Denise Stephenson
Actor/ Writer/ Comedian
.png)
Finding Melania is a solo show, a twisted dark comedy about the fascination and lure of masculine power and the women who submit all. Merging dark clowning and absurd comedy to explore the grotesque behind the glamorous facade of Melania Trump.
Conceived & Performed by:
Denise Stephenson
Direction & Dramaturg:
Sarah Calver
The original show interrogated the complicity of Melania (and women like her) who uphold their power-hungry men, glossing over brutal policies with glamour and a well-timed smile. Now, with Trump’s re-election, the rise of tech-bro supremacy, and a global lurch to the right, Finding Melania 2.0 goes further: what happens to a woman like Melania when she’s no longer required? And just how deep does her complicity run in the making of this increasingly authoritarian regime? This updated version delivers an absurd, subversive provocation, cutting through a world now ruled by clowns, Bouffons and billionaires.
Running Time: 60 minutes
Suitable for 14+
The production contains themes of physical and psychological abuse.
Technical
Cast: 1
Get in and out: 15 minutes each
Tech Time: 2 hours
Finding Melania comes with a technical operator and stage manager. There is no set, only props and costumes provided by the company. To run the production we require minimal LX design and access to a QLab.
The piece can be adaptable to different spaces, best suited to a black box studio space. Due to the interactive nature of the show the performer needs access to the audience.
For more information, or to discuss bringing Finding Melania to your theatre please contact Sam Campbell at samcampbell.producer@gmail.com / +44 7487 717 327.
Finding Melania: The Film
Prior to creating the live work, the team explored the idea on film with the addition of Evie Fehilly as co director. The result is a 12-minute short, which has received much acclaim on the Festival circuit. [Trailer below. ]
%20(1).png)
Finding Melania is a female-led collaborative project led by Denise Stephenson with director and dramaturg Sarah Calver. The work is produced by Ellandar Productions, a new multidisciplinary theatre company committed to pursuing diverse and inclusive work, both in form and content.