The cast of THE CHOIR OF MAN. Photo by Mark Douet.The stage of the Arts Theatre is transformed into The Jungle - an everyman pub with garish wallpaper and sticky floors and unlimited (probably overpriced) beer on tap. Here we’re introduced to a cast of characters who each embody a particular archetype you’re likely to run into in such a pub, such as the Handyman (Ben Goffe) who fixes everyone’s problems but his own, the jovial and avuncular Barman (Olivier Jacobson), and the mischievous Joker (Benji Lord), to name a few. The Poet (Paul McArthur) narrates the show and is our guide into this cheerful, brightly lit world.
There’s no storyline or narrative arc as such, which makes it a bit hard to gauge when the end of the night is in sight. But story isn’t really the point of the show, which endeavours to show us a snapshot of a typical evening for this group of men. The characters themselves also fall a little flat. We’re told that there’s more to them than the archetypes the Poet assigns them, but we never really see them evolve beyond those roles. It’s easily forgiven, however, because of how utterly charming and endearing they are, each one inhabiting his role to perfection. Even in scenes when the spotlight is on another pair of characters, the ones in the background irresistibly draw our attention with their private conversations or comedic antics, which means there’s always something interesting to look at on every corner of the stage at any given point.
Their energy is also infectious. The show really shines during big, bombastic musical numbers such as Guns n Roses’s ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ or Rupert Holmes’s ‘Escape (The Pina Colada Song)’, which are packed with elaborate dance routines and plenty of jumping on or off tables. Each cast member gets a chance to show off his talents, from Jason Brock’s ethereal vocals during Adele’s ‘Hello’ to Ben Goffe’s incredible tap-dancing during Paul Simon’s ‘50 Ways to Leave Your Lover’ to Oliver Jacobson’s cheeky charisma during Queen’s ‘Somebody to Love’. In contrast, a rendition of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ ‘Under the Bridge’ performed while standing at a urinal doesn’t land quite as well.
The Choir of Man defies traditional theatrical conventions by leaning heavily into audience interaction. From the moment you enter the auditorium, you have the opportunity to climb onstage and have a drink at the real-life bar, where the actors are already in-character and chatting with audience members. During the show, they hand out free crisps and beers (to the audience’s delight) and occasionally pull audience members onstage to dance with or be serenaded by the cast. The overall effect is a welcoming, friendly, and oddly familiar atmosphere, where you feel like you’re having a fun night at the pub with your mates.
The show does exactly what it promises to - entertains us with ninety minutes of high-energy, uplifting song, dance, and laughter. Feel-good it certainly is, but there are moments that feel slightly corny, even delivered as earnestly as they are, such as the final monologue where the Poet gives a detailed description of what home means to each character, which goes on ever so slightly too long. These sentimental moments feel poignant (particularly the tribute to all the pubs that have shut down over the years), but pale in comparison to the high-energy, show-stopping musical numbers.
The Choir of Man will be playing at the Arts Theatre until January 4th 2026 before embarking on a 38-week UK-wide tour from March onwards.
