The Choir Of Man - Arts Theatre

I'm heading to the show tomorrow, I'm in London for work and was looking for a cheap show to see that I haven't seen before, and picked up a front row stalls for £28.

I've heard mostly great things about it (except from theatre purists that like the classics), so really can't wait.

Saw this afternoon’s performance, partly to see one of the cast, but largely due to it being one of the few shows that offer a Friday matinee. I’d seen a West End Live video that put me off, looked too laddish, so had fairly low expectations, but actually really enjoyed it. Did think having them be kind of characters but then also having Michael Hamway give a fairly lengthy speech about their apparent real lives was a bit odd. Would not normally be my cup of tea (should that be pint?) but really well-done.

I saw this today and wasn't a fan.

I really disliked the constant corny, clichéd Poet part. 'Pubs are public houses, and houses are homes' - not my thing.

Singing was pretty good, but I was on a bench which was unbearably uncomfortable

Caved in and watched this for the first time Tuesday night, for lack of anything else affordable that I haven't yet seen, and because I reasoned that there must be something entertaining about it if it's lasted this long.

I wasn't sorry, as it is rousing and edifying to hear all those voices and arrangements of popular songs.

Some spoilers follow. . .

The setlist was the same as the Spotify Sampler, except "Waterloo Sunset" was cut, and in addition they did:-

"Welcome to the Jungle;"
"50 Ways to Leave your Lover;"
"Dance with My Father;" and
"Somebody to Love."

I got the ick when some girl started feeling up (sliding her hands up and down his thighs, squeezing them suggestively) one of the performers, Robert Godfrey as "The Beast," who performed "Teenage Dream" to her primarily, having invited her on stage. I felt that he wasn't really in a position to refuse, given that he's a paid entertainer, and she's a paying customer. Anyway, everyone hooted with laughter, so maybe he told her to do it for laughs, for all I know, and maybe it's a known thing that it's ok to feel up Robert Godfrey's legs and arms during "Teenage Dream."

Maybe I had entered a cult meeting that I didn't really understand the rules to lol.

I also grimaced when Michele Mario Benvenuto, as "The Maestro," was verbally mean to a girl he invited on stage, mocking her for not being able to guess his song and making cutting remarks about her to the audience. Once again, lots of laughs, so maybe he warned her in advance he would make her look stupid. I mean, I don't mind mean comedy if it's consensual, but this show aspires to be a paean to community, so unwanted molestation and/or mean comedy weren't what I was expecting.

The reductive characters (eg: the Beast, the Bore, the Joker, etc) that the actors play did allow for alot of comedy when the cast resembled their "types." So, Sean Keany's gentle affable Dublin "poet" really resonated for me, but ironically, he lifted the show leagues when his gentle lyrical poetry departed from the "types" and talked about the real life lives of the actors, my heart warming to his stories of Ben Goffe turning to his Dad on days it's "hard to be short," or Godfrey's love for Queen, or Bayjou losing his Mum, or Niall Woodson walking the lakes with his boyfriend or Sam Pope greeting an albino squirrel each morning.

Pope made a great "Joker," filling his performance with mischief, Woodson brought great warmth to his "Barman," Bayjou smouldered as the "Hardman," and Godfrey's lumberjack shirted "Beast" was charm incarnate. However, Olugbenga Adelekan was strange casting as the "Pub Bore," who supposedly had been sitting in the pub since the dawn of time, as we were told he had actually walked the earth, from Lagos to Holland to Bromley, and so, not only couldn't he have been in that pub his entire life, but also couldn't possibly be "boring."

Anyway, the songs are thrillingly performed, and although I wouldn't return, as there's no story to sink my teeth into, I felt uplifted again and again and again. 4 stars for a once-and-done show.

It has loads of seats available coming up on TodayTix, but weirdly Tuesday night it was completely sold out on both levels.

The Arts Theatre is in such poor shape - great news they’re having a refurb. Choir of Man imply they will go somewhere else. Not a bad run.

It must be the worst venue I've ever been into, so claustrophobic.

I also hated the show, but I know a lot of people like it.

Statement from the producers:
Next year The Jungle will be shutting its West End doors for a little while, but future plans will be announced soon 💛🍺

‘Following the news that the Arts Theatre will close to proceed with a major redevelopment we are announcing that the final performance at the venue will be New Year’s Eve 2024.

We are so very proud of this smash hit show, and we want to thank our wonderfully loyal and passionate audiences, who come back night after night. We’ve broken box office records at the Arts Theatre, whilst keeping our ticket prices as low as possible. Our 5 brilliant casts have given out over 2,500 free pints of beer, and we want to raise a glass to them and to the extended Choir of Man family.  

Whilst we’re sad to say goodbye for now to our current West End home, we’re really excited for what comes next – future plans will be announced soon.’

- Producers of The Choir of Man

Completely agree - lets hope it reopens with a show that bothers having a plot

Thankfully it's in the plan that it can have no fewer seats than it currently has, and plans are for it to have more. That doesn't preclude it from being a sub basement black box I guess.