The Grinning Man
A rare bootleg capture of the original Bristol versionSTREAM AT HOME:
Buy the Favourites Box Set Pass and watch right here, along with four other incredible Bristol Old Vic productions, for just £12.99. Or, rent The Grinning Man for 48-hours for £4.50. Scroll down to purchase and watch. More on how to watch and other answers, click here.
Check out the other Favourites in the Box Set | Click here to buy a Schools' Licence
A strange new act has arrived at the fairground. Who is Grinpayne and how did he get his hideous smile? Helped by an old man, a lone wolf and a blind girl, his story must be told.
The epic tale of an abandoned child with a terrible secret. A disfigured youth who is desperate to hide and a sightless girl who longs to be discovered. Let the darkness seduce you.
Following a triumphant premiere as part of our 250th Anniversary season, and it's acclaimed run at Trafalgar Studios in London's West End, we are delighted that The Grinning Man has returned, and this time we are bringing the fairground straight to your house.
Based on The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo and brought to life by director Tom Morris (Touching the Void) and writer Carl Grose (Dead Dog in a Suitcase), don't miss this digital revival, captured during its original Bristol run by TVPP, and featuring a sensational original score by Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler and puppetry from Gyre & Gimble – the original puppeteers of War Horse!
★ ★ ★ ★Blackly comic brilliance
The Telegraph
★ ★ ★ ★A weird and wonderful, dark delight
Daily Mail
★ ★ ★ ★The best British score in years
What's On Stage
Useful information
- Venue: At Home
- £12.99 Box Set Pass (inc. 5x shows) / £4.50 48-hour rental
- 2 hours 30 mins (inc. short interval)
- Ages 12+
Watch The Grinning Man
Simply hit the play button to watch. See our FAQ for how to watch on your TV*, tech help and answers to other questions. If you have purchased a rental, your access to watch will expire 48 hours from purchase. If you have the Favourites Box Set Pass, enjoy unlimited views until 28 Feb.
Accessibility: if you use screen reading technology and it is struggling to read elements of the player, please email us here.
*Casting to Chromecast, Amazon Fire and AirPlay in beta.
More from The Grinning Man
For the fans: if you love the show as much as we do, why not join fellow fans on The Grinning Man on Reddit, to share news, your favourite moments, enjoy artwork inspired by the show and much more. Click here to join.
Bristol Old Vic is not responsible for the content on unofficial or third-party sites.

Print your own Grinning Man tickets
Put the theatre into your home theatre and make your Grinning Man experience even more authentic by downloading and printing tickets for you and your family.



Photography: Simon Annand | Key Image: Seamus Ryan
For how to watch, watching on TVs, and other answers, click here.