OSS: A group of 9 men sing covers in various styles & genres of songs in a pub setting.
Men singing covers is a simple enough premise for a show & is in fact more a staged concert than straight-up musical theatre. But I freakin’ LOVE it & am clearly a little obsessed. In defense, I tend to obsess easily and intensely – God bless Netflix and its binge enabling. I’ve just had more freedom in this particular phase of my life to actually obsess.
Story Time With Tiffany: I stayed with a friend in Edinburgh in August 2018 during the Fringe Festival (if you don’t know what that is = sad. I’m going to do a full write up about my experiences as resident, attendee & performer. It’s glorious insanity and all theater peeps should experience it at least once).
Anyway, we had been talking about seeing a show together but hadn’t quite hit on anything. Then we’re at the last weekend so I said I didn’t care what the show – she picks (cause I’m terrible at decisions). She said Choir of Man. She’d gone to see it previously with her dad & said she’ love to see it again. Somehow my brain extrapolated from hearing “The Choir of Man” to “choir from the Isle of Man” – and I was very confused by why she would want to see a choir singing when there were literal circuses in town (that’s right – multiple circuses… wait – circii?). But to each their own and I had told her she had to pick… so we go.
It’s the LAST night of the Fringe, we are running late and being ushered into a theater that has like 4 other shows going and everything is just chaos. I’m still expecting this to basically be Handel’s Messiah. Yeah, NO. We get ushered into the back row of the balcony last 2 seats on the aisle as I hear Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” is being sung. I was very confused but quickly did not care because it was AWESOME. Nine British men singing, dancing & playing music is just a very fun show.
Production Brain (or why I’ve seen this show 10 times)
Part of the reason why I love to be able to watch (and rewatch) any show is I have what I call Production Brain when watching most visual media. Movies, TV shows, musicals, plays, ballets – half my brain is watching the actual show and the other half is doing a running breakdown of the logistics of making that actual scene unfolding before me – happen.
Whether it’s figuring out whodunit because I recognized one actor in a mugshot spread (happened irl & thus I spoiled the episode for myself), or recognizing that an extra reprise section was added to a song to give time for a costume change (so many musicals) – I can’t turn off Production Brain. So for me – the best shows are ones that I find just as interesting “watching” the rehearsal & production process. Choir of Man has that in DROVES. The amount of props, musical instruments, transitions & set movements that go on – it’s enthralling.
Favorites & Fangirling
Favorites
My absolute favorite part of the show (that I literally hit my friend during to make sure she was paying attention), is their cover of Adele’s “Hello”. The transition in and out, the slow-motion… (Side Note: Live slow-mo is NOT easy. I once did youth show with a slow-mo scene to Under Pressure. Getting 45 teens to keep a straight face, dear LORD). And the HARMONIES. It is just one of the most BEAUTIFUL choreography, lighting and vocal productions that I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m mesmerized every dang time. AHHHH. Legit, that scene is probably at least 50% of why I’ve seen the show multiple times.
All the performers are annoyingly talented singers/musicians/dancers – these are professionals in every sense of the word. Most are onstage the entire show and I’ve never seen them less than engaged. Through props, set up, and audience participation (both requested and random), they all do their jobs WELL.
While every single one of them is fantastic but I’m going to fangirl over four specifically, the OG’s that I’ve seen in every show and get to see again in the US 2020 tour. (Yay!)
Fangirling
Denis
Who in addition to being annoyingly photogenic (look at that face), is what I like to call cherry-on-top casting. Someone who is literally so perfect at one aspect of the part that they could be cast on that alone. But they are also SO wonderfully great at whatever else it is they need to do – there’s no question how they got the part. Denis is an absolutely PHENOMENAL Narrator. So engaging, he is CONSTANTLY the last one to leave the lobby because everyone wants to talk to him after the show. He’s genuinely so good, he could have been cast for the monologues alone – even if he weren’t able to sing.
But he can. He can sing. Really well. And with this beautiful conviction. His version of “Dance with my Father” is an emotional gut-punch and he nails it. Like Leslie Odom Jr. in “The World Was Wide Enough” – absolutely devastating.
Tom
Tom is a winker and winkers are automatically my people.
(Genuinely, I love someone the second I see them wink – doesn’t even matter who it’s at. Me, other people, themselves in the mirror…)
He also has the most stupidly great personal Instagram. Which is not related to the show – but I’m a fangirl so I appreciate when people do just about anything really well. He’s got a pretty dog, a storybook hometown, travel, and backstage pics – with workout encouragement thrown in. Basically, all the reasons I follow other accounts in one, plus a fun accent to boot. It’s what I wish my Instagram was – he’s just soo good at it.
He also has the most amazing voice. Like just freakin’ insane good. Straight up one of my favorite voices on the planet. Like top 3 male voices – easy. Go check out his Insta and be prepared to be blown away.
Peter
OMG – straight up the dreamiest and most unabashed of performers. I don’t even recognize other versions of Teenage Dream anymore. They just don’t sound right, I’ve listened to his so many times. And the live version is adorable EVERY time. I basically become the living 😍 .
Also a spectacular guitar player. Go listen to his song on Spotify – it will make you understand better than I can. And just the nicest human being I have had the privilege to talk to. Seriously, what’s with all the sweet and very multi-talented people?
Mark
Mark is a ninja (who I’m going to get a picture with next time). I’ve never seen a performer who is so over-the-top charismatic & engaging as a soloist that is also able to blend into the background to the point of near non-existence. Like everyone’s going along & everything is all together and then BAM! Mark’s soloing & it’s like he’s created his own spotlight. Then back to ensemble & it’s Superman to Peter Parker. Like not even in the same universe. (How do you do this, sir?!)
AND a ninja with props. Like, I watch for these things and I still wonder – WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? Mark. It came from Mark. The amount of glasses, bottles, towels… amazing. My favorite ninja moment of his – during one of the songs he gets a towel thrown at him while he’s behind the bar. One night, whoever was throwing was extra enthusiastic and it went over his head with a little too much force. He caught it, but it also hit the wall of bottles behind him. He made sure the bottles didn’t fall, turned, noticed my face (which was basically the Home Alone face cause I have ZERO chill when it comes to broken glass on stage), Superman-smiled at me and kept going.
You sir, are a Freaking NINJA! Plus he’s the one that serves you free beer!
James*
Who gets an honorable mention because he is not one of the OGs – but is an absolute
SWEETHEART.
I randomly met him after a Fringe show in a pub and he was very cool about me fangirling, chatted with me, and even took the picture.
Ridiculously multi-talented (I’m pretty sure I’ve seen him play 3 different instruments on his Instagram this week), absolutely hilarious, and genuinely so nice. I made a joking comment on how I hoped his counterpart was up to standard and he Instantly responded with – “He is absolutely fantastic – you won’t be disappointed & give him a lot of love!” That’s the kind of support I freaking love to see in performers. You sir, are so one of my faves. (Also he was not wrong – Danny, you’re doing wonderful!) I’m still sorry he’s not on the US tour but just maybe I can make the AU tour! 😃 P.S. to my Australia peeps – you should totally see this show & shout really loud for him!
Links to help you Fangirl
Tl;dr – this show is ridiculously amazing & if you like any combination of live music, theatre, British accents, good looking men, or alcohol – you’ll like the show. They’re in like 4 different tours/locations around the world in 2020 – go see one of them.