Spare Room follows Jodie (Georgina Housby) as she replies to an advert for the last available room in a shared house. The advert mentions that another girl, Mary, already lives there but when Jodie arrives, she quickly discovers that Mary is actually the nickname of one of the many lads she’ll now be living with. As you can imagine, a house full of testosterone-fuelled young men can make for a pretty toxic atmosphere. Jodie soon finds herself having to adapt to a lifestyle she definitely didn’t sign up for.
As we’re introduced to the male cast (Matt Underhill, William Meadowcroft, Luke Dyer, Tom Griffiths and writer/director Sam Dinnage), it’s pretty hard to like any of them, which is a testament to how convincingly they’re played. Their conversations revolve around the stereotypical mix of sex, drugs and misogyny, creating a pretty uncomfortable atmosphere from the start. The play taps into the manosphere in a way that feels particularly relevant to the world we live in today. As the piece progresses, what initially comes across as harmless banter and late-night partying gradually takes a much darker and more sinister turn. It’s uncomfortable viewing at times, but that’s what makes the subject content so effective.
The character of ‘Mary’ (Luke Dyer) is the butt of most of the jokes and is described as having a posh private-school upbringing with “a sprinkling of autism”. Dyer brings instant likability and boundless charisma to the character but there is an underlying discomfort in some of the comedy surrounding his autism. At times, the audience is laughing at things that could just as easily be seen as Mary simply being himself, which leaves you wondering where the line is between laughing with a character and laughing at them.
The script is intentionally packed with plenty of explicit language, which feels fitting for the world these characters inhabit. The lads constantly call each other gay, only to follow it up with exaggerated sexual jokes and antics. While it can be puzzling to watch at times, it also captures the performative banter between them and gives a real sense of the strange, often immature way they express friendship with one another.
Georgina Housby, who plays Jodie as well as writing the piece, is clearly multitalented. When Jodie first arrives, Housby portrays her as an innocent, slightly reserved girl who soon finds herself adapting to the dysfunctional household she’s now sharing. We learn that Jodie has had to leave her home with her alcoholic mother, adding another layer to why she is so willing to settle into this new environment. As the play progresses, Jodie becomes increasingly caught up in the group’s behaviour, even getting involved in some of their illicit activities. The shift in her character is huge, but Housby makes it feel believable, and watching Jodie change throughout the play is one of its most impressive elements.
With an ending that you catches you off guard and despite the comedy running throughout, the play raises some serious questions about how complicit we can be in the actions of others, and how easily harmful behaviour can become normalised. These are real issues affecting real people, and the play isn’t shying away from that. If you’re heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, Spare Room is definitely one to make room for in your diary.
★★★★
Gifted ticket in exchange for an honest review.