Initially the idea of a group of lads in a pub filled me with dread (whether on stage or in real life). However, having seen the cast do an incredible medley with the Six queens at West End Live last year, I was finally sold on the idea of Choir of Man.
When you enter the auditorium, on stage is a very English looking pub, The Jungle. Audience members mingle with the cast, some purchasing a beer for good measure. Having ashamedly never actually enjoyed a pint (or any pub where toxic masculinity fills the air), I thought perhaps I was not entirely their target audience. I needn’t have worried as I felt immediately welcomed at ‘The Jungle’, where the rainbow and trans flags can be found framed on the wall.
The characters importantly represent a wide array of men, meaning that the males in the audience could find something in at least one of the characters to relate to. They make the audience feel part of the show throughout, with packets of crisps being catapulted into the audience and a few more eager members being invited on stage at various points. One of the highlights of this was when The Beast (Owen Bolton) showed his vulnerable, side singing an acoustic rendition of Katy Perry’s Teenage Dreams to a lady who was invited to sit on stage with him. She was clearly loving every moment of staring perhaps a little too deeply into Boltons brown eyes!
It is these moments of vulnerability where this 90 minute show excels most. We are thankfully in a time where mental health is taken more seriously than ever before, although we don’t often see men talking to other men about their own struggles. It is so wonderful to see just this shown on a west end stage. The beautiful ‘The Parting Glass’ at the end of the show is particularly touching.
This show has no problems changing mood seamlessly, with Sia’s Chandelier being softly harmonised, followed by Some Night’s which slowly builds into a full-on dance along complete with beer glass-ography! Much like the characters portrayed the music is varied, pulling together popular songs from a wide assortment of genres. Somehow a show utilising music as far apart as Adele to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers somehow just works. Whilst I would recommend this show for anyone wanting a fun night out, I would advise only sitting right at the front if you don’t mind some light interaction with the cast (or having beer accidently spilt on you)!
The Choir of Man is on at The Art's Theatre until 02/09/2023. See below for booking information:
Note: My ticket was bought. Irrespective of whether a show is gifted or bought, I always ensure that my reviews are fair and based on my honest opinion alone.