West End debut for actor in The Choir of Man
A GUERNSEY actor made his West End debut recently in a show that has already toured the world.
Alistair Higgins is one of the core cast members of The Choir of Man, which he described as ‘a celebration of pub culture’.
Created by a group of friends who used to do cover versions of well-known songs, he said the show was set in a pub called The Jungle.
‘It’s meant to represent the best pub you’ve ever been in and the best night you’ve ever had there.’
The characters are all archetypes of the sort of people one might meet in a pub, such as the hard man, the boring guy, the prankster, and there are also a couple of musicians.
‘There are nine speaking parts,’ said Mr Higgins. ‘There’s one who mainly addresses the audience, called The Poet, but we all have our moments.
‘We play different versions of ourselves. My character is Ali and I’m the Piano Man.’
One unusual element of the show is that the bar is a real one and before the play starts the audience is invited to mingle with the performers on set and enjoy a free drink.
The show opened in 2017 but it was the following year at the Edinburgh Fringe that it started to get attention.
Mr Higgins joined the cast in 2018 and has been a regular ever since, taking the occasional break to perform in a ’50s rock band called the Runaround Kids, which has seen him entertaining passengers on cruises and at corporate events.
Speaking from his Crystal Palace flat, Mr Higgins was not long back from appearing in the show in Cleveland, Ohio, which he said he was surprised to find out was the third biggest theatre centre in the world, after the West End and Broadway.
He had managed to perform in three shows in London before having to step back for a week or so due to catching Covid-19, with his role covered by one of four ‘swing’ performers who step in when needed.
A former Grammar School student, Mr Higgins caught the acting bug as a youngster when he appeared in Gadoc’s stage version of The Book of Ebenezer Le Page. He also took part in the Eisteddfod.
His future was set when at the age of 15 he won the lead role in Guernsey Youth Theatre’s production of Tommy in 2006.
He attended Mountview Theatre School in London and since then has spent a lot of his time in touring plays and musicals.
He said he would love for the show to come to Guernsey. ‘It’s the perfect night out for now. A celebration of community.’
. The Choir of Man is being performed at the Arts Theatre in London and runs until February.
