Friday 10th April 2026 7pm: The Choral (Cert 12A). Tickets £5 Adults £2.50 Children under 15
Hi film lovers.
The Choral is an affecting and quintessentially British historical drama that brings together music, community and the lived reality of war. Set in the fictional mill town of Ramsden in 1916, the film follows the struggles of a local choral society whose male singers have been depleted by the First World War. Determined to carry on their annual performance, the society’s ambitious committee turns to Dr Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes), a cultured but enigmatic choirmaster recently returned from Germany, to rebuild their ranks.
Guthrie’s appointment — and his choice of Edward Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius as their centrepiece — sparks both curiosity and controversy. With outspoken wit and muted defiance, he recruits teenagers, wounded soldiers and unlikely voices, weaving together a chorus that reflects the town’s diverse experiences of loss, hope and resilience. Supported by an ensemble including Roger Allam, Mark Addy, Alun Armstrong, Robert Emms and Simon Russell Beale, the film balances moments of humour and camaraderie with the sobering weight of war.
Against a backdrop of patriotic fervour, suspicion of “outsiders,” and the ever-present shadow of the trenches, The Choral explores how ordinary people find solace and strength in art. At its heart is a celebration of community — of the simple but profound act of singing together — as a balm for grief and a reminder of what binds us. Richly staged and deeply humane, it’s a film about loss, belonging and the joy of making music in the face of adversity.
As usual, bar, ice creams, teas and coffees at the start and at the interval.
See you there.
The Cinema Team