The Grinning Man London Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (8)
See it if you like the spectacular
Don't see it if you expect memorable songs
See it if You’re a fan of dark stories, puppetry, music and theatre
Don't see it if You want a musical where you leave humming a recognisable melody
See it if you enjoy puppetry on stage, and dark, creative story telling.
Don't see it if your favourite musical is Legally Blonde. This is not that!
See it if you like the idea of classic story blended with a phenomenal score
Don't see it if you want something light and happy
See it if It's a MUST SEE if it ever returns, amazing staging, puppetry, music, I was gripped and could easily watch again.
Don't see it if You want to be blown away, or don't like puppet's even if it's done spectacularly
See it if A beautiful story, using acting with puppetry to such great effect. A charming, enthralling and engaging production I adored and recommend
Don't see it if You don't like puppetry or charming stories
See it if Enjoy quirky and fairytale feelings to shows
Don't see it if You want a big scale show or find fanatical stories unengaging
See it if You like dark and quirky musicals. Characters are rooted in the grotesque rather than reality, and the whole show has a fairy tale quality
Don't see it if …if… I can’t really think of a reason why you wouldn’t want to see this show! Read more
Critic Reviews (9)
‘The Grinning Man’ is a brave stab at a new musical that’s no worse and far more interesting than most bog-standard West End fodder.
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Tom Morris's production is a visual delight that needs considerable streamlining and strengthening of tone if it is to amount to more than the musical theatre catch-all that it would seem to be at present.
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No, however much I try to put this stunning new British musical into a box, it crawls out and demands to be seen as its own deliciously strange thing...Whatever you call this moving, amusing oddity, I simply loved it.
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Morris immerses the audience deep in a ghoulish, carnivalesque aesthetic...A dark-hearted Christmas treat.
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In Morris’s production, it all unfolds like a fevered, slightly bonkers but luridly compelling fairy story...The score has an organ-grinding, carnival quality.
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The music from Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler is copious but largely unmemorable and the singing is too often unexceptional.
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It is a remarkable, entrancing achievement and a treat for anyone who likes their storytelling with plenty of dark magic thrown in.
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The show’s rather triumphant finale is underpinned by chants of “hallelujah, praise to the Grinning Man”, and I’d be inclined to agree...it would benefit from losing ten minutes to keep up the second act’s pace, but it had me grinning.
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