Aim

Help bring 'Spare Room', an award-nominated play about consent and masculinity, to the Edinburgh Fringe and spark real change.

Named ‘a contender for Best Show of Camden Fringe’ (The Reviews Hub), bold new play 'Spare Room' arrives at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer.

Produced by Blue Duck Theatre Company, the production received five award nominations during its debut run, including Best New Play. It has been praised for its ‘brilliant’ writing (The Obscurity) and ‘sublime’ cast (North West End), marking an exciting first venture into new writing for the company.

Set entirely in the living room of a house share, 'Spare Room' follows Jodie as she leaves her troubled home in search of a fresh start. Inspired by real events, the play offers a darkly comic portrayal of student life as she navigates living with a house full of testosterone-fuelled uni lads shaped by drug and alcohol culture.

What begins as a comedic exploration of familiar student experiences gradually unfolds into something far darker, exposing the misogyny and hostility that can exist within male group dynamics. Unafraid to confront uncomfortable truths, 'Spare Room' offers a nuanced exploration of consent, addiction, masculinity and mental health.

With its ‘devastatingly believable’ storytelling (Rated Reviewed) and ‘phenomenal’ comedy (The Obscurity), 'Spare Room' promises to be a striking and thought-provoking addition to this year’s festival programme.

‘The writing is brilliant, the cast is sensational, everything just works’

★★★★★ The Obscurity

★★★★.5 The Reviews Hub

★★★★ North West End

★★★★ Rated Reviewed

🎟️ https://tickets.thespaceuk.com/event/911:5249/

Sound like your kind of thing? Then you might be interested in supporting our show...

WHO ARE BLUE DUCK?

Blue Duck Theatre Company is made up of nine graduates from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, united by a shared vision to use theatre as a tool to provoke meaningful social change.

WHY IS SPARE ROOM IMPORTANT?

As a survivor of rape and a consent facilitator, co-founder Georgina Housby wrote 'Spare Room' in response to the urgent need for better consent education. In today’s climate, it feels vital that young people engage with the complex realities of these issues.

Committed to using theatre as a force for change, the company is partnering with Enough, a viral movement dedicated to preventing sexual violence, to extend the conversation beyond the stage and connect audiences with meaningful support.

Co-written with co-founder Sam Dinnage, the play explores gendered experiences from multiple perspectives. With 75% of UK suicides being male, the cost of harmful narratives around masculinity is undeniable. Through partnership with Head’s Up Guys, a men's mental health resource, the company aims to amplify conversations around male mental health advocacy and encourage vulnerability.

WHY DO WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT?

Taking a show to the Edinburgh Fringe is an exciting opportunity, but it comes with significant costs and we cannot do it without your help.

Our estimated costs will be £7,500, covering:

• Venue and rehearsal space hire

• Fringe registration

• Technician fees

• Travel and accommodation

• Props, costume and set

• Marketing and advertising

• Poster photography and social media content

• Filming for industry opportunities

As early-career artists, many from working-class backgrounds, this represents a substantial financial risk. Your support will help us bring 'Spare Room' to life at its full potential and ensure this urgent and socially impactful story reaches as wide and diverse an audience as possible.

WHAT YOU’LL GET IN RETURN

With your permission, we would love to:

• Thank you on our social media

• Add you to our supporters list

• Share regular updates on how your donation is making a difference

Thank you so much for taking the time to read about our project. It truly means a lot.

If you would like to see 'Spare Room' before Edinburgh, we will be previewing at the Drayton Arms in London on the 1st and 2nd of August. Keep an eye on our social media for ticket releases and updates!

@blueducktheatrecompany on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 5th July 2026 at 5:02pm