The Choir of Man - Arts Theatre, London
Before for the show begins in earnest and you enter the stalls, it fells less like walking into a theatre and more like walking into a traditional pub – the stage set is a working bar with pints being poured, handed out to members of the audience who mingle with the cast or take their drinks back to their seats. Slowly the last few audience members are gently ushered off the stage and the cast break into the opening number: Guns’n’Roses ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ (‘The Jungle’ being the name of the fictional pub setting). For the next 90 minutes we’re introduced to the 8 pub regulars and barman who tell their stories, with ‘The Poet’ (beautifully played by Mike Hamway) acting as the narrator and an eclectic mix of cover songs the tool by which these stories are shared.
The entire cast not only sing incredibly but are accomplished musicians (frequently picking up or swapping instruments between songs) with the piano skills of Michele Benvenuto (aptly ‘The Maestro’) being noteworthy as was the phenomenal tap dancing of Ben Goffe (‘The Handyman’).
The Choir of Man is a true ensemble piece, the interactions and chemistry between the cast effortlessly reflecting the same dynamic between the characters themselves. With this being the second time I’d seen the show and with the majority of the cast different (although I was very happy to see Sam Ebenezer (The Joker) for the second time), it was impressive to see that none of the magic was lost.
The show isn’t afraid to break with traditional convention – from inviting (dragging?) audience members onto the stage to be serenaded, catapulting bags of crisps into the crowd or actively encouraging filming and photography as well as singing along. Despite the upbeat and jovial atmosphere, the show isn’t afraid to introduce more serious themes of loss, heartbreak and personal issues among the pub regulars. It was appropriate that the performance was in recognition of World Mental Health Day and it manages to convey the importance of (men in particular) not being afraid to speak to each other even if the subject may be difficult.
In many ways The Choir of Man may be the perfect West End show – that’s not to say the best which is open to personal taste – but it absolutely hits the mark on almost (if not) every level. The running time of 90 minutes (without interval) is pacy, never drags and keeps up the momentum, the performances often feel more like a concert than a traditional musical, the song choices range from a traditional folk song to Sia via Luther Vandross and it’s not an easy feat to have the audience so easily move from tears of laughter to the occasional tear of sadness without missing a beat (no pun intended). In much the same way the characters are an eclectic mix (hence their nicknames ‘The Joker’, ‘The Poet’ etc.) the show appeals to an equally diverse audience; if you enjoy theatre, if you enjoy musicals, if you enjoy concerts (and singing along), if you enjoy pubs and good company then you’ll enjoy The Choir of Man.
Tonight’s performance also celebrated a year of performances in the West End and based on this performance they’ll be celebrating many more anniversaries over years to come.
This show was reviewed on the 10th October 2023. The Choir of Man runs at the Arts Theatre, London until the 18th February 2024. Tickets available here: The Choir of Man | Official West End Tickets (choirofmanwestend.com)
***** stars
Mike Stocks
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