Special Guest

“60 SECONDS, ONE MIC, THE AUDIENCE ARE THE SPEAKERS !!! I HAD SO MUCH FUN LAST NIGHT I NEARLYYYY CRIEDDDDD !!!” – @lemelp

“Wow wow wow. Last night was so so magical. @SpecialGuestLDN has literally changed my view on community and our generation. If you stop to listen to people you can be so inspired.” – @afrocreative

“Such a simple idea but inspiring: emotional, hilarious, motivational & genuinely hopeful.” – @RachSkyer

Huh?

Special Guest is the open mic night where anything goes. Anyone can take the stage to share anything for 60 seconds. Expect creative talks, shower thoughts, true stories, idea birthing, hidden talents, deep and meaningfuls, and much more.

 How it works:

• Listen, clap, cheer. Support your fellow special guests. 
• Sit back, listen, and enjoy the ride. 
• If you want to, you can take the mic to share anything for 60 seconds. It's optional.

Previously, members of the audience have taken the mic to… share their grandma’s wisdom, say what they wish they’d said to their ex, dance, share their red pill moment, apologise to their vagina, rewrite the dictionary definition of "An Essex girl", pun on command, ask for a hug, reveal a tattoo of Phil Mitchell, share their life motto, observe a minute of silence, form a human pyramid, serenade the audience, thank their mum, invite the audience to kiss them, read an ode to plantain, and much more.

Schedule

7pm | Doors open (arrive early to get a good seat)

7.30pm | Event starts (host introduction + first round of special guests)

8pm | Interval

8.20pm | Second round of special guests

9pm | Interval

9.20pm | Third round of special guests

10pm | Special Guest ends

10pm-12am | The bar stays open until midnight 

Where?

Covent Garden Studios. The venue is two minutes walk from Leicester Square Station, three minutes from Covent Garden Station, and six minutes from Tottenham Court Road Station.

Covid-19 precautions

• Please show a negative lateral flow test on arrival (take it with you or take a photo). This has to be taken on the day of the event, before you arrive.
• Mask wearing is welcome and encouraged, depending on your preferences.
• We'll have different coloured stickers on arrival to show how comfortable you are with proximity. Red is "please distance from me", yellow is "please ask before getting close", and green is "happy with proximity"

If you test positive, please stay at home to protect others and follow government guidance. If you have symptoms on the day of the event, please stay at home to protect others, even if you test negative.

What the FAQ?

I want to come but I don't want to share something on stage...

That's totally ok. You can choose whether to share something or not. Typically half of the audience share something on stage. If you change your mind on the night, you can take the stage whenever feels right.

What can I share?

Anything: a thought, a feeling, a question, a story, a gift, your party trick. The freedom to share something at Special Guest also comes with a responsibility not to express views which advocate hatred, or are based on prejudices, or limit the rights of others. We want Special Guest to be an inclusive space. 

I might want to share something on stage. How?

Take the mic whenever feels right on the night. There's no list or form. You can take the stage at anytime to share anything. We'll clap, cheer, and applaud until someone takes the stage. 

Why only 60 seconds on stage?

We set a time limit so that as many people as possible have the opportunity to share something. We'll flash a light to let you know that time is up. If you keep going, we'll flash you again 20 seconds later. If you keep going after that, there's not much we can do! Be mindful though that, if you go over your time, you'd be limiting the opportunity for other people to share something too.

I'm under 18, can I come?

Not yet. Our events are for people aged 18 and over. You may be asked to prove that you're over 18 to enter the venue and to buy alcohol.

Does the venue serve food and drink? 

Soft drinks and alcohol are served at the venue but they aren't included in your ticket price. Food isn't served at the venue. There are lots of food options nearby.