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Post by Mr Wallacio on Nov 10, 2016 13:26:34 GMT
It's a shame I am writing about this show now when there are only 5 performances remaining, but I only found out about it a few days ago when my friend had a spare ticket and I went along and was completely blown away by the brilliance of the show (and great to see a new musical debut in this Bristol venue)
From the Bristol Old Vic website
"Cracked hearts. Strange fates. Impossible dreams.
The King is dead, but who the hell cares? A strange new act has arrived at the Stokes Croft fair, a grotesque oasis of entertainment.
Soon everyone from the gutter rats to the new Queen has fallen for the handmade 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 a wolf, he has a story to tell. A tale so tragic and so strange that not even he can guess how it will end.
The Grinning Man is a brand new tragicomic musical directed by Tom Morris and based on The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo. Brought to life by writer Carl Grose (Dead Dog in a Suitcase) featuring a sensational original score by Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler and puppetry from Gyre and Gimble, the original puppeteers of War Horse, don't miss this hot ticket!"
It has had such a good response that I really hope this gets a life outside of Bristol and more people can see it because the music is addictive, the set is brilliant for such a small intimate venue. The puppetry was amazing, and the cast all phenomenal.
The right combination of humour, dark aspects, sadness, hilarity, and I couldn't get on my feet quick enough at the end that is how much this deserved the standing ovations it has been getting every night.
Had I discovered this at the start of its run then I would have booked a second visit.
I don't suppose anyone has seen this in Bristol?
www.bristololdvic.org.uk/grinningman.html
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2016 17:30:39 GMT
I don't suppose anyone has seen this in Bristol? Yes, I saw it a few weeks ago. I didn't post anything because I'm not really a musicals person. I agree with your comments, and half the audience leapt to their feet to applaud when I saw it too. Susannah Clapp's Observer review (on the Guardian website) is spot on as usual, in my opinion. Bristol Old Vic always puts so much time and love and care into its theatre productions and it's no accident that the National Theatre has transferred both Jane Eyre and Peter Pan from BOV in the last year. |
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Post by bordeaux on Nov 14, 2016 9:09:34 GMT
Yes, this is a superb show and deserves a future life somewhere. I am sure it will appeal to those who like dark, macabre musicals, fans of Shockheaded Peter or some of Kneehigh's work, say. Daniel Evans was in the audience on Saturday, so who knows? The Bristol Old Vic has had an amazing year what with this A Long Day's Journey into Night, The Rivals amongst other things.
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Post by Rory on Sept 13, 2017 12:13:17 GMT
This is rumoured on Twitter to be heading to Trafalgar Studios on 5th December. I presume it's Studio 1.
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Post by martin1965 on Sept 16, 2017 6:35:49 GMT
This is rumoured on Twitter to be heading to Trafalgar Studios on 5th December. I presume it's Studio 1. Was sorry to miss this in Bristol, any update on poss transfer? |
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Post by Rory on Sept 16, 2017 8:46:54 GMT
I would think it will be announced this coming week. Some websites have the ticket link ready to go. It looks like Studio 1.
The next two Studio 2 shows after The Red Lion appear to be a version of La Boheme and a play called Strangers in Between.
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Post by n1david on Sept 16, 2017 14:06:57 GMT
The next two Studio 2 shows after The Red Lion appear to be a version of La Boheme and a play called Strangers in Between. Strangers in Between has run a couple of times at the Kings Head. An odd little play. |
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Post by ruby on Sept 16, 2017 19:40:35 GMT
I loved this in Bristol and would travel to see it again.
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Post by Rory on Oct 3, 2017 16:23:33 GMT
It feels like this is taking a while to announce!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2017 22:59:36 GMT
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Post by Rory on Oct 6, 2017 10:04:52 GMT
Glad this has announced finally but, not wishing to be negative, I am slightly disappointed that the run is "open ended" because that could take Trafalgar Studio 1 out of circulation for a long time, and with the Duchess also taken up, that leaves very few intimate spaces in the West End to house something like the McKellen / Chichester King Lear, for example. I am surprised Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire want a long runner so soon into their new venture but I suppose good luck to them if they have a long running hit and a new British musical to boot.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Oct 6, 2017 11:18:44 GMT
Yay. A musical in Wendy's End that I will actually consider buying a ticket for
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Post by zahidf on Oct 6, 2017 13:01:45 GMT
Glad this has announced finally but, not wishing to be negative, I am slightly disappointed that the run is "open ended" because that could take Trafalgar Studio 1 out of circulation for a long time, and with the Duchess also taken up, that leaves very few intimate spaces in the West End to house something like the McKellen / Chichester King Lear, for example. I am surprised Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire want a long runner so soon into their new venture but I suppose good luck to them if they have a long running hit and a new British musical to boot. It looks fun but I doubt it will be a long runner |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2017 15:41:04 GMT
For audiences, an open-ended run is preferable to a limited run because it runs as long as people want to see it, and so "hits" are less exclusive.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2017 10:22:10 GMT
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Post by stevej678 on Oct 11, 2017 10:45:00 GMT
Seems fairly reasonably priced on the whole. Row A £22.50, Rows B and C £32.50, much of the remainder of the stalls is £52.50. Premium seats in the centre of rows E-J are a whopping £85 though.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Oct 11, 2017 11:22:38 GMT
I'm guessing top price in Bristol was not 85 squid ? What do I get for my money? I demand cats on a chandelier and Jane McDonald fired out of a canon with a shower of glitter
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Post by Rory on Oct 11, 2017 11:51:22 GMT
Don't think much of the artwork. Hopefully temporary.
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Post by Rory on Oct 11, 2017 12:13:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2017 12:28:03 GMT
This, like Everybody's Talking About Jamie, if successful will be an incredible step forward for new British musicals. We've not had a new British musical without a star attached for a long time!
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Post by Mr Wallacio on Oct 11, 2017 19:43:20 GMT
Got myself a ticket in row A for early January.
Loved this in Bristol, so really looking forward to seeing it again.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2017 10:43:40 GMT
Nabbed a row A for Christmas week. The website's awfully slow today!
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Post by andromedadench on Oct 12, 2017 14:31:59 GMT
This sounds really interesting but I can't buy a ticket in advance - do Trafalgar Studios normally do day seats? I seem to remember dayseating there, but don't know if it depends on the show or is a matter of a particular venue's practice?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2017 14:46:59 GMT
Thank you for drawing my attention to this, Mr W and others. Sounds intriguing and just my kind of thing so... booked!
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Post by maggiem on Oct 13, 2017 12:59:20 GMT
Nabbed a row A for Christmas week. The website's awfully slow today! I've got Row A for 2nd February.... today, finally! I'm glad to see I wasn't the only one having problems yesterday. Looking forward to seeing Julian Bleach on stage again. |
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