Spare Room | theSpace on the Mile (Ed Fringe)

So much can go wrong when you’re just starting out in the world. Your late teens and early twenties are a time for exploration and growth, being thrust into the realm of adulthood with a fresh start and a dream.

For many this involves university, balancing the comforts you knew with all the responsibilities you now have and the freedoms it comes with. And of course, all the dangers and pitfalls along the way. Inspired by true events, Spare Room starts out comedic but soon dives into the darker parts of lad culture, exposing the everyday misogyny and self-reinforcing dynamics that simmer just below the surface.

Nobody is safe from it, neither those pulled in its wake or the victims of the crimes it almost encourages. Rape survivor, consent facilitator, producer and co-writer Georgina Housby wrote the play to both respond to the urgent need for better consent education and shine a spotlight to the negative effects on male mental health. Well over half of all rapes happen before the age of 24, with over 85% of rapists being known to the victim and over 80% going unreported.

The show doesn’t shy away from any of these points, initially playing the behaviours have been so normalised for laughs then dragging out the indelible marks they leave and horrific atrocities they so often lead to. The cast of 8 are all great actors, pulling us into the world of a uni flat with believable characters and disarming charm.

The script neatly puts the existing flatmates into archetypes and often focuses on their interactions in pairs, careful to show it’s not just their backgrounds; everyone is being shaped by masculine culture, whether they’re the ones driving or just along for the ride. Tom David Griffiths as Ben brilliantly showcases this in several scenes, laid-back and in control until the claws come out.

There are more tender moments scattered throughout the show, especially conversations with Housby’s Jodie and Luke Dyer’s Mary, several of these pull up the microscope and question things directly. This is not a subtle show and makes no attempt to be, from its opening moments to the cataclysmic final revelations.

Spare Room is both a gripping piece of entertainment and incredibly effective spotlight on the devastating effects of unchecked lad culture. The situational comedy shines throughout and the build-up to its dramatic moments feel earned, backed by strong performances from the ensemble cast. It’s a strong debut from the Blue Duck Theatre Company, and surely a sign of great things to come.

Spare Room plays at 17:35 up until 22nd August at theSpace on the Mile - tickets and more information can be found here.

★★★★☆ (4*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review