‘Choir’ – Musical drama comedy has power tracks and a feel good vibe

They say joining a choir can help with your general health and wellbeing and there is a often undiscovered strength in expressing yourself through song…

By Suman Bhuchar

WRITTEN by Gupreet Kaur Bhatti who marks 25 years as a playwright, her latest work, ‘Choir’ is a warm hearted drama comedy about a community choir and she is spot on in nailing the nitty gritty about the group’s day to day lives.

In an interview in the show programme, Bhatti explains that she was encouraged to join a choir by a couple of mums at her children’s school, after her own mother passed away.

In ‘Choir’ directed by Hannah Joss, this eccentric bunch of archetypes regularly meet in a community centre – there’s Joy (Alison FitzJohn), a heavy metal rocker; her best friend, the earnest Esther (Danielle Henry); Paul (James Gillan) the former gay West End performer, who now does radio voiceovers and is a bit of a diva; older man Ken (Timothy Speyer) who finds himself newly single; Anna (Danusia Samai) always smiling but a bit meek, while Sheila (Annie Wensak) is the ditsy kleptomaniac and liar.

Morgan (Laura Checkley) who once could have made it, is the driving force trying to whip them all into shape and get them ‘concert ready’ as they want to raise money for Freddie (Keenan Munn-Francis), the newbie of the group to go to music college.

One day Morgan announces that BBC’s ‘The One Show’ will film a segment and that creates competition and rivalries amongst the members.

Slowly, we begin to learn a bit about their reasons for coming to the group and what the choir really means to them. It’s an escape from their daily life, and non-judgemental and connecting with each other.

Research has proven that singing is really good for your wellbeing, as is coming together and in terms of the show, the group do care about each other.

The moment when Ken decides to try a new sartorial look and Anna’s monologue are stand out sections.

The set by Anisha Fields at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester is pretty straightforward with a slightly raised stage, featuring a table on which a backcloth is being created and a circle of chairs in the central playing area. The cast are in day to day clothes.

All the performers have strong voices as they belt out contemporary arrangements of many songs, such as ‘Find Me Somebody to Love’ by Queen, or Eurythmics’, ‘Sweet Dreams’ and Anna singing Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ and the entire group signing Eagles’ ‘Hotel California’, which are hugely enjoyable and you can’t help but hum along.

Kudos to the music and sound designer, Alexandra Faye Braithwaite and the musical director and additional arrangements by Michael Henry.

This is a joyful, uplifting and enjoyable time in the theatre.

All pictures ©HelenMurrayPhotography

ACV rating **** (out of five)

Listing

‘Choir’ by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti from (August 2) to August 30
Chichester Festival Theatre, Oaklands Park, Chichester PO19 6AP
https://www.cft.org.uk/events/choir