Review: My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) at the Ambassadors Theatre, London
Finding myself in London with a few hours to spare before seeing Sylvia in the evening (review coming soon!), what else was I going to do but grab a last minute matinee ticket and make it a two-show day? After a quick browse on TodayTix, I opted to see My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) at the Ambassadors Theatre. I knew only three things about this show prior to going in:
1) It is written by and stars Rob Madge, who started posting hilarious queer and stagey content on social media during lockdown
2) It tells an LGBTQ+ story on stage, which is pretty much always an instant “yes” from me
3) Its title is a Les Miserables reference
With all that in its favour, how could I resist?
The set of My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) from my seat. Photo: mine.
What’s it about?
When Rob Madge was a child, they attempted to put on a full-blown Disney parade in their living room, playing roles from Mickey Mouse to Ariel, Belle, and even Mary Poppins with their dad as Stage Manager and Technician. It didn’t go entirely according to plan, but Grandma was entertained even so.
Rob’s obsession with all things theatrical led them to putting on more and more amateur shows in their living room, to Stagecoach, and eventually—at the tender age of 9—to the West End, where they starred as Michael Banks in Mary Poppins. In this one-hour, one-performer show, Rob tells their story of theatre, bullying, growing up queer, and their endlessly supportive family.
Any content notes?
My Son’s a Queer features some minor bad language and some sexual references. It also deals with the subject of bullying that many LGBTQ+ kids sadly still suffer.
Under 12s will not be admitted to this performance, and under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?): My Review
My Son’s a Queer is a difficult show to categorise. It’s not exactly stand-up, though it has elements of that. It’s not exactly a play either, though it has elements of that too, and not exactly a musical, though it does have some catchy and poignant original songs (written by Pippa Cleary, a mentee of the legendary Claude-Michel Schonberg.) It’s chaotic and frenzied, and it packs a lot into its 65 minute runtime.
The narrative of the show is constructed around VHS footage from Madge’s childhood, particularly depicting their living room theatrical endeavours. These clips are consistently endearing and hysterically funny, with the young Madge bossing their family members around in their quest for theatrical perfection. With gentle self-deprecation, snarky asides, and plenty of in-jokes for the theatre kids in the audience, the show is packed with humour.
Rob Madge in My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) Photo: Mark Senior
There’s emotion too, though. The song “Yellow Dress”, in which young Rob longs to be Belle instead of the Beast, pushes back against stereotypes and asks why we have to put ourselves and each other into boxes. And "Pieces of My Heart” might just break yours as they attempt to pack away their true self and conform to society’s expectations of what a boy should be. Anyone who has ever tried to hide themselves away in response to bullying (hello!) will definitely shed a tear or several.
Rob Madge in My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) Photo: Mark Senior
Though Madge is on stage alone throughout the show, their family is still there as “supporting cast” in every sense of the word. When the young Rob suffered from bullying, teachers encouraged them to tone down their flamboyance and love of the imaginitive play corner in favour of more “boyish” pursuits such as football. Their family, though, created a safe world where being different was not only tolerated but embraced and celebrated. If you’re not a little bit in love with Madge’s family, particularly their take-everything-in-stride dad and costume-sewing grandma, by the end… well, then I don’t think we watched the same show.
Rob Madge in My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) Photo: Mark Senior
Ryan Dawson Laight’s set is inspired by the living room of Madge’s childhood, with more than a few glamorous surprises revealed throughout the show. Laight also designed the costumes, drawing on young Madge’s improvised creations and with an appropriate level of over-the-top fabulousness. The finale dress, revealing one Disney character after another in a rip-away design, is a highlight. And which costume gets the biggest cheer of all? The iconic yellow Belle dress, of course!
Rob Madge in My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) Photo: Mark Senior
My Son’s a Queer is a show about love and acceptance: love of the theatre, familial love, self-love. It is a joyful celebration of what it means to be queer, to colour outside the lines, and to be just as flamboyant as your heart desires. In a world where so many LGBTQ+ stories are still shown as tragic, it is a slice of queer joy we sorely need and it reminds us of the amazing things that can happen if we just love our children exactly as they are. I absolutely loved it.
Where to get tickets
My Son’s a Queer is currently running at the Ambassadors Theatre and has just been extended to 1 April 2023. You can book through ATG Tickets or reputable London theatre vendors.