Madfabulous and Plas Newydd

Inspired by the life of Henry Cyril Paget, the 5th Marquess of Anglesey, the film Madfabulous is a fantastical reimagination of his life.

The film presents a boldly fictionalised interpretation of Henry Paget as he arrives in 1890s North Wales to claim his aristocratic inheritance; his theatrical flair and defiant eccentricities send shockwaves through the upper-class elite, much to the amusement of the local townspeople. Reimagining his story, the film leans into spectacle, following Henry alongside his spirited cousin, Lily, and loyal butler, Gelert, as he tries to carve out his own identity as the 5th Marquess while navigating traditions, scheming relatives, and the long shadow cast by his estranged father.

Inspired by the life of Henry Cyril Paget, the 5th Marquess of Anglesey, the film Madfabulous is a fantastical reimagination of his life.

While it draws on real themes and moments from his life, the film is intentionally loose in its interpretation, reshaping events with imagination and dramatic flair. Here’s the true story;

Life

Born Henry Cyril Paget in London in 1875, he was brought up by his aunt in France following the death of his mother when he was 2 years old. He first came to Ynys Môn when he was eight years old and became the 5th Marquess at the age of 23 following the death of his father in November 1898, thus inheriting the family estates at Beaudesert in Staffordshire and at Plas Newydd.

Between 1898 and 1904, Henry Cyril created a place of joy and creativity on Ynys Môn. He renamed Plas Newydd ‘Anglesey Castle’ and created a home where he could be himself.

He died in March 1905, just before his 30th birthday of pneumonia after a long battle with tuberculosis.

Wealth

Henry grew up accustomed to great monetary wealth and during his short life he spent his income on lavish social events and a vast collection of items. He surrounded himself with luxurious clothing, costumes and jewellery and indulged in new technologies such as motor cars, photography equipment and electric lighting for his theatre.

He had an annual income of £110,000, which would be around £18 million today.

Theatre

Henry Cyril loved to perform and created the 150-seat Gaiety Theatre at Plas Newydd. To begin with, he performed with amateurs including friends, servants and local people. He loved to dance, most famously during his Butterfly Dance when multicoloured lights would project onto his white silk costume.

However, in 1901, he persuaded a professional theatre manager and his company to establish a company in the Gaiety Theatre at Plas Newydd. From there, they performed to audiences of local neighbours, tradesmen, servants, university students and visitors to the local area, for free. They also took their productions to some local venues, donating the box office to local charities.

Local community and businesses

The local working people loved him. He took part in local events - kicking off at football matches, presenting prizes, even running a stall (selling pictures of himself!) at Bangor Friars' School Bazaar. He appeared at the 1902 Bangor National Eisteddfod in specially-made bardic robes, and was awarded an honorary bardic degree.

Between 1899 and 1903 he held many fancy-dress balls open to locals and visitors. It was an opportunity for him to dress up in all manner of expensive costumes, but he did not expect others to do likewise. They simply had to wear some form of fancy dress. One time, all the costumes were made from paper.

The Llanfair Postmistress defended the Marquess to the Manchester Courier in 1904, saying;
“You doubtless look upon him as the careless man who squandered money. You do not know him as we know him... It may be the fashion in London to smile at the Marquis of Anglesey, but I can assure you that if half the London people who sneer at him did half as much good in their immediate circle, so much the better for London.”

It wasn't just the free performances and charitable gifts, she meant, but the income he brought to the local community with his spending, and that of his large entourage, and his 40-odd performers. People loved that he treasured inexpensive gifts as much as his diamonds, and a walking stick bought in Bangor for a shilling with as much as one costing hundreds of pounds.

Lost it all

Henry Cyril’s lifestyle was unsustainable. He ignored warnings and was declared insolvent in 1904. Everything he owned was sold in order pay off his debts. By June 1904, Anglesey Castle was taken over by the auctioneers, William Dew and Son. The Great Anglesey Sales began on 29 July 1904, with Plas Newydd no longer a home but a shop floor.

People came from across the country to either buy or just to look around. Everything was sold - from the Marquess’s collection of clothing, his five cars and much-loved pet toy dogs to the pots and pans, mop heads and buckets. Between 17,000 and 18,000 lots were up for sale.

Many of the servants lost their homes along with their jobs, but they still came to try and buy back some of the belongings they'd had in their rooms. Even some of the Marquess's creditors, to whom he owed a lot of money, came to the sales to bid on items to support him. Affection and loyalty to the Marquess remained seemingly strong locally.

The 5th Marquess left Plas Newydd before the sales began and never returned.

Find out more

Very little remains of the 5th Marquess today. Around 18,000 lots were sold during the Great Anglesey Sales, meaning most of his possessions were dispersed.

A small number of items survive in our care, including photographs and theatre leaflets, but sadly not much more. The house itself was later remodelled, and many original features were lost including the Gaiety Theatre and the rooms as he knew them. The surviving items we hold are too fragile to be put on public display.

Bangor University Archives hold a significant collection of documentary material, including photographs, invoices, papers, programmes, postcards, letters, and catalogues. These have recently been made available online for the first time as an exhibition.

It is possible that some of his belongings including his theatre costumes and elaborate fancy-dress outfits have survived in private hands, and it would be wonderful to uncover more of these in the future.

Parts of the film were filmed at Plas Newydd in September 2024, along with Penrhyn Castle and other locations in north Wales.

At Plas Newydd, they filmed numerous exterior scenes around the lawn, the House and the Straits, as well as at the jetty/dock, terraces and the croquet lawn. Inside, filming took place in the Gothick Porch and the Gothick Hall.

In the film we see Penrhyn Castle stand in as Beaudesert House, with scenes filmed in the Grand Hall, Gothic Staircase, Victorian Kitchen, Bedrooms, and around the garden and estate.

George Sholto Douglas Pennant, 2nd Baron Penrhyn and the Henry Cyril Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey were both members of the British aristocracy during this period, and the Great Penrhyn Strike between 1901 and 1903 did happen during the 5th Marquess' time at Plas Newydd. However, as the 5^th Marquess did not participate in aristocratic events, and aristocrats did not attend his balls and performances, we have no evidence the two ever met.

Yes - both Plas Newydd and Penrhyn Castle are open to visitors, so you can explore the stunning locations seen in the film.

Yes, five of the costumes from the film are on display at Plas Newydd until the end of 2027.

The costumes include the famous Butterfly Dance costume, inspired by historical sources, a replica of his striped theatre costume and the iconic black-and-white fancy dress outfit. The remaining two costumes were created especially for the film: a striking pink suit with a top hat and an elegant purple dress.

Plan your visit

Head to the Madfabulous website for a list of cinemas showing the film.