Saturday 8th November 2025 | 7.30pm - 9pm | The Queen's Hall Arts Centre, Hexham NE46 3LS
This deeply moving story of a man who must confront his trauma to overcome it challenges our assumptions to show how populist politics seduce the marginalised and the disaffected.
“Last week I saw a dead man… A man I saw die.”
Michigan. Autumn 2024. Retired Ford factory worker Jimmy Vandenburg works alone in his garage servicing the classic American cars of his youth. He is the anti-hero of the Bruce Springsteen anthem, ‘born down in a dead man’s town’, trying to get by in the economic wasteland of the rust belt.
Jimmy is a war hero, a decorated Vietnam veteran, who like many of his comrades, feels betrayed. So Trump’s call to ‘Make America Great Again’ appeals to his disillusionment.
But his newfound enthusiasm for politics drives a wedge between him and his wife, Bernice. Then a chance visit makes him question his convictions and leads to a profound emotional reconciliation.
This highly praised, deeply moving yet humorous play tells the gripping story of a man who must confront his trauma in order to overcome it.
In recent years populist parties have gained huge support in democracies across the world. Born In The USA bravely challenges assumptions about populist politics to show how they seduce the marginalised and the disaffected. Trump's re-election has increased bitter political divisions, making the play even more topical and pertinent.
Following 4 and 5 star rave reviews in Edinburgh and London, this celebrated solo play is now touring the UK.
Age Guidance 14+
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W: www.queenshall.co.uk