Video: Louis Maskell and director Tom Morris on The Grinning Man
Fresh from its world premiere at Bristol Old Vic last year, The Grinning Man sets up shop in the West End this week with a two-month run at Trafalgar Studios.
Based on a novel by Victor Hugo (as was mega-musical Les Miserables), The Grinning Man is about Grinpayne, an orphaned child who was scarred in his youth and is forced to cover his horrifying face behind a bandage.
The production, which has a fresh score from Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler and a book by Carl Grose, was praised for its original songs following the original run, and will be transferring to London with its original star Louis Maskell, who is known for previous roles in West Side Story (UK tour) and The Fix (Union Theatre).
The cast for The Grinning Man also includes Julian Bleach, Mark Anderson, Sophia Mackay, Julie Atherton and Sean Kingsley.
We visited Maskell and Morris in rehearsals for the West End production to find out more about the musical, what it's about, and what drove audiences to return in Bristol in full macabre costume.
The Grinning Man is at Trafalgar Studios from 6th December until 17th February 2018.
The Grinning Man Tickets are available now.
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