Madfabulous: Be Yourself: Everyone Else in Taken
As Oscar Wilde said, ‘anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination’. Unsurprisingly, Henry Cyril Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey, was a big fan of Wilde. Like the writer, he had extravagant tastes, a love for drama, and an unconventional lifestyle that landed him in trouble. Henry notoriously squandered his fortune and racked up debt; but while he had a bad rep at the time, history has taken to his rebellious charm. Nicknamed the Dancing Marquess, he was a performer who loved to party, dress up, and generally stick it to society. Although there’s little evidence about his personal life, it's widely assumed Henry was gay and practiced fluid gender expression, making him a historical queer icon. He was also a patron of the arts, converting the chapel of Anglesey Castle into a theatre where he would put on plays (starring himself, of course!) for free.
MadFabulous, an alternative period film, paints Henry with a contemporary palette. It reimagines his relationship with wife Lily; the amazing score by Dan Baboulene brings his zest for life, to life; and the Wilde-esque influences can be seen in the film’s gorgeous costumes. It wouldn’t feel complete without Rupert Everett (who played Wilde in The Happy Prince) and sure enough, he co-stars as Henry’s loyal butler Gelert. Honoring the story’s setting, the film is a Wales-centric affair, with Celyn Jones directing and Callum Scott Howells starring. The brilliant cast also includes Siobhán McSweeney (who you may have caught in The Playboy of the Western World) and Tom Rhys Harries (about to star in the DC film Clayface).
MadFabulous spotlights a period of queer history that was little understood at the time, celebrating the loud and proud energy that made Henry Paget a legend. If only he knew – he'd have thought it was mad. And fabulous.
Written by Jodie Passey
