Star rating: ★★★★
the cast of the choir of man - Mark Senior
Welcome to The Jungle! A place where nine friends get together to sing, share a pint and celebrate friendship. Simple, right? But that's what makes the whole idea work so well. The Choir of Man is about a group of close friends from all kinds of backgrounds, sharing their love for songs and storytelling while sharing a beatiul message about friendship and connection.
The Poet, played by Oluwalonimi (Nimi) Owoyemi, leads the night and connects the whole story together. He's joined by Rob Godfrey as The Beast, Ben Mabberley as The Joker, Gustavs Melbārdis as The Maestro, Aaron Pottenger as The Bore, Levi Tyrell Johnson as The Hard Man, Sam Ebenezer as The Romantic and Mark Irwin as The Barman.
This run marks the show's very first time in Dublin, with three Irish cast members getting the chance to return home and perform at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre (10–14 November).
Before the show even starts, audience members are invited onto the stage to anjoy a pint, take photos or have a chat with the cast. It gives you the chance to experience a little bit of the pub atmosphere before the actual show begins, and you already feel part of the evening.
The opening song "Save Tonight / Wake Me Up" is an absolute highlight! The second the beat drops, the whole cast jumps in together and immediately gets the energy going. And they keep that energy up throughout the entire show. They give 100% from start to finish, while still finding the right balance between upbeat numbers, calmer songs and some laugh-out-loud moments. Even though the cast stays on stage throughout the show, it never feels like too much.
Every character gets their own moment to shine, to tell their story and share something personal with the audience. The Poet's story leading into "Dance With My Father" was one of those moments where the whole room went quiet. On the other hand, The Beast showed off his playful side with Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream". It's lovely to see how different all the characters.
The cast also regularly walks into the audience, sharing pints and bringing the performers and audience closer together. And let's be honest, their incredible voices are no secret. But they're not just great singers. They also play several instruments while performing, which makes it even more impressive.
The stage looks like a traditional pub, and the square glass lights above the bar are such a beautiful detail. Being in Dublin, where pub culture is such a big part of everyday life, makes the whole experience feel even more special. You can really feel that connection with the audience, especially towards the end. Their version of "The Parting Glass" was definitely one of my favourite moments of the evening.
The start of Act Two is another highlight, with everyone getting up, singing, dancing and joining in. The audience participation leads to some hilarious moments, and the crowd is clearly having a great time. At some points, it honestly feels like one big pub lock-in rather than a night at the theatre!
There's also something special about this particular Dublin performance. At the end of the show, two Irish choirs joined the cast on stage to sing "Chandelier" together. It was such a lovely addition to the evening and a great way to involve local talent in the production.
The Choir of Man is a fun night out, combining great storytelling, a cappella singing and some real bangers. It's the kind of show where you can have a laugh, enjoy some incredible voices and maybe even sing along yourself. But beyond the music and the pints, it's also a reminder of how important friendship, community and having a place where you belong really are.
More information can be found: https://www.thechoirofmanukietour.com/
