With all the charm of a slightly chaotic, fun filled night at your local pub, The Choir of Man is truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen before on the Donald Gordon stage. The nine hugely talented cast members mingle with the crowd, handing out pints, beer mats and even getting crisps to audience members via slingshot! This is truly a love letter to the unspoken community of the local public house, uplifting but with very human moments of tenderness and even sadness.

Full of poignant moments, we are ably navigated through the various lives of the nine men by the Poet; his modern lyricism in turns humorous and hard hitting. The pace is fast and rousing; the action is non stop and the interaction with the audience continuous. Audience members are drafted as part of the action to be serenaded, assist with building pyramids of playing cards, and much more. The comedic moments because of these interactions are fantastic and the cast are literal wizards of adlibbing and responding to these moments.

The cast is a small but mighty one. Each have their own identifying personalities, and all have their moments in the spotlight. The voices in this cast are phenomenal; each different but complementing and blending with each other. The solos are divine; the group numbers stuffed full of harmonies are even more so. I particularly loved the a ‘Capella version of Sia’s Chandelier where it felt as though you could hear a pin drop. The solos are also excellent, sometimes upbeat, toe tapping numbers and sometimes utterly heartbreaking ballads.

The cast are not just triple but quadruple threats; they all play multiple instruments with huge skill. They are also incredible dancers! In particular, the dance skills of the Handyman (Jack Skelton) are mesmerising. He tap dances across the bar and table of The Jungle pub with truly breathtaking skill. However, every cast member more than holds their own in the dance numbers and have the audience clapping along in their seats and, sometimes, even on stage along with them!

Overall, I really was unsure of what to expect with The Choir of Man; I’d heard about the interaction, the free beer handed out to audience members, the modern jukebox musical feel and I’d even heard about the onstage bar being literally open for business. What I was not expecting was to laugh so loudly, to feel so deeply, to hold my breath and to feel such emotional connection that I felt the tears rolling down my cheeks. The feeling of community that permeates not just the cast, but the whole audience is truly special.

It’s not just about The Jungle or any pub across Britain; it’s about finding somewhere to find your voice, your tribe and to be yourself. Whether you joined them on stage or sang along from the audience, the whole theatre truly feels that sense of community too.