Little Lark of London

“We’re all different but can be united by a simple thing, such as unwinding with a pint”

The Choir of Man, currently running at the Arts Theatre on the West End, will be closing on 31 December of this year as the theatre is due to close for redevelopment. The show, which has been running since October 2021, has welcomed over 280,000 audience members to The Jungle, a pub in which a group of men come together to sing and have conversations with one another, revealing emotional depths they might not have thought they had. 

Recently, we had the chance to chat with Luke Conner Hall, who plays Romantic, a character who is desparate to find love and is ready to belt ballads at a moment’s notice. We discussed how he first got started in the world of song, what the show and Romantic mean to him and even his favourite memory from being in the show!

How did you first get started in the world of theatre?

I started in Durham as a Cathedral Chorister. I was up at 6 AM every morning for choir practice and sang in seven services a week, which is kind of a theatre schedule! Then I joined my local stage school in Durham and that’s when I merged the singing with everything else.

What made you want to be a part of The Choir of Man?

Watching it! I wanted to be a part of a show with lots of group singing. I also REALLY wanted to sing “Hello.” I definitely made a bit of a beeline for my role and when the audition came up, I said to myself, “I’m going to get that job.” Lots of manifestation!

Can you tell us a bit about the show and the role you play as Romantic?

The show is a snapshot glimpse at a group of lads who are all born out of the idea of stereotypical blokes you may find in a pub. Essentially that we’re all different but can be united by a simple thing, such as unwinding with a pint. We sing a lot of popular songs and invite everyone to join in the fun, so that they can leave feeling lighter and with a few questions to think about. At a glance, The Romantic is a serial dater who is searching for love. For me, he dances on the surface of conversation to keep things light and fun, bottles up insecurities and puts a lot of focus on finding love, but really he should probably learn to talk about his struggles and look a little more inward if he wants to move forward.

Do you have any favourite memories from the show’s time at the Arts Theatre?

One that sticks out is of our very first gala night, in 3.0. My parents were watching and ended up being chosen to join us onstage for a segment of the show. It was surreal being on a West End stage with my mam and dad making their respective West End debut performances!

What do you hope audiences take away from The Choir of Man?

Aching muscles in their faces from smiling.

How would you describe The Choir of Man in one word?

Infectious. (In a good way!)

The Choir of Man runs until 31 December 2024 at the Arts Theatre. For more information, to purchase tickets and to sign up for information on future runs, click here.