Review: Mic Drop

Successful tech and social media entrepreneur Perry Pardo is back on home turf to impart his knowledge to the audience in order to help them become just like him. Slick audio-visuals introduce Perry (Adam Tyrell) who bounds onto the stage, buzzing and excited. The audience are fed media-speak and metaphors and in true showman style Perry is instantly likeable. That is, for around 30 seconds.

After the initial burst of chemically induced energy and edge, it soon becomes apparent that Perry isn’t all he’s cracked up to be. The hyperbolic buzzwords have no real meaning behind them and his contradictory nature and advice is sketchy at best. When his tech team let him down Perry fumbles his way through the presentation but his polished image rapidly fades. The showman becomes a shambles and Perry’s past drips out in moments where he appears, fleetingly, as a real but damaged human.

As it stands Mic Drop is a fun and momentarily brutal 30 minutes of performance that is immersive and engaging. Its present format mirrors the story almost too well and, like Perry, there are a few cracks in the overall piece. Mic Drop has a lot of potential to be developed into something greater and this taster demonstrates Tyrrell’s capability and Stack’s writing talent. It shines a satirical spotlight on the modern interpretation of ‘success’ while acknowledging society’s role in its own demise. Perry, like a lot of monsters, is man-made.

Mic Drop runs until February 26th as part of Scene + Heard, The Festival of New Work, at Smock Alley Theatre. It is paired with May I Use the Bathroom Please? and has a combined running time of just over one hour.

Writer & Director: Gareth Stack
Producer: Joe O’Neill / Little Shadow Theatre Company

Tickets here.