Australian Premiere of The Grinning Man

The Grinning Man cast. Photographer: Nicole Cleary.

In what will be the musical’s first production worldwide since achieving cult status in the West End, Vass Productions and Salty Theatre will present the Australian premiere of The Grinning Man at Alex Theatre St Kilda from 2 May.

Based on the novel The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo (Les Misérables), this award-winning musical is a wildly different fairytale set in a world of pitch-black humour, magic, mayhem and alluring romance.

From the minds of Carl Grose (Robin Hood), Tim Phillips (Game of Thrones), Marc Teitler (The Magician’s Elephant) and Tom Morris (War Horse), tickets to the Australian debut are available via www.thegrinningman.au, with previews from 25 April.

A strange new act has arrived at Trafalgar Fair’s freakshow. Who is Grinpayne and how did he get his hideous smile? In the grim and blackened streets of Trafalgar Square, with the help of an old puppeteer, his pet wolf and a blind girl, Grinpayne’s tale is told.

Desperate to know the terrible secrets of his mysterious past and discover the truth of his gruesome disfigurement, Grinpayne leaves everything he knows and loves behind and embarks on a journey into an even crueller world. Welcome to an epic tale of gothic horror, laughter, hope and humanity’s deep desire to be ‘seen’ and loved for who we truly are – in our darkness and our light.      

Taking on the starring role of Grinpayne (The Grinning Man) is Maxwell Simon, who was most recently standby for the male lead Christian in Moulin Rouge! The Musical for two years, and has performed a slew of principal roles. Playing Greg Connell in The Boy From Oz for The Production Company and Bjorn Ulvaeus in Muriel’s Wedding The Musical for Global Creatures, Maxwell has also performed more left of centre roles such as Ex in Bananaland (Brisbane Festival and Sydney Festival) and Lee Harvey Oswald/The Balladeer in Assassins for Hayes Theatre Co and Sydney Opera House.

Maxwell Simon as The Grinning Man. Photographer Jodie Hutchinson.

Performing the romantic lead role of the sightless young woman who holds the secret to Grinpayne’s past is Helpmann Award nominated Luisa Scrofani (In The Heights, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum).

Seventeen-year-old blind musician and singer Lilly Cascun will make her professional debut in the role of Young Dea.

Director Miranda Middleton (Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody, Salty Theatre; Assistant Director Come Rain or Come Shine Melbourne Theatre Company 2022) snapped up one of the last seats to a performance of the musical in London’s West End.

“My friend had seen it and thought that I’d like it, so along I went, on a whim – not knowing that I was going to walk out of that little West End theatre vowing to one day direct it,” says Miranda.  

“The Grinning Man is a big, beautiful beast of a musical. It features puppets and swordfights, pleasure-seeking royals, and a nefarious clown. There’s just as much hilarity as there is heartache, darkness as there is magic…and when London reviewers called it the “best British score in years”, they weren’t joking. The music is nothing short of magnificent.”

“Our production will take a slightly more abstract path than the original, drawing inspiration from the shapes and shadows of German expressionism, whilst using carnivalesque lights and video projection to transport audiences from the world of Trafalgar Fair to the royal palace (and everywhere in between).”

The cast also fetures Matthew Hearne as freak-wrangler Osric and the role of Young Grinpayne; Jennifer Vuletic will perform the role of Barkilphedro, a cynical servant clown with a dirty secret; Dom Hennequin plays Ursus the travelling puppet purveyor; Anthony Craig will take on the role of the vain Lord Dirry Moir and play Guitar; while Melanie Bird plays the pleasure-seeking Princess Josiana and performs the Violin.

Stephanie Astrid John performs Queen Angelica who is outcast from her family; Luke Leong-Tay takes on Grinpayne’s father Lord Trelaw and plays Guitar, and Shelley Dunlop will play Grinpayne’s Mother and perform on the Violin. Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward is the Dance Captain and performs the role of Mojo as well as playing the Cello.

David Youings (Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Global Creatures;The Wedding Singer, DVE) is Musical Director, while the Green Room Award winning Freya List (Cruel Intentions The ‘90s Musical, DVE; Chess, Storeyboard Entertainment) is Choreographer. Aaron Murray(Halftime the Musical, The Hayes; Bad Machine, Casula Powerhouse) is Lighting Designer. Sophie Woodward (Death of a Salesman, GWB Entertainment and Red Line Productions; Monument, Red Stitch Actors Theatre) is Set and Costume Designer.

Aleksandar Vass OAM of Vass Productions is joining forces with Ashley Taylor Tickell and Salty Theatre to produce The Grinning Man, the first of many new works they plan to stage at Alex Theatre, and his new project of passion as the venue enters its 10th year.

“It's been a 10 year project to make this venue viable, and we couldn’t be prouder of how far we’ve come. As everyone knows, it’s not an easy task to open a new theatre in Melbourne. Now the groundwork has been laid, we plan to stage our own new productions while continuing to provide opportunities for a diverse range of producers, artists and locals. We're currently working on a range of new musicals that will premiere in the second half of 2024. Our goal is to present ten musicals a year in the main theatre,” says Vass.

“There aren't many musical theatre producers that are willing to take the risk on shows that haven't been seen in Australia time and again. We love the jukebox musicals and standards, don't get us wrong! But we truly believe there's also a place here for those 'left of centre', rougher around the edges, 'riskier' shows. That is what we hope to bring to Melbourne audiences with The Grinning Man and our upcoming productions,” says Taylor Tickell.
Home to The George Cinema until 2014, Alex Theatre houses two 250-500 seat theatres, a large studio space, a smaller podcast studio and two multipurpose spaces. Writers, comedians, podcasters, entertainment industry educators, filmmakers, dancers and clowns are just some of the artists that now call the multispace arts centre home.

Previews from 25 April, Opening Night 2 May
 
Times: 7:30pm Wed - Sat | 1:00pm Sat (4, 11, 18 May) | Sunday 3pm (5, 12, 19 May)
 
How much: 
25 & 26 April Previews - all tickets $60
Premium seats - $84 | Concession card holder - $77
A Reserve - $72 | Concession card holder - $65
Group 6+ - $79 Premium, $67 A Reserve                      

Duration: 2.5 hours (including interval)

Where: Alex Theatre St Kilda, 1/135 Fitzroy St, St Kilda VIC 3182

Transport & Parking: https://alextheatre.au/contact/#getting-here