Brighton Year-Round 2026
The Choir of Man
HH Productions, Nic Doodson, Andrew Kay Global Creative and Kenny Wax
Genre: Adaptation, Comedic, Community Theatre, Contemporary, Costume, LGBTQ+, Live Music, Musical Theatre, Theatre
Venue: Theatre Royal, Brighton
Festival: Brighton Year-Round
Low Down
Five-starred from Edinburgh where it originated in 2017, and a 2022 Olivier-nominated show, The Choir of Man was originally written as a play by Ben Norris. Here it’s gloriously hi-jacked by Nic Doodson and Andrew Kay. The Choir of Man arrives at Theatre Royal Brighton directed by Doodson till April 25.
The Choir of Man brings us joy whilst bursting with talent. But it’s a timely reminder of what’s at stake.
Review
Five-starred from Edinburgh where it originated in 2017, and a 2022 Olivier-nominated show, The Choir of Man was originally written as a play by Ben Norris. Here it’s gloriously hi-jacked by Nic Doodson and Andrew Kay. The Choir of Man arrives at Theatre Royal Brighton directed by Doodson till April 25.
You might first come for the live music sung by the nine-strong cast. There’s songs by Luther, Vandross, Sia, Paul Simon, Adele, Guns & Roses, Avicil, Katy Perry and nearly last – and certainly unforgettably – Queen’s ‘Somebody to Love’: led by tonight’s ‘Barman’ Niall Woodman with a stratospheric voice and panache of a conductor. A highpoint.
This isn’t a show with a storyline of any kind, and beyond introducing us to the origins of the real performers, there’s nothing happening over two-hours-five but a bar of youngish north-western-based geezers from all over, enjoying the gentlest of male-bonding raves: aerated by recruiting young women from the stalls. And a pre-set where half the audience stroll on stage. Later you might just catch a packet of crisps.
But crucially it’s a show about community too – we see that means us – and about male tenderness. It’s set in a realistic pub with scenic design by Oli Townsend and Verity Sadler, who also designed costumes. There’s magical touches in the lighting, especially blues and spotlit whites, by Richard Dinnen. That pub’s straight out of the north-west tradition that originated with Jim Cartwright’s 1989 Two (revival now playing at Park Theatre) exactly at the time another new show embraces the same techniques at the Bush: Kit Withington’s Heart Wall. This makes three north-west plays or shows I’ve seen in twelve days, drawing straight from Cartwright. The working pub as a place for audience members to react to, even sing karaoke (as in Heart Wall). The Choir of Man though takes it several stages further. It’s not just one or two but crowds of people who enjoy their chance on stage at certain points. Then there’s a grand reveal.
It’s incredibly slick too, speeding through Jack Blume’s musical supervision and arrangements with Freddie Huddleston’s fluid movement direction and choreography.
Oluwalonimi (Nimi) Owoyemi’s Poet engages and introduces, and tells the background of each cast member. He’s immensely personable with a lithe and boppy way of sashaying compassion throughout. Latvian Maestro Gustav Melbardis with a frankly phenomenal piano technique centres the cast, and even in this company is one of the three finest performers here. Towering over everyone else he sings superbly, and his riveting gangly limbs with supreme elegance in his glissandi and touch on the keys is for me an absolute highlight. All the cast play a musical instrument as well as sing solos, and blend in the choir that gives the title its name. Though as we find out it’s not the only choir in town.
After Woodman and Melbardis, another standout has to be Aaron Pottenger’s magnificent ‘Bore’: who gets little chance to bore, especially when singing ‘To Dream the Impossible Dream’ early on, a showstopping moment, gloriously voiced by this American. Sam Ebenezer’s ‘Romantic’ Welshman, Rob Godfrey’s ‘Beast’ playing guitar almost throughout, Ben Mabberley’s ‘Joker’, Jack Skelton’s ‘Handyman and ’Levi Tyrell Johnson’s Hard Man all enjoy solos and moments almost impossible to track.
Lewis Dragisic, who introduced the coup at the end, Jared Leathwood, the regular ‘Barman’ Joshua Lloyd, and regular ‘Romantic’ Sam Walter all appear at different points in the run. Shout out to musical director Ehsaan Shivarani for realising all this so consummately: there’s not a slip or a drop in energy throughout, largely due to the cast and the way they energise the music, and give it a local pub mat and a name.
There’s a few challenges too, mainly Liam McDermitt’s sound (original sound Sten Steverson) which hopefully will adjust by the second night. It’s particularly noticeable in Neil Simon’s ‘Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover’: which if you didn’t know the song, and many might not, is not easy to make out, despite clarity of diction. I heard it, others didn’t.
No complaints though about those who might appear behind you. I’ll say no more about the hundred members of The Busketeers. It brings to a rousing conclusion an ultimate community feelgood show – with one last moment that lingers: ‘The Parting Glass’ again introduced by the indefatigable and moving Owoyemi. He and the others make of the sometimes thin material a moving experience: digging into real backstories though not of course able to develop them.
This is like so many British musicals recently: a warm hug of a so-so show – with stellar talent and here too a multiple award-winning community choir as a trump card. Both of which argue for far greater need to engage with, support and fund our education system; and our communities. These singers don’t come from a nowhere vibe. But it’s Nowhere Men who bleed us dry. The ram-full stalls and gods tonight proclaim it loudly: The Choir of Man brings us joy whilst bursting with talent. But it’s a timely reminder of what’s at stake.
Casting Director Debbie O’Brien, Associate Director Daniel Harnett, Musical Director Ehsaan Shivarani, Associate Musical Supervisor Alistair Higgins, Associate Lighting Director Jack Ryan.
Producer for HH Productions Rebecca Wooolcock, Producer for COM International Carl Bonwick, General Manager for HH Productions Sophie Handley, Associate Producer for COM International Ruth Sherry.
General Management HH Productions and COM International, Finance General Management and Tour Booker Kenny Wax Productions, Marketing & Tour PR Helen Snell Ltd, National Publicity ANRPR Ltd, Social Media Global Digital & Social. Photo Credit Mark Senior.
