Shakespeare '˜would have to create new character type for Donald Trump'

Royal Shakespeare Company artistic director Gregory Doran suggested the US presidential hopeful may share some of the same characteristics as the portly and deceptive knight Sir John Falstaff. Mr Doran, speaking at the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference in Shakespeare’s birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon, said not one character in the playwright’s extensive, body of work could quite lend itself to being an original incarnation of the Republican candidate.

Asked to identify similarities between Mr Trump and a Shakespearean character, Mr Doran said: “I think he defies it, horrifyingly. I did kind of ponder as to whether there are elements of Falstaff in Donald Trump, but I think Shakespeare would have had an entirely new character type to build – what a shame he’s not around to do it.”

The Falstaff character is reprised through a handful of the Bard’s Henry plays, and is known for his propensity to lie.

The Thick Of It star Roger Allam won a Best Actor  Olivier award in 2011 for his portrayal of the comic knight at The Globe.

As November’s election nears, Democrats are throwing millions of dollars into TV ads tying House of Representative Republican candidates to Mr Trump. They say the strategy is buoying their quest for big gains in the chamber.

Mr Trump’s incendiary criticisms of women, Hispanics and others have raised the Democrats’ prospects for gains, especially in suburban districts and those with well-educated or minority voters.

Their hopes rose further following Mr Trump’s lamentable week in which he performed poorly in a debate against Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton, repeatedly mocked former Miss Universe Alicia Machado for gaining weight and dealt with the fallout from a report he declared enough losses in 1995 to potentially avoid paying federal taxes for 18 years.