Review: Frank Woodley – *@#!KING CLOWN at The Factory, The Garden of Unearthly Delights
February 19, 2020
Review: The Will to Be at the Bakehouse Theatre
February 26, 2020
Entering the hustle and bustle of the fab venue, The Moa, with one of my all-time favourite nostalgic tunes, ‘You Call Me Al’ blaring, you know you are in for a good night when you are invited up on the stage to enjoy a beer as you walk in!
The Choir of Man is the international success from the hitmakers, Andrew Kay and Nic Doodson.
And what a hit it is!
Put a pack of 9 twenty-something young, talented men together to sing, drink and talk for almost an hour and a half and what you get is incredible adrenalin, high voltage energy and pure, undiluted entertainment!
A cast of seemingly ordinary guys will blow you away with their incredible choreography, tight vocals, sweet poetry and dynamic instrumentals featuring songs from rock, folk, pop and Broadway!
The scene was set with the opening number ‘Welcome to The Jungle’, which also happens to be the name of the pub the show is set in.
After this bolt of lightning initial scene, we get to meet the lads; all from different paths, but all mates. And that what this show celebrates – mateship through song and story.
While the concert is set in a pub, it has a real working bar, in which Tom, the bartender of the cast, is continuously pulling beers for participating audience members.
This show will take you on a musical journey through time with sentimental masterpieces such as ‘Waterloo Sunset’, ‘Somebody to Love’ and ’50 Ways to Leave Your Lover’ to pop classics ‘Chandelier’ and ‘Teenage Dream’, all reimagined with sensational staging, lighting, movement and vocal arrangements.
One of my favourite scenes was the football game during the Adele song ‘Hello’.
Absolutely extraordinary stage choreography and lighting, well done lads!
During Tom’s rendition of Escape (The Pina Colada song), the gents really show us what they’ve got as quadruple threats – singers, dancers, actors and multi-instrumentalists!
Another standout scene was the urinal scene, featuring Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ ‘Under the Bridge’…you will literally wet your pants (pun intended) with this one!
With a three song finale, ending with a colossal percussion of beer glasses and monumental vivacity and dynamism to ‘Some Nights’, The Choir of Man will leave you inspired, uplifted and utterly entertained.
Take your mates, grab your pals, come with your family; this is a show for everyone that you don’t want to miss!!
Happy theatre travels…
Lia <3
This review also features on the Theatre Travels website – www.theatretravels.org
