Review: Wildly Entertaining CHOIR OF MAN Brings Joyous Romp to Durham Performing Arts Center

They say the show must go on. Such was the case Saturday night when THE CHOIR OF MAN'S truck broke down and showed up in Durham at 7:10 p.m. for an 8:00 p.m. show. Nevertheless, the cast handled the mishap in true CHOIR OF MAN style, greeting the audience in the lobby while the set was being loaded in, taking selfies, and warming up the crowd.

Once the doors to the seating area opened, the cast invited audience members up on stage for a pint and a bit of conversation. Clearly, there is no fourth wall among friends, but do all these pre-show theatrics make for a good show? You bet.

These nine guys can sing, dance, and harmonize their way through any ditty from MAN OF LA MANCHA'S 'Impossible Dream' to Katy Perry's 'Teenage Dream.' And whether they are reveling in a hilarious interpretation of The Red Hot Chili Peppers' 'Under the Bridge' or performing a breathtaking acapella rendition of Sia's 'Chandelier,' their unwavering vocals are spot-on and their musical arrangements superb.

Part jukebox musical, part concert, part pub gig, THE CHOIR OF MAN, which made its debut during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year and launched its first North American tour last month, is a wildly entertaining joyful romp.

Moreover, the show pays homage to the small pubs and shops around the corner, "sanctuaries of homely love," that have succumbed to the casualties of time and closed their doors to make way for high-rise buildings and big box stores. And that makes THE CHOIR OF MAN a refreshing and uplifting reminder of the importance of community, family, and home, no matter where that may be.

THE CHOIR OF MAN's North American tour continues through next year and plays Fayetteville's Crowne Theatre February 27th. For more information visit: http://www.crowncomplexnc.com/events/detail/community-concerts-presents-the-choir-of-man or http://www.thechoirofman.co.uk/.

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