Interview: Performer Mark Irwin on playing the Barman in THE CHOIR OF MAN

The Choir of Man celebrated one year playing in the West End last month, coinciding with World Mental Health Day. We spoke to Mark Irwin who is currently playing the Barman in the production.

For those who may not be familiar with The Choir of Man, please can you tell us a bit about the show? 

The show is set in a pub and there are nine guys with different characteristics but also play a “version`’ of themselves and we go by our own names. It’s a fun 90 minutes of music, stories and clever choreography. We tackle men's mental health and toxic masculinity along the way.

You play the Barman in this West End run. Can you tell us a bit about your character? 

The Barman is the boss of the bar and he's there to make sure everyone is in order and has enough beer in their glass throughout (like any good Barman would). I get to sing two great songs in the show: ‘Pina Colada’ and ‘Somebody to Love’.

You’ve done the show multiple times and played different characters in the show, and we know that this show requires the actors to bring themselves into the characters quite heavily. How different is the show every time there is a new cast, and what would you say is special about this run? 

Of course, the show changes day to day and no show is the same and this is also down to audience participation as well as having different swings on in different roles. We do bring parts of ourselves to each role and there's a bit in the show where the “Poet” speaks about home and that's the one true bit about each of us individually.

We really love the immersive elements and the audience participation in the show. Do you have any memorable stories surrounding these interactions that you can share with us? 

I wouldn't say I have a story but like I said previously, no two shows are the same and a lot of that is down to audience members being brought on stage. We have had some great characters come up and join us, and give us and the rest of the audience a great laugh.

Is there a song or a moment that you enjoy the most in the show? 

My favourite moment in the show is when we sing ‘Chandelier’ in ninepart harmony and then, from that, we go straight into the “Home” section and it's a special moment when we get to reflect on our home, where we've come from and how we've got to here. It's a lovely moment.

The Choir of Man is a show with good vibes and lots of fun, but it also carries an important message about mental health. Can you tell us about your thoughts on this theme? 

I am a big advocate for mental health in general and for men's mental health, and I think it's important that we know it's ok to not be ok, and it's ok to talk about that openly. We lose too many people because of mental health and because they are afraid to reach out and that needs to change.

The Choir of Man is currently booking at London’s Arts Theatre until 18 February 2024, with tickets available here.