The Mad Gay King is a modern retelling of the life and love of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, a decadent 19th century monarch who funded the operas of Richard Wagner, built a flight of fairy tale castles, and was ultimately deposed by his conservative government on the grounds of homosexual insanity.
The play follows Ludwig’s dangerous obsessions as they are ignited by the arrival of Richard Hornig, a stable master with a secret. Hornig’s presence in the Bavarian court may forever change the course of Ludwig’s fateful legacy – placing the future of his kingdom, his legacy, and even his sanity at the edge of a dangerous precipice.
Based on true events, this sweepingly romantic debut, presented by An Accomplished Woman Productions and directed by Scott Le Crass (Rose, Buff), marks the UK debut of playwright Christopher Adams-Cohen.
Integrating its historical sources with elements of the contemporary queer underground, this thrilling production is a celebration of the enduring power of fantasy and mythmaking as a means of LGBTQ+ survival.
“I was sitting on the train recently and saw these two teenage boys holding hands. I thought that was kind of amazing, so I think this play should be for them.”
Playwright Christopher Adams-Cohen tells us more…
Tell us about The Mad Gay King…
It’s a queer retelling of the life and love of Ludwig II of Bavaria, who is probably most historically well-known for draining his country’s coffers to build a series of over-the-top fairy tale castles, and for funding the career (and increasingly extra lifestyle) of opera composer Richard Wagner. It’s not a huge surprise his government had a vested interest in ousting him.
At the time, they were able to keep his homosexuality out of his official diagnosis, but in recent years it’s become clear the lion’s share of their evidence was a trove of too-hot-for-the-presses homosexual liaisons.
He didn’t even need to be examined in person for the doctors to make their verdict that he was gay, AKA mentally ill by the era’s standards. Honestly, I’d like to get my hands on those reports, they must’ve been pretty steamy . . .
What do you hope audiences take away from seeing the show?
In addition to getting some insight into a fabulously scandalous historical figure, I hope audiences also find a personal connection to the contemporary story centred within the play. I was sitting on the train recently and saw these two teenage boys holding hands.
I thought that was kind of amazing, so I think this play should be for them. I’m not promising them a love story that will last forever, or have a fairy tale ending, or even look like anything they’ve been told love should look like. But at least I’d want them to see this and know they can model something for themselves, that they can make a new world. Be it messy, epic, tender, or rough. As long as it’s theirs.
How have you found the collaborative process of watching the show come to life and to the stage?
It’s been remarkable! I met my producer, Amanda Schulz, a year ago in LA (my hometown). She asked to read some of my plays, and within a week she was putting up a reading of The Mad Gay King in the garden of her dreamy Victorian home. I knew then we were a match in sensibility with an equally palpable flare for the fantastic.
Director Scott Le Crass and I immediately shared a similar vision for the play that was intimate yet epic, historically-informed yet guttural and immediate. Watching him run auditions really solidified for me he was the right artist to handle this material, as he gracefully coaxed performances out each actor that showed me things I’d never fully understood before about the characters.
Where can audiences see the show?
From 3-18 October at King’s Head Theatre in Islington! In keeping with the intimate nature of the show, we’re in the Late Night slot at 9pm. So bring a hot date. Or come ready to meet one . . .
Tickets HERE