★★★★★

Back in 2020 Rob Madge started putting home movie clips of them as a child putting on shows in their living room online. A year later this had turned into an hour long one-person show at the Turbine Theatre in London. It then had a revival at Edinburgh this summer and is just coming to the end of a two week run in the West End. I had originally planned to see this last weekend but unfortunately it was cancelled as Rob was ill. My son saw it during the week and said that I really needed to try and get down. So today I did. And I am SO glad that I did.

This show, which features clips from their home movies, was written by Rob, with songs by Pippa Cleary. It tells of their early love of performing and theatre. Of trying to find somewhere to fit in. And of coming to terms with their sexuality. And it tells of the acceptance of their parents who just want them to be happy.

It may feel a bit self-indulgent at the start as we see the videos of the Disney parade they did for their grandparents. A child who clearly loves being filmed – ‘are you filming me?’ ‘are you filming me?’ they constantly ask their dad. But we also learn of a child excited to start school but discovers that not conforming to what a boy should be interested in (football and cricket, anyone?) leads to bullying and isolation from other children.

In ‘Yellow Dress’ they ask why can’t they have a Belle dress (Dad bought them a Beast costume instead). They get a Santa hat with pigtails and it doesn’t even occur to them that it is not something that a boy should have. 

Other than Rob, the real stars of the show are their parents. Any theatre kid out there will tell you that they put on shows in their living room – I know I certainly did. And there are many parents out there who sat through these shows – mine were given tickets and a programme. But Rob’s parents (mainly their Dad) were part of these shows. And this is one of the most heartwarming things. A dad who dressed up in a dress and wig because his child wanted him to. Who helped him to fly as Tinkerbell or one of the Sanderson sisters.

Parents who recognised their passion and indulged it in the best way possible. Rob went onto attend weekly classes at Stagecoach – and there is a wonderful clip of them singing Gavroche’s part from Les Miserables at a Stagecoach performance that goes into them a few years later singing the same part at the 25th Anniversary Les Miserables Concert at the O2. They played Michael Banks in Mary Poppins and The Artful Dodger in Oliver – both in the West End. And was in the original cast of Matilda. All of this because their parents realised that you have to let your children soar. 

Whether you are or were a theatre kid who did shows in your living room, or whether you are gay and/or non-binary, it doesn’t matter. I defy anyone to not be moved by this show – I was NOT prepared for the home video where Rob was given a beautiful present by their grandparents. The message is that we should just accept our children and do what we can to encourage them to live the life that they feel comfortable in. If we do that then ‘Anything is Possible’. And, for me, there was the feeling that the theatre community is where the misfits can find their tribe. Genuinely one of the most uplifting shows I’ve ever seen.

This show closes tomorrow but I really hope it has a life elsewhere.

My Son’s a Queer (but what can you do?) is playing at the Garrick Theatre until 6th November

Photos © Mark Senior