Critics largely loved The Grinning Man when it debuted on London’s West End back in 2017. The tragicomic musical is an adaptation of the 1869 novel The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo, aka the bloke who wrote Les Miserables. We’ve been thinking it’s about time Aussie audiences got to see this story for themselves, and thankfully you’ve currently got the chance at St Kilda’s Alex Theatre. That’s right, we’re getting the Australian premiere of The Grinning Man from April 25 until May 19 2024.
This heart wrenching yet hilarious musical follows the story of Grinpayne, the newest act at Trafalgar Fair’s freakshow. He has a ‘hideous’ smile and a dark past, but who actually is he? With the help of an old puppeteer, his pet wolf and a charming girl he meets along the way, Grinpayne brings audiences along on his journey to discover his past in order to be seen for who he really is.
Maxwell Simon takes on the leading role of Grinpayne, fresh from two years as the standby for Christian in Moulin Rouge! The Musical. He’s joined by Helpmann Award-nominated Luisa Scrofani as Dea, the woman with the key to Grinpayne’s heart. Young Dea is played by Lilly Cascun, a seventeen-year-old blind musician making her professional theatre debut. They’re all joined by a talented local ensemble cast.
Director Miranda Middleton saw The Grinning Man on the West End and immediately vowed to direct it one day. “The Grinning Man is a big, beautiful beast of a musical. It features puppets and swordfights, pleasure-seeking royals, and a nefarious clown”, she says. “There’s just as much hilarity as there is heartache, darkness as there is magic.”
Tickets for The Grinning Man are available via the Alex Theatre website. Prices range from $65-85 and the show runs for 2.5 hours including an intermission.
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