King Trump: An Exercise in Creating King Lear With Our Current Political Figures
Changing the setting of a well-known play is powerful. For example, Shakespeare’s Richard III set during the Soviet era creates a powerful commentary on authoritarianism. Romeo and Juliet, set as lovers from rival cartels in modern-day Mexico City, brings a heightened sense of danger to their relationship.
President Trump’s children are intimately tied to his business, family, and political empires, much like King Lear’s own children were to him. How will the handoff go for President Trump when it’s time for him to step aside? How can the real family relationships we see in the news every day create a new, more nuanced King Lear?
We want to keep the timeless story of King Lear, a ruler who is stepping down. Lear banishes his daughter in a fit of narcissism. The heirs to his kingdom and to his wealth turn on him for their own selfish reasons. Meanwhile, another main character, Gloucester, also makes a decision about two people and chooses poorly, bringing about his own downfall.
Regardless of what the real man may actually be like, in King Trump, our character Donald Trump is sympathetic. Our Trump wants to help America out of a sense of duty and pride, but he is blinded by his own vanity and is surrounded by people who want to manipulate America, or his financial empire, for their own ends.
While it’s tempting to cast each of King Lear’s children as Trump’s actual children, it gets too messy, too quickly. Instead, we need to change Lear’s literal children into groups, which may also involve family ties. For example, in the original play, Edmund becomes romantically entangled with Regan and Goneril. That translates here as Robert Mueller getting Don Trump, Jr. and Steve Bannon to cooperate.
Here’s how I’d cast it:
CAST
The Main Characters
King Lear Donald J. Trump, President
The aging king who is used to enjoying absolute power and to being flattered, and does not respond well to being contradicted or challenged.
Cordelia Ivanka Trump, Senior Advisor
Cordelia is disowned by her father and exiled for refusing to flatter him. Her husband, to his credit, overlooks her lack of money and continues to love her. She remains loyal to King Lear, however, despite his cruelty toward her and she forgives him. She is also highly tolerant of the nefariousness of Goneril and Regan.
Cabal №1 — The “It’s About the Borders” Sub-Plot
Goneril Don Trump, Jr., Senior Advisor
Goneril is jealous, treacherous, and amoral. He boldly initiates an “affair” with Edmund (flipping and then working with Mueller to save his own hide).
Albany Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State
Albany is good at heart. He eventually denounces and opposes the cruelty of Goneril, Regan, and Cornwall. Yet Albany is indecisive and lacks foresight, realizing the evil afoot too late in the play.
Oswald Stephen Miller, Advisor
The steward in Goneril’s house. He obeys commands and helps in conspiracies.
Cabal №2 — The “Russian Connection” Sub-Plot
Regan Steve Bannon, White House Chief Strategist
Regan is ruthless like Goneril and as aggressive in many of the same ways.
Cornwall Michael Flynn, National Security Advisor
Allied with Regan. Cornwall is domineering, cruel, and violent and also works with Goneril.
The Gloucester “Screw Your Grand Jury” Sub-Plot
Gloucester Mike Pence, Vice President
A nobleman loyal to King Lear. His fate is in many ways parallel to that of Lear: he misjudges who to trust. He appears weak and ineffectual in the early acts, when he is unable to prevent Lear from being turned out of his own house, but later demonstrates bravery. In a major plot point, Edmund tricks him into believing that Edgar is trying to “take him out.”
Edgar Jeff Sessions, U.S. Attorney General
As the play begins, he is deceived by Edmund. Disgraced, he assumes a “disguise.” Out of the public eye, he continues to aid Lear and Gloucester. He finally appears as a champion to avenge Edmund’s actions. His propensity for impersonations (being wishy washy and flipping sides) makes it difficult to characterize him effectively.
Edmund Robert Mueller, Special Prosecutor
Edmund is smart and prepared. He plots revenge and seeks justice on those he sees as corrupt or having committed wrong. He is a formidable character, succeeding in almost all of his schemes and wreaking destruction upon virtually all of the other characters.
Minor Characters
Fool Kellyanne Conway, Spokesperson
Lear’s jester, who uses double-talk and seemingly frivolous songs to give Lear important advice.
Kent Senator Ted Cruz
Kent continues to serve Lear even after Lear banishes him. He gets himself into trouble throughout the play by being extremely blunt and outspoken.
SYNOPSES, SIDE BY SIDE
King Lear
Lear is stepping down from power.
He wants to hand the reins over to his heir apparents: Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia.
Goneril and Regan flatter Lear, Cordelia does not. She is banished.
Goneril and Regan, who now control the Lear empire, undermine Lear even further, turning on him.
Lear slowly goes insane. The Fool tries to make him feel better.
Edmund tricks Gloucester into believing that Edgar is trying to get rid of him.
Gloucester is furious. Edgar flees and goes into hiding.
Gloucester is attacked and wounded by Regan and Cornwall.
Cordelia, with her husband, tries to stage a coup and save Lear. It fails.
Edmund gets both Regan and Goneril to cooperate with him fully.
Albany becomes increasingly sympathetic to Lear.
Goneril and Edmund conspire to kill Albany.
Gloucester, in despair, tries to commit suicide, but Edgar saves him via a deception.
Edgar duels with and kills Edmund.
Goneril turns on and kills Regan.
When Goneril’s treachery is revealed to Albany, he kills himself.
Edmund’s betrayal of Cordelia leads to her needless execution in prison.
Lear dies out of grief at Cordelia’s passing.
Albany, Edgar, and Kent are left to take care of the country under a cloud.
King Trump
Trump is stepping down from power.
He wants to hand the reins over to his heir apparents: Don Trump, Jr., Steve Bannon, and Ivanka.
Don Trump, Jr. and Steve Bannon flatter Trump, Ivanka does not. She is banished.
Don Trump, Jr. and Steve Bannon, who now control the Trump empire, undermine Trump even further, turning on him.
Trump slowly goes insane. Kellyanne Conway tries to make him feel better.
Robert Mueller tricks Mike Pence into believing that Jeff Sessions is trying to get rid of him.
Mike Pence is furious. Jeff Sessions flees and goes into hiding.
Mike Pence is attacked and wounded by Steve Bannon and Michael Flynn.
Ivanka, with her husband, tries to stage a coup and save Trump. It fails.
Robert Mueller gets both Steve Bannon and Don Trump, Jr. to cooperate with him fully.
Rex Tillerson becomes increasingly sympathetic to Trump.
Don Trump, Jr. and Robert Mueller conspire to kill Rex Tillerson.
Mike Pence, in despair, tries to commit suicide, but Jeff Sessions saves him via a deception.
Jeff Sessions duels with and kills Robert Mueller.
Don Trump, Jr. turns on and kills Steve Bannon.
When Don Trump, Jr.’s treachery is revealed to Rex Tillerson, he kills himself.
Robert Mueller’s betrayal of Ivanka leads to her needless execution in prison.
Trump dies out of grief at Ivanka’s passing.
Rex Tillerson, Jeff Sessions, and Ted Cruz are left to take care of the country under a cloud.
What do you think? Did I get the relationship dynamics right? Does this bring anything to King Lear? Does this bring anything to our daily Trumpian saga? Let me know. And like I said, this was just a thought exercise. Thanks!
