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★★★★★
Nine years on from its debut and following a successful West End run, Nic Doodson and Andrew Kay’s musical The Choir of Man is currently touring regional theatres across the UK and Ireland. Set in ‘The Jungle’ pub and featuring nine multi-disciplinary musicians and vocalists, the show uses the format of an all-male choir to explore themes of community and mental health, reminding audiences of the spaces that bring people together. Originally starting out at the Edinburgh Fringe, the production has grown from strength to strength through its various productions around the world, earning a devoted fanbase who have seen the show countless times. I happen to be one of these people and was thrilled to have the opportunity to review the show on opening night at the Marlowe Theatre here in Canterbury. I was a little sceptical how this intimate show with a big heart would scale to such a vast venue as the Marlowe, but if anything it gave the choreography even more room to soar.
Show format
The Choir of Man follows a different format to narrative-driven pieces. The company takes on sixteen pop and rock songs over the duration of the performance (including an original number ‘Bring Tomorrow On’), sharing anecdotes and stories with the audience through the medium of spoken word. What is unique about the show is that audience members can join the cast for a pint on stage before the performance starts, encouraging even more interaction between the company and spectators.
In London the show was 90-minutes straight through, but for the tour it has been scaled up to two hours including an interval. Complete with an onstage sing-along during the intermission and a particularly emotional segment at the end, where audiences get to hear from local choirs, the creative team have made even more of an evening from the source material, highlighting the importance of community and coming together.
Cast performances and musical highlights
Oluwalonimi (Nimi) Owoyemi leads the company as Poet with so much charisma, making the audience feel totally at home listening to his vocals and storytelling. The spoken word section ‘Home’ is one of my favourite parts of the show and the incredibly detailed and personal sequences are delivered in such an engaging way by Owoyemi. He is joined by an incredibly talented company, who each contribute to making the performance so exciting and dynamic.
Highlights are Maestro’s (Gustav Melbardis) take on ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’, showcasing their incredible piano skills and also comedy timing in being able to draw the audience in through an initially classical rendition of the hit song and hold back the chorus for later. Furthermore, the group’s penultimate number ‘Some Nights’ includes some spectacular “cupography” and for me, it is the most electric segment of the whole show, raising the energy level across the entire auditorium.
A spectacular show celebrating the power of communities
Toe-tapping music, exquisite harmonies and feel-good interactive theatre make The Choir of Man the most fun you will have at the theatre. There is a reason why this show is a comfort musical for me. It is pure escapism and as an audience member you can totally switch off and just become part of this uplifting pub community for two hours. Audiences can catch The Choir of Man at the Marlowe Theatre until Saturday 1st August, with last minute tickets available via the venue’s website. The theatre has totally transformed into The Jungle pub for the week and I’d definitely recommend arriving early to make the most of the on-stage bar.
*My ticket for ‘The Choir of Man’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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