By Basant El-Faramawy
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, creator of Fleabag, has purchased and donated a London flat to be used rent-free by early-career playwrights through a new theatre initiative called Writers’ Block. The scheme aims to address the high cost of accommodation in the capital for writers from underprivileged backgrounds.
Writers’ Block Initiative Launches
The flat will be provided without rent, with residents paying only bills. Waller-Bridge, 41, made the donation alongside what the scheme describes as a “generous financial contribution.” The initiative was born from the Adopt a Playwright Award, founded in 2008, which has supported 55 writers to date.
Industry Figures Provide Financial Backing
Jack Thorne, co-creator of Adolescence and writer of Wonder, Enola Holmes, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, is also backing the scheme financially. Thorne said his own early career was aided by free accommodation from his brother, and that many writers cannot pursue their craft without stable housing. Other backers include playwright James Graham, Happy Valley creator Sally Wainwright, The Crown’s Peter Morgan, and Waller-Bridge’s partner, filmmaker Martin McDonagh.
Addressing Class Barriers in Theatre
Graham said the scheme tackles the class barrier facing writers and helps prevent them from “giving up completely.” Research cited by the founders shows only 16% of people working in the creative industries come from working-class backgrounds. Writers’ Block is a partnership with Omnibus Theatre in Clapham, connecting playwrights with hosts offering spare rooms at dramatically reduced rates.
Hosts Offer Spare Rooms to Writers
Actor Alan Turkington, known for Netflix’s Heartstopper, has offered a room in his Camberwell flat through the scheme. He described being an “Omnihost” as a worthwhile way to rent out a spare room, noting writers’ strong work ethic and respect for shared spaces.
