By Fatma Younis
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, creator of Fleabag, has purchased and donated a rent-free flat in London for early-career playwrights through the new Writers' Block initiative. The scheme aims to address the high cost of accommodation for writers from underprivileged backgrounds.
Initiative addresses housing costs
The flat will be provided without rent, with residents paying only bills. Jack Thorne, co-creator of Adolescence and writer of Wonder, Enola Holmes, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, is also providing financial backing. Thorne said the pilot is vital because many writers find the need for a roof makes writing impossible.
Industry figures support scheme
Waller-Bridge's partner Martin McDonagh, playwright James Graham, Happy Valley creator Sally Wainwright, and The Crown's Peter Morgan are among the backers. Graham said the scheme tackles the class barrier facing writers and helps them avoid giving up completely, noting that the industry's pursuit of representation still lets down working-class voices.
Background and partnership
Writers' Block grew from the Adopt a Playwright Award, founded in 2008, which has supported 55 writers to date. Research from the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre and the Sutton Trust found only 16% of creative industry workers come from working-class backgrounds. The initiative partners with Omnibus Theatre in Clapham to connect playwrights with hosts offering spare rooms at dramatically reduced rates.
Host perspective
Actor Alan Turkington, known for the Netflix series Heartstopper, has offered a room in his Camberwell flat. He said writers have a strong work ethic and great respect for shared space, calling the role of an "Omnihost" the most decent way to rent out a room.
