The Choral

Release date: 1 January 2026
Director:
Cast: Simon Russell Beale, Ralph Fiennes

Synopsis

1916. As war rages on the Western Front, the Choral Society in Ramsden, Yorkshire has lost most of its men to the army. The Choral’s ambitious committee, determined to press ahead, decides to recruit local young males to swell their ranks. They must also engage a new chorus master, and despite their suspicions that he has something to hide, their best bet seems to be Dr. Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes) – driven, uncompromising, and recently returned from a career in Germany. As conscription papers start to arrive, the whole community discovers that the best response to the chaos that is laying waste to their lives is to make music together. Directed by BAFTA, Olivier and Tony Award winner Nicholas Hytner (The Crucible) and written by BAFTA, Olivier and Tony Award winner Alan Bennett, The Choral marks their fourth writer-director collaboration following the acclaimed films The Madness of King George, The History Boys, and The Lady in The Van.