'My Son's a Queer' creator Rob Madge turns a Broadway setback into a NYC victory lap

By Matthew Wexler

Confession. I was one of the early cynics wondering how Rob Madge’s solo show, My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) could survive when a limited Broadway run was announced for February 2024. I wasn’t alone. Though the show had been a hit at Edinburgh and on the West End, producers pulled the plug, fearing its financial viability. But Madge, who’s been producing “living room shows” since they were a toddler, believes—as they sing—”Anything is Possible.” I stand corrected.

After returning to their U.K. home, Madge regrouped, toured the show around England, and landed the role of the Emcee in the critically acclaimed revival of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. Simultaneously, producers found a way to bring the autobiographical work to New York City for a five-performance run at New York City Center. For those looking for a celebration of queer joy, unconditional love, and sassy ingenuity, Madge’s arrival is long overdue.

Those questioning “nature vs. nurture” need only spend 90 minutes with Madge for the answer: yes and yes. From the time they were a child, Madge played dress-up and make-believe, but gravitated toward Ariel and Belle rather than princes or beasts. Madge’s parents and grandparents supported the child’s creativity with costumes and makeshift sets, all meticulously documented on VHS tapes circa the early 2000s.

Rob Madge in "My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do?" — Rob Madge in “My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?” Photo by Marc J. Franklin.

Throughout the brisk and smartly designed production, Madge walks us through the seven steps to help your child put on a parade. But it’s really a technicolor meditation on love. Madge avoids the maudlin, but acknowledges the challenges of growing up outside of society’s norms, saying at one point, “Pretending to be someone else is how I could be myself.”

In a time of heightened anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, Madge’s queer joy is an act of resistance. New York is lucky to have them. Maybe next time they’ll stay a bit longer.

My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) plays at New York City Center through June 15.

‘My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?)‘ takeaway

Rob Madge on resilience:

“Preparing to bring the show to New York has taught me resilience in bucketloads!” Madge told Queerty. “It’s no walk in the park getting a show on, but if you have faith in the art you have to offer, then make sure your voice is heard! I’m a strong believer that what is meant for you will not pass you by and that good things come to those who wait, in their own time.”