Direct from the West End, the Olivier Award-nominated, worldwide smash hit – The Choir Of Man, the best pub in the world
A pop – up pub for one week only at the Royal and Derngate until Saturday 10th October 2027.
The Choir of Man pub, The Jungle can be said to have first opened, when creator, producer and Director Nic Doodson was sitting, with friend, creator & producer Andrew Kay, not surprisingly perhaps, over a pint in a pub garden sometime in 2016, when Andrew suddenly said to Nic, “I`ve got an idea for a show”.
The traditional pub, where the community comes together over a few drinks and a bite to eat, has come under increasing pressure over the last few years. Recent research has shown that over thirty pubs a week are calling time on last orders with the closures worst in the rural areas of Britain, so it is very encouraging to come across a pub which is thriving, during these very difficult times for the pub & hospitality sector.
The Jungle, is not just about the drinking, it is the place where nine ordinary blokes meet up, not only to have a drink, but to laugh, cry, talk and most importantly, to sing together. The pub is a place of community, people being together, discussing their day, their families and putting the world to right.
Let me introduce you to some our regulars, Lewis Dragisic, Sam Ebenezer, the Beast, Rob Godfrey, Jared Leathwood, The Joker, Ben Mabberley, the Maestro Gustav Melbardis, poet Nimi Owoyemi, the Bore Aaron Pottenger, Handyman Jack Skelton, Hard Man Niall Woodson, Romantic Sam Walter, not forgetting the Barman, Joshua Lloyd.
Every pub you have ever been in, will have had some or all of these type of characters, but in The Jungle, all of these men can also sing, play an instrument and dance!
The Choir of Man, tells a simple story, it is about a group of me coming together down the pub, to share some time together, singing, dancing, with a little drinking and plenty of banter! In pubs across the country, indeed across the world, this is a story we are all familiar with, a story we have all at times been part of. Many friendships have been created in our pubs, long standing relationships begun, marriages started, through our most loved of institutions, the pub or our local.
There is a wonderful community connection at The Jungle, sharing drinks, crisps, beermats and most importantly, a song or two. Come up on stage, grab a drink and share a few words with strangers. Meet as strangers, leave as friends! Music is also a fundamental part of what our pubs share, and The Jungle has so many songs to share, including music from Guns N`Roses, Adele, Queen and finishing the evening with a beautiful choral rendition of the Sia classic, “Chandelier”, during the lock in, the afterhours singalong with local Northamptonshire choirs. A choir of 188 choristers to be exact. It bought the house down, to a standing ovation. Pop, Rock, Jazz and Folk music, the whole genre of music is given an airing in this wonderful show.
Catch it whilst you can, before they ring the bell, for closing time.
The Jungle is open all week at the Royal and Derngate from Wednesday 7th October until Saturday 10th October 2026.
Photography Credit: Mark Senior, except for my programme & beermats shots!
