| Ten Years On: the Marquess Returns |
How to Win Against History |
| Seiriol Davies Revival Acclaimed , Touring and Edinburgh Fringe , July 17, 2025 |
“How to Win Against History” is one of the most popular productions from Wales of the last decade. Its revival opened at the Bristol Old Vic. “...I remember being swept away by its first incarnation—tucked into a small, intimate venue, it dazzled with witty lyricism, bubblegum camp, and irrepressible enthusiasm. It felt like a tonic, a queer reclamation of a figure who had been laughed at, dismissed, and erased. But I never thought it would return. “And yet, here it is—resurrected, polished, and gleaming anew. All hail Francesca Moody Productions and Bristol Old Vic for breathing fresh life into it, giving it more fabulous padding, and restoring it to the stage nearly a decade later. “The result? The same electric spark of joy, with sharp melodies, winning performances, and a richer exploration of what it means to live defiantly on your own terms. “...Henry Cyril Paget, fifth Marquess of Anglesey, was born in 1875 into unimaginable wealth. But where others of his class traded fortunes for honours, Paget chose a different path. He built a theatre in his family’s crypt, staged lavish adaptations of plays, and starred in them himself, draped in sparkling frocks. The audiences stayed away. The money vanished like smoke. After his death, his family disowned him, reducing his life to ashes—literally burning all traces of him. “There is, however, one surviving portrait: a bearded man in a tiara and a debutante gown, staring back at the world with pride, unashamed and unbothered. The world called him mad, but in that image, at least, he seems not to care. “This is what Davies’ show celebrates: the audacity to stand tall, own your truth, and live boldly, even when the world refuses to look you in the eye. It doesn’t shy away from Paget’s darker edges—his marriage of convenience to Lilian Florence Maud Chetwynd is portrayed as controlling and, by today’s standards, abusive. Yet Davies shows us the little boy behind the man, lost in a world that wouldn’t let him be himself. “...Matthew Blake is even better as Mr Alexander Keith, a Victorian actor and Paget’s companion on this artistic odyssey. “Blake leaps between characters, accents, and continents with effortless precision, each role brimming with humour and surprising emotional depth. His arched eyebrows and bawdy innuendos are a delight, yet it’s the specificity beneath the camp that lingers. “Dylan Townley, the third member of the original trio, is the show’s maestro, his piano playing both the engine and the heart of the production. His finely sketched cameos add yet another layer of charm. “The first hour barrels forward with frenetic energy, hardly pausing for breath—a reflection, perhaps, of Paget’s whirlwind, 100-mile-an-hour approach to life. But when the show finally slows, when it takes a moment to reflect, a deeper heart begins to emerge beneath the sequins and sparkle.” Abridged, with thanks and acknowledgement, from the full review which can be read at: https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/how-to-win-against-history-at-bristol-old-vic-review_1684577/ * * * * The Guardian was also in Bristol. “Regrettably,” sings Henry Cyril Paget, “very little is known about my life.” There’s a reason for that: the fifth Marquess of Anglesey died at 29 having bankrupted his estate through his extravagance, including mounting plays that no one came to. His family subsequently attempted to destroy all evidence of the man who had shamed their proud line of landowners and empire builders. “Seiriol Davies first discovered hints of the forgotten, cross-dressing Edwardian aristocrat on childhood trips to a local National Trust property, and debuted this chamber musical about him on the Edinburgh fringe nine years ago. This new production, directed by Lisa Spirling, adds zhuzh to the songs, with an onstage four-piece band – directed by Dylan Townley’s Maestro – augmenting its original cast. “As Paget, Davies sparkles in a series of fabulous outfits beneath designer Hayley Grindle’s studded-collar proscenium arch (there are also shades of Faringdon House, the home of Paget’s fellow aesthete Lord Berners, who makes an appearance in the story). Both script and songs are crammed with wit as we pinball between classical harmonies, dance breaks and interactive gags with prompt cards. “A colonial-nod of a patter song, extolling “boots and feathers”, races us through Paget’s typically brutal boarding school upbringing and propels us towards his marriage of convenience with his cousin Lilian. She is played – along with all the other people in Paget’s life – by the indefatigable Matthew Blake, exhibiting great comic range as the ultimate “supporting actor” here. “We see him most as Mr Alexander Keith, a Victorian impresario in an enormous peach smoking jacket and the closest thing Paget has to a friend as they tour their terrible shows together.” Abridged, with thanks and acknowledgement, from the full review which can be read at: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/jun/27/how-to-win-against-history-review-bristol-old-vic-underbelly-edinburgh * * * * The Stage was there: “Nearly 10 years after its premiere, Seiriol Davies’ musical about the life of the fifth Marquess of Anglesey, Henry Cyril Paget, has gone from sleeper Edinburgh Festival Fringe hit to fully-fledged, main-stage musical. “Paget, who brought shame and bankruptcy on to his family by blowing his extraordinary inheritance putting on extravagant productions complete with butterfly dances, lilac-dyed poodles and ruby-encrusted slippers, might have approved of the lavish set and costumes in this new production. “...The production is bigger and sparklier than ever before – Hayley Grindle’s set is all Edwardian imperial opulence (arches and chandeliers, tarnished gold piano, tropical plants), Robbie Butler’s over-the-top lighting runs the gamut of the colour spectrum, and Ryan Dawson Laight’s costumes are, well, as fabulous as one would hope — but the show at its core remains the same. Davies, as Paget, performs alongside their original collaborating co-devisers: Matthew Blake as Paget’s actor companion Alexander Keith and Dylan Townley on keyboard and facial expressions (and now also heading up a five-piece band). "The show fits them like a tailored, rhinestone-rimmed frock. Blake is the more conventionally skilful performer, slipping into other roles such as Paget’s "bisexual hurricane" of a wife, Lilian, and a devilish Daily Mail reporter (cheekily named Quentin) with consummate professionalism, while Davies’ performance is one of a more off-kilter charisma. “On its own terms, though, this production is the play’s populist apotheosis: How to Win Against History, receiving a rapturous ovation at the Bristol Old Vic, has won.” Abridged, with thanks and acknowledgement, from the full review which can be read at: https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/how-to-win-against-history-review-bristol-old-vic The production continues at Norwich Playhouse 23-26 July and at Underbelly in Edinburgh throughout August. Picture credit: Pamela Rath |
Reviewed by: Adam Somerset |
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