REVIEW: The Choir of Man

 © Mark Senior

On a wet and windy night, with floods causing travel chaos, a show comes to the West Midlands to lift spirits and spread joy.

The Choir of Man is now playing at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.

This British musical is the brainchild of Andrew Kay and Nic Doodson (who also directs the show) and the story follows the lives of a group of working-class men who are part of a pub choir. The show premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the reception was so electrifying that it eventually led to a highly praised and successful run in the West End which resulted in a nomination for an Olivier Award.

The musical is simplicity itself, everything is stripped back and the focus is placed upon the fading world of British pubs and how music and camaraderie at the heart of a night out is slowly fading and being lost as pub after pub closes and fades away. Communities that once flocked to the local pub for an evening of fun and games, partake in some much needed warmth and laughter, share a drink or two with friends or strangers, and bond over stories about work, love and heartache are slowly fragmenting and vanishing as these local drinking spots are forced to shut their doors and call time as economic and social demographics, including social dynamics, shift in a fast changing world that spends more time closeted online than meeting family and friends in the cordial hub of a local pub that is full of the sound of music, chatter and the clinking of glass as people raise their glasses and toast each other.

Once there was a time, when after a hard day's work, locals would unwind and relax with fellow human beings and strengthen the community spirit. Pubs were the glue which connected and held people together in difficult and challenging times. Those halcyon days are melting away as people buy cheap drinks from supermarkets and spend evenings on their mobile phones or watching some Reality TV or Talent show.

British pubs are not just drinking holes but a second home for local communities, a second church where neigbours can gather, a place where families and friends can host birthday parties, stag parties, hen parties, and a place where wakes are organised to toast and remember those loved ones who have departed this temporal existence.

This show illustrates how pubs serve more than just booze. Human interaction is at the very heart of a pub. These are places where a person is made to feel welcome, and where stories are shared over a drink or two.

Thousands of traditional British pubs have closed up and down the country and more are facing imminent closure. There are also cases where historic pubs from the West Midlands such as The Crooked House and The Eagle and Tun (the drinking hole of reggae band UB40) suffered 'mysterious' fires followed by rapid demolition.

This heartfelt stage show poignantly mentions the names of drinking places that have closed down in each town the musical tours in.

The musical is not afraid to tackle serious issues such as mental health, grief, loss and loneliness, yet despite the heavy themes, the show exudes real joy and a genuine sense of hope in the face of darkness and alienation.

Before the landlord in the show collects the empty glasses and calls time on his pub - called The Jungle - this musical is packed with such magical zest and humour that all the blues and woes of life seem to disappear as the music and laughter wraps around the audience. Right from the opening song by the pub’s choir - which wittily happens to be Welcome to the Jungle by Guns and Roses - it sets a really raucous and pulsating tone which instantly injects the audience with euphoria.

The show is very interactive, very hands on, and those members of the audience arriving early are encouraged to mingle with the cast, share a quick drink, take selfies and soak up the atmosphere. Once the show starts the immersive nature of the musical continues and there are moments when members of the cast wander into the audience to clink glasses, lark about with crisps and catapults, and even dance around the aisles.

The bond between the performers and audience is a beautiful thing to behold. This is theatre that you feel, engage with, and where you let your heart dance freely. And yes, the bar on the stage does serve real drinks which the audience can order from at the start of the show or during the interval, and yes the bar also serves soft drinks.

On an autumnal evening, with the wind and rain running riot on the streets outside the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, it was all warmth and frothy joy inside the auditorium where the audience quenched their thirst with drinks, laughter and uplifting music.  

The songs sung by the nine cast members include timeless classics such as The Impossible Dream (from The Man of La Mancha), Chandelier (Sia), 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (Paul Simon), Hello (Adele), and Somebody to Love (Queen).

The material is sung with soaring passion, real love and rapture, and some of the songs are performed with such intimate and emotional delivery - such as Dance with My Father (Luther Vandross) - that it actually surpasses the original and leaves the eyes misty and wet as memories are evoked and the heart begins to ache.

The performers are not merely belting out some sort of slapdash cover or karaoke version but something sincere and emotive, drawn from somewhere deep down, every note of each song resonates with an organic truth.

Instead of having a full orchestra which might drown out and suffocate the vocals with a tidal wave of sound, this show places human voice at the forefront. From tenor, falsetto, baritone - including ensemble - the singers use their voices in a dynamic and organic cappella way that peels back the layers and reveals the heart, and the very essence, of each song. These hypnotic renditions are like hearing these classic tracks for the first time.

British-Iranian Ehsaan Shivarani’s musical direction is exemplary - as is Freddie Huddleston’s energetic choreography which employs the sound of tapping feet as musical accompaniment - and the cast delivers performances that had audience members raising their glasses high and toasting the singers.

Whether singing, acting or dancing, special mention goes to Aaron Pottenger, Oluwalonimi (Nimi) Owoyemi, Jack Skelton, Levi Tyrell Johnson, Ben Mabberley, Sam Walter, Joshua Lloyd, Rob Godfrey, and Gustav Melbardis.

Oli Townsend’s scenic design conveys the intimate space of a traditional English pub with oak panels, plate glass windows, and brightly shining bar lined with bottles that seem to wink enticingly at the audience.

The Choir of Man is a joyous and uplifting tonic that toasts the human spirit.

Verdict: ★★★★★

The Choir of Man is now running at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre until Saturday 24^th October 2026