Regional Theatre Review: The Choir of Man

If you’re searching for a light-hearted, feel-good jukebox musical, then look no further - The Choir of Man has begun its UK & Ireland tour, and we were lucky enough to be invited to the opening night at Milton Keynes Theatre.

Set in a fictional pub fitted with stained glass behind the bar and decorated with a maximalist flair, the stage floor is swapped for wooden floorboards as a group of unlikely friends support each other through anecdotes of loss, heartbreak and longing between rounds of beer.

Created by Nic Doodson and Andrew Kay, the nine-strong cast dance and harmonise to popular hits from artists such as Queen, Guns & Roses, Katy Perry and Sia, as well as Luther Vandross, Paul Simon, Adele and Avicii, all while spotlighting the personalities of different characters on-stage.

A particular highlight of the evening was a rendition of Escape (The Piña Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes, which saw Barman (played by Joshua Lloyd) serenade a mop handle as the other characters performed a tightly choreographed dance routine around him. The strength of Lloyd’s vocals and his clean, formal attire made for a refreshing contrast to the colourfully lit routine starring Barman at the centre, which proved both chaotic and strangely heartwarming.

Handyman (played by Niall Woodson) captured the audience with a tap dance routine that had his feet seemingly moving with a mind of their own, and Lewis Dragisic, who played the part of Poet, narrated the performance with a confidence that commanded the room’s attention.

The Choir of Man took the formal setting of the theatre and turned it on its head. Before the show and during the interval, the on-stage bar opened up and operated as a fully functional pub, serving beer to the audience and giving them a place to sit and socialise.

For those who enjoy a spot of audience participation, The Choir of Man does not disappoint. While others were distracted by the harmonies taking place on stage, members of the cast would find willing audience members to join them on stage for a song, a dance or even a game of cards, before being handed a drink from the bar and helped back to their seat with a smile on their face.

The cast came out during the interval and played a simplified game of beer pong with the audience, and dozens of crisp packets were thrown into the crowd for people to snack on during the second half of the show. If anyone was in a low mood at the start of the evening, the light-hearted nature of the performance will have certainly lifted spirits, and it was fantastic to see the entire room clapping along on their feet during key moments of the show.

It would have been remiss of the performance to not discuss the falling numbers of pubs in the UK, and Poet continued to remind the audience of how these spaces are the key to finding a feeling of community in the modern day. This paired well with the overarching message of the show, which shone a spotlight on camaraderie and the importance of togetherness during the highs and the lows of daily life.

As part of The Jungle Choir Community Project, The Choir of Man will invite local choirs from each touring city to perform at the opening night of the show. At Milton Keynes Theatre, The Buskerteers and The Collaboration Choir delighted the audience with Sia’s Chandelier, receiving a standing ovation.

A real feel-good story, pub enthusiasts and non-drinkers alike will enjoy their time at The Jungle with this band of weird and wonderful lads.