The king is dead, but who the hell cares? A strange new act has arrived at the fair in the centre of the capital, a grotesque oasis of entertainment. Soon everyone from the gutter-rats to the new queen has fallen for the hand-made freak Grinpayne and his hideously beautiful face. But who is he really? And how did he come to be so marked? Together with an old man, a blind girl and wolf, he has a story to tell. A tale so tragic and so strange that not even he can guess how it will end.

Cracked hearts. Strange fates. Monstrous souls. Impossible dreams. The Grinning Man is a wonderfully weird and wickedly wild new musical that offers a vision of how an alternate history might have unfolded.

Brought to life by writer Carl Grose (Dead Dog in a Suitcase, Tristan and Yseult), director Tom Morris (Swallows and Amazons, War Horse) and composed by Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler (Juliet and her Romeo), The Grinning Man is a brand new musical, based on The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo.

The Grinning Man represents the 21st century strand of Bristol Old Vic's 250th Anniversary programme, which will include productions from each of the four centuries of the Theatre's life.

13 Oct-13 Nov
Theatre
7.30pm, 2.30pm (Sat mats)
£32-£9.50 (plus booking fee)

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