The Choir of Man Reviews: What the Critics Say

The Choir of Man played the Arts Theatre in the West End from November 2021 to January 2026, and it's back in London at The Arts at Marble Arch from 10 December 2026. The critics split over it, and not about the singing. The argument was whether an evening in a pub with nine lads, a bar and a lot of cover versions is your idea of a good night out.

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The Critics' Verdict

The stars went all the way from five down to one. The Guardian gave it two, The Arts Desk and BroadwayWorld three, and The Arts Dispatch one. Most of the theatre websites and bloggers gave it four or five, and some went back more than once over the four years.

They mostly saw the same things. The difference was whether they'd come for a night out or for a piece of theatre.

Audiences have liked it far more than the critics did, and it ran in the West End for more than four years.

What the Reviews Praised

The singing. This is the one thing nobody argued about. The Arts Desk's Gary Naylor, at three stars, heard a proper male voice choir in the harmonies, and Sadie Takes the Stage thought the unaccompanied songs were the best part of the night (4/5). Even the Guardian's two-star review said it was well sung. If you're going for the voices, you'll get them.

The pub and the pint. Reviewers loved that the pub on stage is real. At the Arts Theatre you could go up before the show: Theatre and Tonic wrote about getting on stage early to have a pint with the cast (5/5), and Fairy Powered Productions was offered a drink on the stage as soon as he arrived (5/5). How the stage bar works at Marble Arch hasn't been announced yet, so get there early if you'd like to go up.

The feel-good night out. For the warmer reviews, this was the whole point. British Theatre said you couldn't leave without a smile (4/5), West End Best Friend found a small show with a very big heart (4/5), and All That Dazzles put it among the best shows in the West End (5/5). If you want to come out smiling, that's what most reviewers did.

Where Reviews Were Mixed

The talking between the songs. The Poet's spoken pieces were the part reviewers liked least, and that included some of the fans. The Reviews Hub split the show into the "choir" bit and the "man" bit, and said: "The former works just fine, the latter less so." Everything Theatre gave it four stars and still wanted less talking. The spoken pieces are short, so if you're there for the music, think of them as a breather.

The lads-together atmosphere. This is where the critics really split. The Guardian's Ryan Gilbey found the "synthetic bonhomie" hard to take (2/5). BroadwayWorld enjoyed the noise, the dancing and the beer (3/5). The Arts Desk put it this way: "As is the case with pantomime, you do have to buy into the format." If you're happy to join in and be sung at, you'll have a great time. If that sounds like your idea of a nightmare, it probably isn't the show for you.

The songs are covers. Apart from one original number, the music is other people's hits in new arrangements. The Arts Dispatch, at one star, thought other people's songs were all that held it together. Most reviewers saw it as the appeal: you know the songs before you walk in.

The urinal number. One song is sung at a row of urinals. The Guardian thought it the show's one real mistake, while Everything Theatre found it very funny. It's the one bit of toilet humour in the show.

Is The Choir of Man Right for You?

Book it if you want a fun night out with friends or work, especially if you don't usually go for musicals. There's no story to follow, just a pub, a band and songs you know.

Book it if you love singing. The harmonies are the one thing the critics agreed on.

Think twice if you want a musical with a proper story and characters, or if you'd hate being sung to from the aisle. BroadwayWorld summed it up as a show for a "care free night out, without having to think too much about what you're watching".

One thing to bear in mind: these reviews are of the Arts Theatre version, which ran about 90 minutes with no interval, with casts that changed over the years. At Marble Arch it's 2 hours 5 minutes with an interval, the London cast hasn't been announced yet, and opening night is Wednesday 16 December 2026.

Not sure which date or seat to go for? Call us on 020 7193 9050 and we'll help you choose.

Book The Choir of Man Tickets

At The Arts at Marble Arch, Marble Arch W1H 7DX, from 10 December 2026 to 14 February 2027. It runs 2 hours 5 minutes including a 20-minute interval, it's for ages 10 and up, and tickets start from around £30. All-in pricing, so the price you see is what you pay.

The Choir of Man tickets • Call us on 020 7193 9050

Sources

The Guardian (Ryan Gilbey, 2/5) · The Arts Desk (Gary Naylor, 3/5) · BroadwayWorld (Charlie Wilks, 3/5) · The Arts Dispatch (Jim Keaveney, 1/5) · British Theatre (Sophie Adnitt, 4/5) · West End Best Friend (Sophie Luck, 4/5) · Sadie Takes the Stage (4/5) · Everything Theatre (Jake Michael Watson, 4/5) · All That Dazzles (Daz Gale, 5/5) · Theatre and Tonic (Emmie, 5/5) · Fairy Powered Productions (Alec Legge, 5/5) · The Reviews Hub