My Son’s A Queer, (But What Can You Do?) written by and performed by Rob Madge (Cabaret, Palladium Panto, Oliver!, Les Misérables) and directed by Luke Sheppard (Paddington the Musical, Starlight Express, Just For One Day, & Juliet) celebrates the joy and chaos of raising a queer child. It premiered originally at the Turbine Theatre in 2021, moved to the Edinburgh Festival, played a national tour followed by two West End runs and a Broadway season in New York. Now Rob has decided to bring the show back for one last hurrah, before deflating their yellow armbands for good.
My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) will play at the Apollo Theatre in London’s West End, from 16 September to 03 October 2026.
When Rob was 12, they attempted to stage a full-blown Disney parade in their house for their Grandma. As Rob donned a wig and played Mary Poppins, Ariel, Mickey Mouse and Belle, their Dad doubled as Stage Manager, Sound Technician and Goofy. Unfortunately, Dad missed all his cues and pushed all the floats in the wrong direction. Mum mistook Aladdin for Ursula. The costumes went awry. Ariel's bubble gun didn't even work properly. Grandma had a nice time though.
Paul Taylor-Mills, Producer said “My Son’s A Queer, (But What Can You Do?) is the epitome of everything I dreamed theatre could be. It is a story rooted in hope and acceptance and is a reminder of the extraordinary power of celebrating people exactly as they are.
To see it go from a DM on Twitter during lockdown, to a fully produced sell out show in both the West End and New York has been nothing short of extraordinary and we’ll always be incredibly grateful to Rob for letting us bring their beautiful story to life.
Bringing the show to the Apollo Theatre for one final hurrah is a chance to celebrate everything this journey has meant to everyone who has been a part of its production, to reflect on how far it has come, and to give audiences one last opportunity to be part of a story that has changed lives of so many.”
Winner of the WhatsOnStage Best Off-West End Production Award, Attitude and Stage Debut Awards as well as a nomination for an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play, My Son’s A Queer, (But What Can You Do?) is the joyous autobiographical story of social-media sensation Rob Madge as they set out to recreate that parade. And this time, nobody, no, nobody, is gonna rain on it!