Outside of Germany, Ludwig II is best known as the builder of Neuschwanstein, the fantasy castle in the Bavarian mountains. But, I suspect, few would be able to say much more about him than that. In Christopher Adams-Cohen’s The Mad Gay King, audiences can get up close and personal with the monarch and delve into his private life.
The action begins with the arrival of a new stable master, Richard Hornig (David Buttle). His goal is to ensure an upcoming military parade goes to plan, but Ludwig (Elijah Ferreira) is far more interested in building opera houses and taking midnight jaunts through the Bavarian countryside than in displays of military strength. As Ludwig draws Richard into his world, a relationship blossoms and Richard’s past is revealed, but this relationship will prove to be Ludwig’s downfall.
Ferreira and Buttle have good chemistry as the two leads, with Ferreira’s hyperactive energy as King Ludwig contrasting well with Buttle’s quiet brooding Hornig. However, their relationship is not given ample time to develop, robbing the conclusion of some of its emotional gravitas.
Bernadine Pritchett and Thom Tuck take on the rest of the roles, including the King’s mother, an ambitious court minister and the composer Richard Wagner, and Tuck in particular navigates his way through this rotating cast with skill.
Adams-Cohen’s script is poetic and witty, and does not shy away from political commentary. However, it rattles through events at such a quick pace that it can sometimes be difficult to keep track. Here, the play would benefit from more than its current 70-minute runtime, allowing for more breathing room and character development.
The slightly confused nature of the plot is not helped by the sparse set, although there is excellent use of lighting (Joseph Bryant) and sound (J. Aria) to convey changes in scene. The sound design is particularly atmospheric, effortlessly transporting us from a tavern (which has echoes of a modern nightclub) to a mountain pass and also underpinning the pathos of the more emotional scenes.
A promising premise with some stellar performances, The Mad Gay King needs some further development in order to truly shine, but is nonetheless an enjoyable night out and a chance to learn about a lesser-known character from history.
The Mad Gay King runs at the King’s Head Theatre until 18th October. For more information and tickets, follow the link here.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review
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