REVIEW - The Choir of Man is two hours of pure joy, with glorious voices and the warm welcome of a favourite local

We were invited to Lowry in Salford to see The Choir of Man. Read what our reviewer, Lizzie Johnston thought about this amazing show...

I don’t think I’ve ever felt so relaxed at the theatre. Watching The Choir of Man at Lowry felt like spending an evening at my local, getting comfortable and enjoying the company while someone else got the drinks in. There’s something lovely about a show that makes you feel so welcome, and by the end of the evening I was quite happy to stay for another round.

Our local for the night is The Jungle, a pub where a group of men from different walks of life come together to sing. There isn’t a traditional storyline with a clear beginning, middle and end. Instead, we spend time getting to know the people who gather here, what brings them through the door and why being part of this choir means so much to them. Their friendship, and the enjoyment they get from singing together, is what holds the evening together.

When you go to the pub, you don’t need everyone’s life story to enjoy their company so I loved that this was the take on the story behind the show. You might know what they do for work or a little about their family, but often you’re simply there to have a chat and a nice evening together. The Choir of Man captures that brilliantly. We learn enough about these men to feel familiar with them, without needing a complicated plot to give us a reason to care. Before long, they feel like the regulars you’d be pleased to see when you walk through the door.

The set has all the familiar details of a traditional local, with dark wooden panelling, patterned wallpaper and pictures dotted around the walls. Colourful stained glass panels sit behind the bar, while the piano, tables and stools make it feel like a pub you could happily settle into for the evening. The cast make themselves completely at home, gathering around the tables and even getting up on the furniture. It gives The Jungle plenty of character, and you can see why this lot keep coming back.

That welcome starts before the show itself, with audience members invited up to the working bar on stage for a drink. The Jungle is somewhere we’re encouraged to join in, and having people gathered around the bar immediately gives it the feeling and buzz of a proper pub. It’s a simple idea, but seeing the space being used in this way makes such a difference. The cast keep that hospitality going throughout the performance, occasionally heading into the audience with pints, making sure the people out front are having a good night too.

Of course, most locals would struggle to put together a choir quite like this one. Every member of the cast has a stunning voice, and the harmonies are second to none. There’s a real pleasure in hearing them sing together, with each voice bringing something different while fitting beautifully into the group. For all the easy going atmosphere, the quality of the singing is outstanding, and it’s this that makes the evening feel so special. They’re the band members too, playing instruments to bring the song to life whether it’s a guitar or even a recorder. 

The Jungle regulars include Sam Walter (The Choir of Man, Kinky Boots, Cinderella), Oluwalonimi (Nimi) Owoyemi (Beauty and the Beast, The Second Woman, The Wind in the Willows), Jack Skelton (My Fair Lady, Aladdin, The Choir of Man)and Joshua Lloyd (Chicago, The Lion King, The Choir of Man). Joining them are Gustav Melbardis (The Choir of Man, Rent, Cabaret), Niall Woodson (The Choir of Man, Frankie’s Guys, Me and My Shadow), Lewis Dragisic (The Choir of Man, Twelfth Night, The Star That Fell From the Sky), Aaron Pottenger (The Choir of Man, Ragtime, The Sound of Music) and Ben Mabberley (Calamity Jane, Blood Brothers, Footloose). Together, they’re a brilliant company, making the friendship between these very different personalities feel easy and familiar. Everyone brings something to the group, and the enjoyment of being together comes through as strongly as the vocals.

The music covers a huge range, with hits from artists including Queen, Adele, Sia, Guns N’ Roses and Katy Perry. It’s the sort of selection that gives different generations something to recognise, making it easy to imagine coming along with your mates, your parents or a mixture of both. Familiar songs take on a different feel through the choir’s arrangements, and hearing those voices come together was easily one of my favourite things about the show.

I also never thought I’d come away from a theatre trip wanting to rave about the interval, but here we are. This was the most fun interval I’ve experienced. There was singing, audience members up dancing and even the odd game for the chance to win a free pint. The bar was open again, and the whole thing felt like a continuation of the evening rather than a pause in it. Nobody seemed in any hurry for the fun to stop, and it kept that lovely atmosphere going right through the break.

What stayed with me most was how well the show captures the feeling of relaxing with your mates after a long week. People with different lives and personalities find a place where they can enjoy being together, and we get to share that with them for a couple of hours. You can feel how much the cast enjoy creating that atmosphere, and their warmth makes it very easy to settle in.

The Choir of Man is two hours of pure joy, with glorious voices and the warm welcome of a favourite local. It’s at Lowry until Saturday 17 October, and if you fancy an evening of brilliant music and good company, pull up a chair. Grab a pint, open a packet of crisps and get yourself to The Jungle.

WE SCORE THE CHOIR OF MAN...

The Choir of Man is at Lowry, Salford until Saturday 17th October 2026.


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