued as a child, along with a baby girl named Dea, by Ursus the puppeteer and his wolf companion Mojo. With little recollection of his early life, and no memory of how he came to be so disfigured, Grinpayne becomes increasingly driven to uncover his mysterious past and the origins of his terrible disfigurement.
After finding love with Dea, the blind girl who sees him for who he truly is, their fragile happiness is threatened when Grinpayne attracts the attention of the twisted aristocracy and their sinister, manipulative servant, Barkilphedro.
An epic tale of gothic horror, laughter, hope and humanity’s deep desire to be ‘seen’ and loved for who we truly are – in our darkness and our light.
Artwork by Alex Blackie
Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre
Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre is our black box theatre with up to 66 seats, where amazing development work from new writers, comedians, directors and producers brings our former ballroom to life.
Home of the #FromTheFringe season in June and our autumn Premieres season of new writing.
Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre
With an ATG+ membership, you can enjoy a host of exclusive benefits across 35+ ATG venues
