Madfabulous | BFI Flare 2026
Pomp and pageantry abound in a historical comedy-drama about a flamboyant aristocrat's odd reign over Anglesey.
North Wales, my beloved, I am so sorry for the years I spent as an English interloper in your beautiful, beautiful hills – but I hope I was at least less ruinous to you than the villainous Henry Cyril Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey.
I'll admit, I wasn't drawn to Madfabulous from its appearance in the festival programme – it screamed pageantry and…well, fabulousness. And I'm just not that kind of queer. I'm tragically low-key. I am, however, an alumn of Bangor University, and that made me very interested to learn about a piece of Welsh history that I'd somehow not heard of.
Lord Paget is, it seems, a footnote of history, but that doesn't mean his story isn't worth telling – and there's most certainly value in this telling. Director Celyn Jones clearly assembled a great team – it must have taken a small army alone to produce all the extravagant costumes. I'm not actually sure if a single costume is repeated.
I'd previously seen the lead, Callum Scott Howell, in the show It's A Sin, and the thought did cross my mind that he's twice played a queer man destined to die tragically young. But unlike his character in It's A Sin, Paget seems cathartically determined to go out with a bang. Howell brings a lot of energy to the role, balancing it well with the more sombre stuff.
Ruby Stokes is really good, too – bringing the Bridgerton vibes but adding a little more edge. The supporting cast also deserves credit for their roles as the various (questionably) straight men roped into Paget's schemes – Kevin Eldon was a particular standout for me.
Ultimately, this is the kind of movie that I'd risk watching with my oblivious nan. It has a certain ITV-friendly vibe, and there's something to be said for making a story about an outrageous queer bastard palatable for a wide audience.
