Interview: 'We Have Fantastic New Energy!': Peter Lawrence and James Hudson on the Role of a Swing, New Casts and Raising a Glass to THE CHOIR OF MAN.

With a new cast and booking extended to February 2024, The Choir of Man is certainly relishing its West End success.

Currently Swings in the show, Peter Lawrence and James Hudson raise a glass to the show, talking to us about their experiences of being a Swing, their love for the cast and why Choir of Man is still dear to their hearts after many years...

Welcome to the new West End cast of The Choir of Man, gentlemen! How are you finding the experience so far?

James: I would be as bold to say this is the best time I've had doing The Choir of Man so far - meeting the cast, the rehearsal process, doing the show... I think this is the best the show has been in many many years!

Peter: Ditto!

Tell us about your characters and what you like about playing them!

Peter: You may already know, I was the original Beast - so I've done that role hundreds and hundreds of times, and that's the role I had the chance to be on for during our first week - it's a lovely role, and then circumstances have led to me being on for The Bore for the first time, which was exciting, nerve wracking... but more than anything, I just can't wait to see what a different experience it is to be onstage and see the show from different perspectives. Obviously you have the solos which are gonna be massively different, but even experiencing my cast mates solos from a different angle and a new perspective is going to be thrilling for me.

James: I think what Pete and I share in the experience of being a Swing is we've both come from playing one of the roles in the show for years, so we are very used to and enjoy that role, and thankfully we've been good at it, but it's lovely to have a skillset that allows you to experience different perspectives in the same show; for me that's really refreshing... I cannot wait to see the show in every way that it happens, all the different combinations - we have such a great group of Swings (myself, Pete, Sam and Niall) and the cast are so supportive of us, and each other, and I think it's going to be really special for audiences to come and see. I love that about the Jungle - it's ever changing, inclusive and reactive to whatever is thrown at it.

This current cast features a few members of the Choir of Man family from various productions over the years – the original Edinburgh Fringe, Australia, US tour to name a few! How has that influenced the dynamic between you all, and the show itself?

James: I'm not sure how its happened that way, but I think one of the most refreshing things about this production is, although we've had lots of people that have come in and have done the show before (I've done it for years, Pete's done it for years), people have done various different tours, ships... we definitely have fantastic new energy. From that first day, it was very much: "this is a new show - let's find what our Jungle is" and create what it is now instead of thinking about the past. We've let it inform our performances, and I think that's partly why the show is so good and will continue to get better, but the willingness to be open and create is so special in this cast.

The show highlights the importance of community, communication and how both of those help to foster good mental health. As performers, and as men, (who we’re told stereotypically don’t like to open up about how they feel), has being a part of this show changed how you approach your own mental health?

James: For myself, definitely. In the not so distant past, I messaged Nic Doodson (the show's director) and I wasn't even doing The Choir of Man at the time, but I found myself needing support, and I found that the friends that I was instantly drawn to and instantly there for me to talk through things were all people I had met through The Choir of Man in some way! In that moment I felt super thankful for having and being in this show and the mates it comes with. There's so much truth in the mates you see onstage, does come from offstage! 

Peter: I think that's one of the biggest compliments you can get with this piece is when someone says to you: "wow, you really get along and are mates, aren't you?" and to be able to genuinely say yes. To echo what J says,  I've been doing this for six years now and the people I call when I'm in trouble (which is stupidly often!) are all related to The Choir of Man, and then I think one of the beautiful things about BEN NORRIS' writing is it's adapted to whatever's going on in the world, so it feels fresh, and when you're onstage hearing those words, whatever's going on personally, they resonate differently.

You might have a day where you're missing home, so the "Home" speeches hit you right in the feelings, or you just fancy a drink, and so the Pub speech really rouses you! For me, they've really highlighted the power of positivity, and words: saying what you think, what you feel, and how enriching it is to feel like you've helped someone else.

The show has some beautiful arrangements that seem tricky in terms of their harmonies, is there one you like best, or proved hard to master?

James: I think this might be controversial, but in West End one we had a song by The Kinks, "Waterloo Sunset", that's my favourite and I think it still is. Although I do have love for, in its simplicity "Bring Tomorrow On". Singing wise, it's "Dance With My Father".

Peter: I agree "Waterloo Sunset" will always have a special place in my heart! It's obvious to say the acapella numbers: "Chandelier" and "Parting Glass", but on that, they're showstoppers and beautifully arranged by Jack and like James was earlier on, I'm gonna be so bold and say this cast - this is the most consistent those numbers have been. Because that's hard, and we don't hide away from how hard it is - everyone has their thing, maybe their hands or the body have to move with it, we don't try and make it look easy; because it isn't - it only takes one voice to go a little bit askew, and then two or three will follow... there have been times where I've been "oh God, time for "Chandelier", hope it goes well" but this cast it's just: sit back and relax!

On day one of rehearsals, our MD just for the hell of it had us sing "Chandelier" because everyone knows it's the big, hard one and we were blown away by how instantly the voices blended, and that's not to say all the cut offs were perfect, but blending voices and voices working together is a skill in itself! Just in terms of the timbre and sound of our voices, I've never experienced such a harmonious moment with so little effort.

And of course – it’s not just intricate vocally but also choreographically – how do you keep the routines and your stamina on form?

Peter: That comes down to Freddie, our choreographer - he's choreographed a show that is very inclusive of all the movements we have to do and different people's level of dance; the warm-up he's cultivated is brilliant also for training the parts of our bodies we need to utilise for the routines. I've always thought that less can be so much more for choreography, look at the likes of  Fosse... but only if it's very slick and together as you say, and our captain's keep on top of that. Similarly with the vocal harmony,  You know in "Welcome to the Jungle" where we're all in a row and have a particular movement? All it takes is one of us to be off and it all falls apart, and Freddie's done a great job of keeping it simple but effective. It's a graft, but great for the stamina!

James: Freddie has a fantastic way of making us look cool, and it look very pedestrian and chill and in the pub world, whilst it being absolutely hard work. I think, especially with this cast, there is a lot that the boys do that you don't see the effort, but it looks fantastic because you know they are putting in the effort. For instance, our tapper, Ben Goffe... he literally does Parkour every show, he does things with his body I can only dream and I am in awe. You definitely get fit, being in this show!

If your character had their own drink in the Jungle bar, what would it be?

James: This may be weird, but I already think of the characters as drinks. Like, the Joker is a French Martini with popping candy on it; a sweet drink that you could drink all night but you drink a couple and you're PARTYING. The Barman is maybe a Tequila: super spiky, but after a few you're definitely dancing!

Peter: The Pub Bore is a Vermouth, I don't like it and think it's really bland but the Bore, he loves it. The Beast: through and through, simple: just loves a Guinness! The Poet for me, this may be basic, but I think it echoes the heart of the show: he's a whiskey. Neat - no ice, just a nice, warming whiskey - you drink it and you feel it in your extremities, that's the speeches for me: they fill you up and nourish you.

Sell us a ticket to the show in a sentence!

Peter: I would echo a line in the show: "tonight, we can drink, we can dance and you can join in" - and please do!
James: We have these beers that we drink and they say all these great things about the show, selling the show and one of the things it says, and we like to say is: "it's the best pub gig you've ever been to."

The Choir of Man is booking until February 2024