DONALD to Have UK Premiere

The UK premiere of DONALD, a new play by Italian playwright Stefano Massini, has been announced for later this year in the historic city of Bath. The production will run at the Ustinov Studio inside the Theatre Royal Bath from Friday 6 November through Saturday 5 December 2026, giving British audiences an extended run to experience this highly anticipated work.

Stefano Massini is best known internationally for his acclaimed play THE LEHMAN TRILOGY, which has been staged across the globe and translated into multiple languages. THE LEHMAN TRILOGY tells the sweeping story of three immigrant brothers who build a financial empire in America, and eventually witness its dramatic collapse in 2008. That production won five Tony Awards on Broadway, including Best Play, and marked a significant milestone in contemporary theatre, making Massini the first Italian writer to receive a Tony Award.

DONALD is the latest of Massini’s works to receive a major premiere in the United Kingdom, and comes off the heels of his other projects including The Ladies Football Club, which is currently in rehearsals at the Sheffield Crucible ahead of its own debut.

The play itself focuses on the life of Donald John Trump, chronicling his rise from a figure in business and entertainment to becoming one of the most controversial political figures of the early 21st century. Rather than starting with Trump’s presidential tenure, DONALD traces his earlier years, particularly his work in real estate development, golf and hospitality ventures, his presence in media and reality television, and the cultural and personal shaping that preceded his entry into politics. It promises to provide audiences with a dramatic journey through the experiences, ambitions and contradictions that have defined Trump’s life long before he assumed the highest office in the United States.

The UK production has been adapted and will be directed by Sean Foley, a British theatre director and writer known for his inventive approaches to staging and adaptation. Foley’s involvement suggests that the production will balance theatrical flair with a keen sense of narrative drive, allowing Massini’s text to engage fully with the audience while capturing the complexity of its subject.

The choice of Bath and the Ustinov Studio for the premiere is notable. The Theatre Royal Bath has a long history of hosting innovative and ambitious work, with the Ustinov Studio in particular known for more intimate and boundary-pushing productions. This setting allows the play to develop a close rapport with its audience, encouraging engagement with the themes and ideas that DONALD seeks to explore.

Although specific casting for DONALD has not yet been announced, there is significant buzz and speculation within the theatre community about who might take on the central role and supporting characters. Given the prominence of the subject matter and the public’s enduring interest in Trump as both a cultural figure and political leader, casting decisions will likely draw attention from theatre-goers and media alike as the production date approaches.

The production is being presented by Theatre Royal Bath Productions in collaboration with Sustainable Entertainment, a company that aims to bring impactful and environmentally conscious theatre to audiences. Their involvement underscores an ongoing commitment to creating performing arts experiences that resonate with contemporary concerns, both on and off the stage.

Stefano Massini’s work has often drawn interest for the way it blends historical scope with intimate character studies. THE LEHMAN TRILOGY is a prime example of this technique, taking a vast span of financial history and distilling it into a deeply human narrative that still retains a true sense of scale. With DONALD, Massini appears to be applying similar structural ambitions to the life and persona of Donald Trump, weaving through decades of experiences that shaped an individual whose influence has been felt globally.

Thematically, DONALD promises to explore ideas around ambition, identity, media and power. Trump’s work in the competitive arenas of property development and reality television made him a household name long before his political ambitions were realised, and those aspects of his life are likely to be key pillars of the play’s narrative. The choice to focus on his pre-presidential years opens up space for reflection on how celebrity, branding and business success contributed to the shaping of his public persona.

The UK premiere also comes at a moment when audiences are increasingly interested in revisiting and reinterpreting recent political history through art. Theatre has a long tradition of engaging with public figures and political events, using the stage as a space for critique, interpretation and sometimes catharsis. DONALD enters into this tradition, offering a dramatic portrait of one of the most divisive figures of the modern political landscape.

In addition to its narrative content, the production’s staging and design are likely to play a crucial role in how the story is experienced. Modern theatre often employs multimedia elements, dynamic set design and innovative use of space to enhance storytelling. Given the breadth of Trump’s life and career, the creative team may draw on visual and technical elements that reflect the various environments he has inhabited, from construction sites and luxury resorts to television studios and political rallies.

As the run in Bath extends from early November through early December, DONALD will give theatre audiences in the UK an opportunity to engage with a work that combines historical reflection with contemporary relevance. Whether it will travel to other venues or receive extensions based on audience and critical response remains to be seen. For now, anticipation is building for what may be one of the most talked-about productions of the autumn theatre season.