Ottawa fringe: Ludwig(a) remains light and charming despite a heavy topic in a queering of royal history

Ludwig(a)

Playwrights and actors Adam Linton and Amy Cachero on the task of queering European history in their short play about Empress Elisabeth of Austria and King Ludwig II of Bavaria, Ludwig(a). The play follows an evening with Ludwig and his cousin the empress during and after a court ball and explores Ludwig’s queer identity and Elisabeth’s stifled role as a royal wife.

Linton and Orr perfectly capture the two young royals and seem to revel in their role as nineteenth-century monarchs. Linton especially seems exactly how I imagine a young Ludwig II behaving, and Orr brings a stately grace to her role. The chemistry of the two makes it a fun and charming drama, and although it touches on heavy issues—feminism and queerness in the nineteenth century—it remains light

The one main fault of the play is its short running time. The story feels cut short and rushed to its end. With a slightly longer running time giving the audience a bit more time with Ludwig(a) and Elisabeth, this show could have a more satisfying end.

You can catch Ludwig(a) again on Saturday June 22 at 1:30pm at Academic Hall.