The smash-hit West End sensation The Choir of Man has arrived in Cardiff for the very first time and honestly, this is one show everyone should see.
Part musical, part concert, part comedy and part full-on pub party, The Choir of Man transforms the Wales Millennium Centre into “The Jungle”, the most welcoming pub in the world, where the beers are flowing, the music never stops and every single person in the audience feels part of the night. Imagine the film Pitch Perfect with 9 lads down your local boozer and this is what you get.
From the moment you walk into the Donald Glover theatre, the vibe is different. The cast and audience are already on stage chatting, pouring drinks and interacting with audience members before the show has even officially begun. It instantly breaks down the usual theatre barrier and creates the feeling you are stepping into a real local pub with mates rather than watching a traditional musical.
What follows is ninety minutes of pure feel-good entertainment that will have everyone singing, clapping and sinking beers, cocktails or J20s
The idea came from a show at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017 and has gone on to 5 star reviews on the West End, but the idea is simple really. A group of men gather in the pub and through huge musical numbers, spoken word moments and laugh-out-loud storytelling, each character slowly reveals more about themselves, their friendships and the importance of human connection and feeling welcome. It sounds straightforward, but the way it is delivered is absolutely immaculate, engaging and cleverly curated.
The cast are phenomenal. Every single performer is not only a brilliant singer, but also a talented musician and entertainer. One minute they are smashing out harmonies around a piano like a barbershop quartet , the next they are tap dancing across the bar or performing acrobatics while still somehow holding perfect vocals.
One of the nicest touches comes at the start of the second half when the audience is properly introduced to the cast members and you realise they are essentially playing versions of themselves. It adds an extra layer of warmth and authenticity to the show. Cardiff especially erupted when it was revealed that two of the performers were Welsh. Sam Walter from Llantwit and Levi Tyrell Johnson from Cardiff, who many will remember from Hamilton, received some of the loudest cheers of the night and you could tell how proud the audience was to see local talent on stage.
The song choices are another huge strength. Queen, Sia, Adele, Paul Simon, Guns N’ Roses, Avicii and Katy Perry all feature, but these are not simple karaoke covers. Each track is reworked with stunning arrangements that feel fresh, emotional and often surprisingly powerful.
One moment the audience is crying with laughter, the next there are genuinely moving scenes that hit unexpectedly hard. That balance between humour, heart and pure chaos is what makes The Choir of Man so special.
Visually, the set is superb. The pub feels warm, lived in and believable, while clever lighting and choreography keep the energy constantly moving. They do a great job in making it look so familiar that the wall between audience and stage is smashed down and add that with regular audience participation and free pints and packets of crips being given out left, right and centre, you are all of a sudden in the Jungle with your mates.
More than anything, this is a show that leaves you smiling. It is funny, emotional, uplifting and packed with enough energy to power the Bay.
And the night had one final extra treat. What started with nine voices suddenly became 138 voices as The Choir of Man were joined by two local choirs who have helped them in the past from Wales for a completely acapella version of Sia’s Chandelier. The sound filled the theatre beautifully and created one of the most emotional moments of the night.
This is the rare production that works for everyone and you should get yourself to the Wales Millennium Centre to see it before it’s gone.
The Choir of Man is here until Saturday the 23rd May, tickets are available via the Wales Millennium Centre website
