A mass choir is a beautiful thing. And Menagerie choir is both big and joyous! If you count the live band and their mellifluous choir master, who goes by the moniker The Zookeeper, you’re looking at a choral crowd of over 80 people. 

Menagerie stormed the stage in a kaleidoscope of colours, looking like extras from Home and Away, in boardies and bright colours. Their enthusiasm was infectious, matched only by their all-in commitment to giving the packed Naval Store audience a cracking show. 

There wasn’t a Farnham or Barnsie anthem in sight. Instead, Menagerie dished up some Aussie indie gems and chucked in a few curveballs to keep the crowd guessing. The arrangements were tight, the voices true — no small feat for a community choir with a no-auditions policy. Achieving that level of musicality while keeping things entertaining is impressive.

A highlight for me was the use of space. Moving a mob that big around is no mean feat, but Menagerie managed to create atmosphere in a space that could be considered cavernous. They even threw in some choralography and costume changes. 

Menagerie is a community choir on steroids. It’s clear they love what they do, love who they do it with and are committed to delivering a show that makes you want to break into song – simply because it feels good to be part of the choir.