Ep397 - Rob Madge: A Smoke Machine Wish, Tons of Wigs, and a Dream

Rob Madge grew up staging living room musicals with wigs, smoke machines, and the unwavering support of their parents and grandmother—but what started as childhood play eventually became the viral, heartfelt, and Olivier-nominated solo show My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?). In this episode, Rob shares how those home videos evolved into a theatrical sensation, and how a show born during lockdown has become a powerful celebration of queer joy, family, and radical acceptance—now heading to New York City Center for its limited U.S. debut. We talk about everything from queer theory and comedy as activism to being a theater kid in a small UK village and why their grandmother was the ultimate co-conspirator. Rob opens up about the emotional weight of visibility, the importance of letting kids be themselves, and the unshakable confidence that comes from being loved early and completely. Plus, they reflect on their journey from Gavroche to leading their own story—and the joy of tweaking the show for each new audience. Rob Madge is a writer and performer whose solo show My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) earned an Olivier Award nomination following its West End run. They began their career as a child actor in Mary Poppins, Oliver!, and Les Misérables, and trained at Sylvia Young Theatre School before studying English Literature at Warwick University. Rob also stars as the Emcee in Cabaret on the West End, and continues to explore themes of identity, family, and theatricality through their writing and performance. Connect with Rob Instagram: @robmadge02 Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support the podcast on Patreon and watch video versions of the episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter & Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@theatre_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheTheatrePodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Alan's personal Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alanseales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email me at [e-mail]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices