# My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do?)

My Son's A Queer (But What Can You Do?) is a one-person biographical play by Rob Madge, with songs by Madge and Pippa Cleary. The show revolves around Madge's childhood videos, and the shows they used to put on in their living room for their parents.

## Premise

Madge aims to re-create a childhood Disney parade they put on in their living room for their parents. The show uses a large video screen to play clips of Madge's childhood performances.

## Production history
### Off-West End (2021)

The show made its world premiere at the Turbine Theatre on 17 June 2021 for a limited run until 3 July with Madge playing themself. The production was directed by Luke Sheppard and produced by Paul Taylor Mills. The show won the 2022 WhatsOnStage Award for Best Off-West End. The playtext was published by Nick Hern Books.

### Edinburgh Fringe (2021)

Following its success at the Turbine, the show ran at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival at the Underbelly from 4 to 29 August with a run at Norwich Playhouse on 2 and 3 September 2021.

### West End (2022, 2023)

During the Edinburgh run, it was announced that the show would transfer to the Garrick Theatre in London's West End from 21 October to 6 November 2022. The show later played another West End season at the Ambassadors Theatre from 25 January to 1 April 2023. The West End runs were nominated for the 2023 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play. Madge won the Theatre Award at the 2023 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards and was a joint winner of the Best Creative West End Debut Award at The Stage Debut Awards in 2023 (as writer).

### Planned Broadway production

It was announced following that the show would transfer to Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre from February 27, 2024, for a 16-week limited engagement, however on February 8 it was announced that the run would be postponed to the 2024–25 season with dates and a new theatre to be announced.

### UK tour (2024)

Following the postponement of the Broadway run, the show toured the UK beginning at the Curve, Leicester from 8 to 10 July 2024 before heading to Birmingham Hippodrome (11 to 13 July), Belgrade Theatre, Coventry (15 to 17 July), Liverpool Playhouse (18 to 20 July), Derby Theatre (22 to 24 July), McEwan Hall, Edinburgh (1 to 16 August) and HOME, Manchester (19 to 25 August).

## Songs

The following songs are sung by Madge during the performance written by themself and Pippa Cleary. An Original Cast Recording was released on 21 October 2022 by Westway Music;
* Anything Is Possible
* Yellow Dress
* Anything Is Possible (Reprise)
* Pied Piper
* Pieces of My Heart
* A Conversation with Dad #1: A Wool Wig
* We Will Be Loved Anyway
* A Conversation with Dad #2: Passing The Baton
* Finale
* Granny Grimble's Yellow Dress

## Rob Madge's Regards to Broadway

Rob Madge's Regards to Broadway was a new play with songs performed and written by Madge (accompanied by Pippa Cleary) in response to the postponement of the Broadway run of My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do?). It was performed for one night only on the 26 May 2024 at the Garrick Theatre, London, however due to popular demand a matinee performance was added.