You’d be mad not to see this impactful and expertly produced show.
The Mad Gay King is a new play written by Christopher Adams-Cohen, and describes itself as “a homoerotic retelling of the life and love of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, an infamous 19th century monarch”. I would also add to the description that it is a fantastic piece of theatre. It is directed by Scott Lee Crass and stars Elijah Ferreira as King Ludwig II and David Buttle as Richard Hornig, the King’s new master of horses. We explore the reign and eccentricities of Ludwig through the lens of the simultaneously romantic and fraught relationship between these 2 men. The other characters we see, such as members of the King’s council and the King’s mother, are all played by Thom Tuck and Bernadine Pritchett.
This production really seemed to have everything go right for it. Every creative decision made works flawlessly with each other and it culminates in a piece of theatre that is impressive, emotional, and incredibly impactful. The show mixes elements of “classic” language and costuming, and then mixes this in with modern elements, the contrast of incredibly effective. Everyone involved in this production seemed to be at the top of their game, with a brilliant script, exceptional sound design by J. Aria, and beautiful lighting by Joseph Bryant with “visual system, identity & design by Yence Studio.
This show is stunning to look at, with a plethora of striking tableaus being created throughout. However this is not a case of style over substance. All of the outstanding visuals help to bring the narrative to life and draw you into this almost fantastical world, while still all feeling very grounded and true.
All of the performances were stellar in this show, with the 2 leads Ferreira and Buttle having excellent chemistry which helped make the relationship feel as intense and real as it needs to for the show to work. Tuck and Pritchett, multi-rolling as all the other characters, were also brilliant, with both bringing delightful different energies to their changing characters.
If you know a bit about King Ludwig II, you’ll get a little more out of it, but there is no required reading to become enthralled in this play.
I was glad that I knew a little bit about King Ludwig II before I saw this play as I think it allowed me to pick up on a few nuances around what was happening, however there is in no way any required reading for this show. In fact, were the show to be entirely taken out of its historical context, it would still be a fantastic show well worth going to see.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this show for anyone who is a fan of theatre. The stagecraft on display alone is worth the price of admission. The impactful, emotional, at times hilarious story is also a good bonus.
The Mad Gay King is playing at the King’s Head Theatre until the 18th October.