An incredible production that has to be seen in person to be appreciated in all its glory. You must see this show!
The Choir of Man started life in at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with its debut performance in 2017. By their own admission, it is light on story but still has something to say, and it does this through a combination of monologues, dance, and most importantly, songs. Since its inception, it has toured the world, including performances at the Sydney Opera House and its first showing in London’s West End in 2021. It is now back for 2022, and I absolutely loved it.
I was very prepared to be cynical about this show. I knew very little about it going in, but the little I did know, a group of men in a pub singing popular songs, didn’t really strike me as the type of thing I’d usually enjoy. I assumed it would be pleasant enough but nothing life changing. Instead, I came out of this show with the biggest smile on my face and wanting to encourage absolute everyone I know to see this show. All of the cynicism in my body got completely washed away by this earnest, hilarious, and just overwhelmingly brilliant show.
The atmosphere in this production is brilliantly crafted to immediately make you feel comfortable. There is a bar on stage (tokens can be purchased to get yourself a beer from it prior to the show) which audience members and cast members mingle on prior to the performance beginning. As the cast members do come out and mix in with those on the stage, it all feels effortless and casual. I normally tense up when performers come into the crowd, terrified that I may be forced to be involved, but this was done in such a light jovial way that it wasn’t at all intimidating and helped to build a friendly communal atmosphere amongst both audience and performers.
This is a true ensemble piece with each cast members working together to create choral magic, but there were definitely a few stand out moments to mention. My favourite song they performed as a version of Chandelier by Sia, and the final note by Matt Beveridge sounded almost impossible for a human being to create and rightly earned a rapturous applause from the entire audiences. The vocal brilliance on display was compounded by how well the harmonies worked together, but a true stand out at multiple moments was Lemuel Knights who played the Barman. There were multiple moments where he was given the chance to shine, and he certainly shone incredibly brightly. A special mention as well to Jordan Oliver for some really impressive tap dancing, the percussive nature of which worked really well with the music and general vibe of the setting. I don’t claim to be an expert on tap, but this tap dancing was extremely impressive if just for the athleticism required if nothing else.
The singing of all of the cast members really does have to be seen in person to be truly appreciated. My companion for the evening was an old friend who has been singing in choirs for nearly two decades, and he impressed upon me just how many different harmonies they were performing on stage and how impressive it all was from a technical standpoint. I have no expert knowledge in this area, but I can tell you that it’s bloody good!
The songs are interspersed with monologues, written, and performed by Ben Norris. These monologues are the emotional heart of the show, and while being funny and light-hearted at moments, they also carry the core message of the show. Men having diverse interests, from diverse backgrounds, coming together to talk about nothing in particular, to talk about their feelings, just to talk, is a vital part of our society and something that should be encouraged. This is all wrapped up in the idea of your local pub, but really it can be anywhere that a community is formed and where friendships are made and nurtured. The monologue at times were in danger of being a bit twee and overly serious, but they never went too far that way, and they expertly helped to connect the songs together.
There is initially some story, with all of the performers being assigned characters and we learn about their back stories, but this is soon disregarded, and I absolutely did not mind this. If you are looking for a gripping narrative to drive the performances, you won’t find that here, but an overarching story is entirely unnecessary for you to understand the emotions and messaging of the show. Perhaps more importantly, the lack of story does not stop this being one of the most entertaining shows I have ever seen.
I have been racking my brain trying to think of anyone who wouldn’t have a good time seeing this show. It is just so much fun, and even if you don’t connect with the more emotional aspects, the impressive performances will keep you thoroughly entertained throughout.
The Choir of Man is playing at the Arts Theatre London.