Fringe review: The Choir of Man
An uplifting and cheeky show – with beer! The Choir of Man give you everything you could want from a night out at your local pub, with a serious upgrade on the karaoke. ★★★★★
The Choir of Man welcomes you to their local pub, your local pub. A pub untouched by trendy brioche buns or espresso martinis. This is a celebration of the local places and community spaces where people come together to belong. A place for friends, for antics, for a few pints and some exquisite harmonising.
And when a show starts with free beer and peaks with a John Farnham sing-a-long, you can be sure that you’ve come across something good.
Entering The Moa at Gluttony, audience members are invited to take a seat, or alternatively to head up on stage to grab themselves a beer from the bar. This sets the scene from the outset: we’re not just watching this show, we’re a part of it. We’re here with friends to have a chat, to unwind, to share some laughs and to generally feel good.
The Choir of Man, nine likely lads from the UK, explode into song: “500 Miles” (The Proclaimers), “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” (Billy Joel), “Hello” (Adele), “Some Nights” (Fun) and “Somebody to Love” (Queen) are just a few of the tracks covered.
Accompaniment comes from an on-stage piano, guitar, trumpet, tap shoes, ukulele, “beer glass percussion” and the like, all masterfully played by members of the choir.
The singing is uplifting, the choreography is tight and the energy is contagious.
Songs are meaningfully tied together with friendly banter which introduces characters and weaves in undertones of issues surrounding men’s mental health. This places an unobtrusive emphasis on the need to cherish these spaces where men can find their place and their people. It’s a message that is delivered clearly without bringing down the mood.
The Choir of Man have managed to harness that warm, comfortable feeling of a night at the local with your people… and an upgrade on the karaoke. This is absolutely the show that will have you smiling from the moment it starts until long after it’s finished.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-tqLIcNhwo
The Choir of Man is performing at The Moa at Gluttony until March 17. See more Adelaide Fringe reviews and stories here.
