The Choir Of Man At Aylesbury Waterside: The Show That Leaves You Voiceless
2026-09-02T07:21:17Z
Some theatre comes with the unspoken instruction to sit still, behave yourself and save your applause for the appropriate moments. The Choir of Man clearly didn’t get the memo.
We went along to Aylesbury Waterside Theatre last night and, by the time the curtain came down, we’d clapped until our hands hurt, sung along enthusiastically (and not always particularly tunefully) and managed to lose most of our voices in the process. It’s the sort of evening that sneaks up on you: you arrive expecting to watch a show and end up feeling as though you’ve been invited into the party. And that’s what makes The Choir of Man such a joy. It’s theatre, live gig and gloriously rowdy night out rolled into one.
Welcome To The Pub
The setting is a traditional pub, complete with a fully stocked bar and a stage that feels deliberately more like somewhere you might stumble across a brilliant live band than a conventional theatre set. It immediately sets the tone. At the centre of it all are nine performers who combine singing, dancing, comedy, musicianship and plenty of personality. They’re an impressively versatile bunch, moving between tender harmonies, full-throttle numbers and wonderfully daft moments without ever losing the thread of the show. There’s a real sense of camaraderie between them, too, which makes the whole thing feel relaxed and spontaneous even when you know there’s a lot of skill and precision behind it.
The Soundtrack Does The Heavy Lifting
The music is, unsurprisingly, a huge part of the appeal. The setlist is packed with familiar favourites spanning different eras and genres, so there are plenty of moments when the opening bars of a song are enough to have the audience instantly recognising what’s coming. And when the cast launch into those big numbers, the atmosphere in the theatre really lifts.
The vocal arrangements are impressive, the musicianship is excellent and there’s enough variety to stop the show becoming simply a succession of cover versions. There are quieter, more heartfelt moments alongside the big crowd-pleasers, giving the evening a little more depth than you might expect from a show that spends so much time getting the audience on its feet.
Yes, You’re Going To Be Involved
Audience participation can be a risky business. Done badly, it can feel forced and leave everyone desperately hoping they won’t be picked on. Here, it feels much more natural. The performers spend plenty of time engaging with the audience, breaking down that invisible barrier between stage and auditorium and encouraging everyone to join in. There’s a mischievous quality to it all, but it never feels as though the audience is being laughed at. Instead, you get swept up in the atmosphere.
By the second half, the room was thoroughly on board, with plenty of singing, clapping and general enthusiasm coming from the seats.
The Feel-Good Factor Is Very Real
What surprised us most was just how infectious the whole thing is. There’s something rather lovely about sitting in a theatre with hundreds of other people who have, within the space of a couple of hours, collectively decided that yes, actually, they would quite like to have a really good time. It’s funny without trying too hard, musical without taking itself too seriously and polished without becoming overly theatrical.
There are plenty of laughs, plenty of big musical moments and enough interaction to keep the energy moving throughout. It’s also refreshingly uncomplicated. No homework required, no complicated plot to keep track of and no need to know anything about the show beforehand. Just turn up, settle in and prepare to get involved.
The Verdict
The Choir of Man is exactly the sort of show that reminds you why live entertainment is so much fun. The combination of superb vocals, musicianship, comedy and audience interaction makes for an evening that feels much more like an event than simply a trip to the theatre.
If you’re looking for something lively and entertaining to do in Buckinghamshire this week, we’d definitely recommend it. The Choir of Man is at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre until Saturday 5 September, so there isn’t long left to catch it. Just be warned: you may arrive planning a quiet night at the theatre and leave having shouted yourself hoarse. Frankly, there are worse ways to spend an evening.
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