Melissa chats with Anne Klein, who shares the compelling story of her new play centred on the always relevant themes of ambition and manipulation, set to take the stage at ArcA in Bertrange, on 25 April.
Fake it ‘til you make it. Hustle culture. Where does confidence end and fraud begin? this is a scam., co-written and performed by Solvei Sundbø and Anne Klein, explores these questions in a sharp, multi-layered production.
In an enlightening talk with Today Radio's Melissa Dalton, Anne Klein discusses the play’s inspiration and its journey from a well-received work-in-progress at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to a full production in Luxembourg.
The story: ambition vs deception
Two women, Solvei and Anne, set out to become successful entrepreneurs. Solvei follows "the rules" from books like Lean In, while Anne takes a riskier route – fabricating a revolutionary medical device, the Madison Needle. As Anne’s deception grows, Solvei’s ethical compromises blur the line between ambition and manipulation. Their journeys converge, revealing how thin the line between a business leader and a scam artist really is.
A unique theatrical experience
The play creatively integrates elements of social media, TED Talks, true-crime podcasts, and stand-up comedy. The actors control their own lighting, sound, and set changes, making the performance immersive and dynamic.
From Edinburgh to Luxembourg
After a successful run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, this is a scam. is now in its next phase of development. Directed by Jacques Schiltz, it will be performed in Luxembourg at ArcA Bertrange (24 April 2025) and Aalt Stadhaus Differdange (30 April 2025), with additional shows in the works.
The first project from Nonsense Asbl
Anne Klein and Julie Kieffer’s new company, Nonsense Asbl, is producing the play as its debut project. By drawing from real-life figures like Elizabeth Holmes and Anna Delvey, this is a scam. challenges how we perceive power and success. Do we really care how someone makes it – as long as they do?
You can listen to The Melissa Dalton Show every Saturday on Today Radio, and on RTL Play.
