“Crowned by an extraordinary score, this is the most ambitious and intricate musical since London Road” – WhatsOnStage

“Blackly, comic brilliance” – The Telegraph

Premiere at the Bristol Old Vic, Oct 2016
West End Premiere, Trafalgar Studios Dec 2017
Australian Premiere 2024 Alex Theatre
Licensed worldwide by Concorde Theatricals

The Grinning Man follows Grinpayne, a disfigured orphan with a grotesque smile carved into his face, who becomes the star of a travelling freak show. As his fame grows and the troupe arrives in London, a dangerous encounter with the thrill-seeking Duchess Josiana propels him on a dark journey to uncover the  truth of his past.

Book by Carl Grose
Music by Tim Phillips & Marc Teitler
Lyrics by Carl Grose, Tom Morris, Tim Phillips & Marc Teitler