The first stage play to be funded completely by cryptocurrency, in this case Bitcoin, is to have a run of dates at the world-renowned Trafalgar Studios later this year.
Alex Oates’s show, controversially titled ‘Silk Road (How to Buy Drugs Online)’, was mysteriously crowdfunded in almost its entirety four years ago by an anonymous Bitcoin doner. That donation saw Alex take the show to festivals such as VAULT and the Edinburgh Fringe.
Oates conducted extensive interviews with real-life online drug sellers on which to base the pay. It centers on a teen boy, a Geordie named Bruce Blackmore, as he and his grandmother navigate the unfiltered, uncensored and completely unmonitored Dark Web.
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.” said Oates.
It was revealed in an editorial penned by Oates that he initially received a donation of 2 Bitcoin to his crowdfunding campaign to take his show on the road.
Initially we crowd-funded it to raise the money to get to Edinburgh and my family and friends were beyond generous. We also received 2 Bitcoin which at the time was worth £500 but I kept them and traded for other cryptocurrency over the last 3 years, I wont say how much they’re worth now but anyone who follows the crypto market will understand why that donation made this the best paid writing gig I’ve ever had.” he wrote.
The show will run from August 7 to September 1.
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