BLACKJACK! is a brand-new play set to debut at Edinburgh Fringe. Described as a darkly comic solo show about luck, delusion and the stories we tell ourselves to keep playing, BLACKJACK! is based on a true story and is part late-night infomercial, part confessional, and part theatrical fever dream.
BLACKJACK! invites audiences into a live television segment where our host Tom, a charismatic self-proclaimed Blackjack expert, promises to teach them how to beat the house… and maybe even win a life-changing jackpot of their own.
Prior to this show’s run of 9 performances at Edinburgh Fringe, I got the chance to interview the writer and performer of the show, Tom Stilwell. Here is that very interview where you can read Stilwell’s thoughts on the inspiration behind this show, the challenges and excitement that came with bringing this show to life, and why this is a show well worth visiting at Edinburgh Fringe…
Note: None of these answers have been edited in any way, shape or form. They are exactly as they were sent to me.
Hi there, and thanks for doing this interview! Please can we start with you telling us who you are and what BLACKJACK! Is?
Hello! I’m Tom Stilwell, the writer and performer of BLACKJACK! (and other ways to get lucky) in Your Parents’ Basement. BLACKJACK! is a darkly comic solo show about gambling and how it shows up in all aspects of a life. What starts as a home shopping type infomercial quickly begins to crack, revealing that all is not as it seems, and the road to becoming a winner isn’t as easy as finding the right Latvian crypto casino.
What inspired BLACKJACK!?
Two years ago today, I was sitting in my parents’ basement. I was unemployed, drowning in debt, and about to turn 30. I had just been pushed out of a tech company I co-founded by a partner who apparently wanted something harder than software. Then, the sweet siren song of the unemployed called to me: online gambling. So, I did what any responsible adult would do: I took out a $500 credit card cash advance to play live dealer Blackjack.
Two bottles of wine and one crumbled relationship later, I won $300,000 on a $1 bet.
Seemed like an interesting enough plot.
What is it like adapting a true story into a stage show? Is there more pressure because it is true, or is it easier, as you have that story to base the show off?
The stakes are definitely higher. There’s a pressure here to do justice to the events of the story and the characters that bought in along the way. It’s easier from a plot perspective since the truth really is stranger than fiction, but the hardest role I’ve ever had to play is myself.
What made you decide now was the time to tell this story?
Online gambling is a booming industry, and recently has rapidly accelerated thanks to polymarkets and more mainstream understanding of cryptocurrency. When things seem bleak, hope is an intoxicant, and gambling is just one click away.
I’m finally ready to tell this story now, and I don’t think it could be more timely.
Have you encountered any challenges in bringing BLACKJACK! To life? How did you overcome these?
The biggest challenge bringing this story to life is in expansion of the universe. By its very nature, living in your parents’ basement is a lonely position to be in. But with BLACKJACK!, my goal is to bring the audience in on the ride and give them all the dopamine that I can get by doubling down while drinking wine and wearing Minions-themed pajama pants.
Following that, what has been the most exciting part of the process so far?
Definitely the reaction. I recognize that this is a wild story. I had a 1 in 2.4 million chance of having this story to tell, and I’m not wasting it.
BLACKJACK! Sounds like it addresses some really complicated emotions and themes, but is also described as having ‘razor-sharp humour, a surprising tenderness, an imaginative theatrical storytelling’; how do you find a balance between the dark and light when writing and performing the show?
Being willing to take risks opens oneself up to high highs and low lows in rapid succession. One second you can be on top of the world, and the next stumbling downward into the lowest place you can be.
BLACKJACK! thrashes between those two realities, so you never have to worry about getting bored staying in one place.
As the writer of the show, what is it like handing your work over to someone else to direct, especially as you are also performing in it? Is it a collaborative process, or have you just let director Katie Devin Orenstein have creative freedom to stage the show as they see fit?
I couldn’t be happier to have someone to ride this rollercoaster with. Katie is a brilliant director who knows just how to shape and edit my performance so that every audience member can fully immerse themselves in this once-in-a-lifetime story.
What do you want people to take away from BLACKJACK!?
Audiences will get a glimpse into a truly wild subculture and walk away seeing themselves in places they never would have expected. I don’t know how you’ll feel about gambling after this show, but I know you’ll be talking about it at dinner.
Last question…there is a huge range of shows that one can see at Edinburgh Fringe; what would you say to people to get them to come and see BLACKJACK!?
If a story about winning $300,000 in my parents’ basement while playing Blackjack at an online Latvia crypto casino isn’t a strong enough pull, then all I’d say is to take a chance.
It’ll work out.
I promise.
I hope you all enjoyed reading that interview as much as I enjoyed conducting it! Edinburgh Fringe is such a fantastic time for new theatre, and BLACKJACK! sounds like it’ll be a real treat for anyone who attends.
BLACKJACK! will run at Edinburgh Fringe daily from 7th to 15th August. You can find out more and buy tickets here: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/blackjack-and-other-ways-to-get-lucky-in-your-parents-basement
One Show at a Time 