Skip to main content

Shrapnel Theatre's Silk Road (How to Buy Drugs Online) Heads To Trafalgar Studios

Shrapnel Theatre today announces the return of Alex Oates’ Silk Road (How to Buy Drugs Online), the first production to be funded through the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Dominic Shaw directs Josh Barrow (Bruce Blakemore) at Trafalgar Studios, Tuesday 7 August to Saturday 1 September.
Meet Bruce Blakemore, a struggling young Geordie tech-head and the unlikeliest international criminal mastermind you can imagine. From his base in Whitley Bay, Bruce and his Nan will find themselves sucked into an Underworld Wide Web of new-age pirates, local gangsters and tea-cosies.
Inspired by interviews with real online drug vendors, Alex Oates’ piece is about the freedoms and danger of an unrestricted Dark Web and its impact on a teenager finding his way in the world. Following a call-out on the real Silk Road forums for contributions to the original production’s crowd funding campaign, an anonymous donor donated two Bitcoin. Playwright Alex Oates reinvested the Bitcoin and through this funded runs at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, VAULT Festival and Live Theatre, Newcastle.
Alex Oates said today, “Back in 2014 Bitcoin was a bit of a novelty so I couldn’t be more thrilled that Silk Road (How to Buy Drugs Online), which was initially made possible through an anonymous
donation of Bitcoin, is back with a run at Trafalgar Studios this summer. It seems clear that Bitcoin is here to stay and it was a great honour to be the first play funded by cryptocurrency – it undoubtedly won’t be the last.
Alex Oates has been shortlisted for The Old Vic 12 and Papatango Prize, and long listed for the Bruntwood Prize. His other theatre credits include Rules for Being a Man (UK tour), Pig (Hull Truck Theatre/New Diorama Theatre), Hansel (Edinburgh Festival Fringe/Hull Truck Theatre), People Will See Me and Cry (Arcola Theatre), Time Warner Ignite (Old Vic Tunnels); and for television, Match Not Found and EastEnders: E20.
Josh Barrow returns to play Bruce Blakemore. He is a member of the National Youth Theatre with credits including Zigger Zagger (Wilton’s Music Hall) and has worked on the Royal Court Theatre’s Open Court Project 2016. He is also TriForce’s Monologue Slam National Champion 2017.
Dominic Shaw directs. His other directing credits include Secret Garden (Barn Theatre), A Memory For Forgetting (Arcola Theatre), Get Got (Edinburgh Festival Fringe) and Thirteen Days (The Other Palace). As an Associate Director his credits includeKinky Boots (Adelphi Theatre),Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre),Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Savoy Theatre/UK tour) and Legally Blonde (Savoy Theatre/UK and international tour). As an actor his credits include Wicked (Apollo Victoria) and Hairspray(Shaftesbury Theatre).

Box Office: 0844 871 7632* / http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/trafalgar-studios/

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

"Certain games you look to, maybe against like the likes of Cardiff or Sheffield or Nottingham" - Josh Roach looks to the season ahead for the Belfast Giants

With player announcements in full flow, CHL fixtures next month and the Elite League season hot on its heels what better time to get back to chatting with players on what they are up to and their thoughts on the season ahead. Fresh off announcing his return to the  Belfast Giants we caught up with Josh Roach . “We're starting to get close to that pre-pre-season time, so I’m enjoying a little bit more relaxing before we get back into it… it won't be long.” Roach tells us, before sharing how he has spent his summer. “I was home for a quick visit right at the end of the season and then we went on a little holiday, but other than that I've just been on the island. It's kind of nice to have some downtime in Belfast and explore around here a bit more.” “You don't really get the opportunity many times to stay for summer in the place you play, so you get comfortable. This is year five for me, so it is really is like a second home and honestly, it feels more weird t...

Building for the new season in Belfast

With Adam Keefe's testimonial and their HospICE Hockey fundraising game in the rear-view mirror, it's time for Belfast Giants to set their sights on the season ahead and their first announcement, late last week, was a belter as they confirmed Keefe would return for another season as head coach. In addition to Keefe's return the first player signing of the new season has been announced, with the return of fan-favourite forward Scott Conway. The team's top scorer last season, is beloved by Giants fans and the sort of character this league needs more of. His ability to wind up the opposition means opposing fans love to hate him and he does a brilliant job of finding motivation for his teammates and weak spots in the opposing team's armour. Conway may have been the first returnee to be announced, but the news is coming thick and fast now, with Scott's linemates David Goodwin and JJ Piccinich back for more and Ben Lake committing to his sixth season at the SSE Arena....

"I'm just focused on getting that third trophy and enjoying the rest of my time with the guys here." David Goodwin on preparing for Playoff Finals Weekend

photo courtesy of William Cherry, Press Eye It’s EIHL playoff final weekend! After eight months of toil, four teams will face off for the chance to lift the last silverware of the season. First up Belfast Giants take on Cardiff Devils so I caught up with David Goodwin to see how the team are feeling after a battle against Dundee Stars and how ready they are for the games ahead. It was, I suggest, an intense weekend for the team. “Yeah, I mean it was. It always is. The quarterfinals… you never know what you're going to get.” Goodwin replies. “On one hand, you have us, the Giants, who are coming off a league title win, so we're on a high. But then you got Dundee, who don't want to go away quietly. They were fighting and scratching and clawing for every inch and it lead to two feisty games. “I give Dundee a lot of credit. They threw everything they had at us. But ultimately, I think our consistent play, maybe some of our higher skill was able to shine through and get the...