About the show

Leah's life is crushing her: work, friendships and her long-term boyfriend pile responsibilities on with no end in sight. When Leah is approached by a manifestation of The Void in the form of an alluring woman, she must decide what she’s willing to risk to reclaim her agency. Is she ready to look her own desires right in the mouth?

Audiences rave: “Beautifully sharp, deeply sexy, fantastically unsettling”, “Viciously cathartic”, “Wonderfully unhinged”, “Great sense of existential dread!”

Winner of the Horror at the Fringe Critic’s Choice ‘Spookies’ Award 2025

Content Warnings: scenes of a sexual nature, strobe lighting, strong language/swearing. Age suitability: 16+

Kelly Karcher as Leah and Jennifer Ewing as The Void

Praise for Sponsored by The Void

Delightfully odd and engrossing, Sponsored by the Void is a tantalising exploration of desire, repression and reclamation of one's own self worth that shivers with kinky delectable horrors.

Rowan C.
Fringe Audience Review
This goofy, sultry sci-fi horror [...] asks direct questions how a woman can get trapped into a role she never asked for, and how she can - with support of a sexy, suited-up otherworldly entity - break her way out of it.

Kate Wyver
The Guardian
It's theatrical, wonderfully unhinged, laced with a dark wit [...] The void is more than just a character; it's the catalyst for conversation, reflection, and a whole lot of post-show buzz.

Lee Hutchison
The Nerd Party
Holy s**t this show was ELECTRIFYING. Sexy, poignant, extremely well written and beautifully acted. I was transported to the world of the play as soon as it started. My favorite pick of the Fringe this year. Sublime. WATCH IT! 10/10

Alex G.
Fringe Audience Review
Sponsored by The Void was exceptional. Fast cast, enthralling story. Poignant writing. Raw psychological truths cleverly expressed beautifullythrough powerful, dominating, coy personification of "the void." [...] Must see.

Ioannis M.
Fringe Audience Review

Kelly Karcher as Leah and Jennifer Ewing as THE VOID, Photo by Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

Find more reviews here, here and here plus at The Guardian, The Nerd Party, Lothian Life, Binge Fringe

Click Here for our full Digital Program

2025 DATES, LOCATIONS

Seattle: Taproot Theatre’s Isaac Studio Theatre
Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland:
Thistle Theatre at Greenside @ Riddle’s Court

CAST
Kelly Karcher as Leah
Be Russell* as Val
Ayo Tushinde as Mia
Jed Mathre as Kennedy
Jennifer Ewing as THE VOID

*Member, Actors' Equity Association

PRODUCTION TEAM
Pamela Campi - Stage Manager
Calder Shilling - Assistant Stage Manager
Andi Alhadeff - Costume Designer
Kathryn Louise - Lighting Designer
Amanda Sweger - Set Designer
Ian Bond - Intimacy Coordinator
Meghan Roche - Sound Design Consultant
Kyna Shilling and Melanie Godsey - Sound Designers

THE CO-CONSPIRATORS
Your Co-Conspirators for SPONSORED BY THE VOID (2025) are Melanie Godsey, Kelly Karcher, Kyna Grace Shilling, Jennifer Ewing, and Heidi McElrath.

SUPPORT
We can’t do this without you! Support THE VOID today.

This project was supported, in part, by a grant from 4Culture.

SPONSORED BY THE VOID

About the show

Delightfully odd and engrossing, Sponsored by the Void is a tantalising exploration of desire, repression and reclamation of one's own self worth that shivers with kinky delectable horrors.

This goofy, sultry sci-fi horror [...] asks direct questions how a woman can get trapped into a role she never asked for, and how she can - with support of a sexy, suited-up otherworldly entity - break her way out of it.

It's theatrical, wonderfully unhinged, laced with a dark wit [...] The void is more than just a character; it's the catalyst for conversation, reflection, and a whole lot of post-show buzz.

Holy s**t this show was ELECTRIFYING. Sexy, poignant, extremely well written and beautifully acted. I was transported to the world of the play as soon as it started. My favorite pick of the Fringe this year. Sublime. WATCH IT! 10/10

Sponsored by The Void was exceptional. Fast cast, enthralling story. Poignant writing. Raw psychological truths cleverly expressed beautifullythrough powerful, dominating, coy personification of "the void." [...] Must see.

SPONSORED
BY THE
VOID