Review: OPEN MIC, English Touring Theatre & Soho Theatre (Online)

Open Mic is a live, interactive online celebration of community, storytelling, music, comedy and talent at a time when we need to be brought together to celebrate the good things in life.

Streamed live from the Cabaret Space at the Soho Theatre, Rob Drummond brings people together from all walks of life to share their stories, their talents and their passions in one space that is full of love and admiration for one another. Drummond commands the responsibility as host as he navigates us through the tentative journey out of lockdown, offering us an opportunity to come together, let our hair down and share stories and secrets from the last year.

Open Mic is an excellent concept for the open mic circuit and a fantastic alternative for those Zoom quizzes that dominated (and deserve to stay in 2020!) The night brought us a whole host of different acts; singing, poetry and comedy. It was warming to bare witness to the bravery of these people as they performed digitally to an audience of strangers. The variety of this evening is what makes the event so engaging and enjoyable.

The fizz of the concept did let up somewhat as the production progressed, resulting in an experience which became a little tense towards the end. In a modern world when we are made aware of the fragility of life, especially within the constraints of the pandemic, this was an evening that evolved to lean towards the negatives rather than the positives.

The open mic concept that Soho Theatre is working with definitely has the potential to go far but requires a more defined direction and narrative going forward.

Open Mic is available to stream on 2 & 3 April 2021, with tickets available here.