The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world, with over 3,700 shows. This year, Playbill is in town for the festival and we’re taking you with us. Follow along as we cover every single aspect of the Fringe, aka our real-life Brigadoon!
American theatre fans were dealt a disappointing blow when Rob Madge's My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do) announced that it was postponing its Broadway run earlier this year—but the sad news turned out to be a blessing for Edinburgh Fringe fans.
The show, which previously played two sold-out engagements on the Fringe, returned to where it all began once again this summer as a part of its U.K. tour. "It's almost like a homecoming for me," Madge shared with Playbill upon the Playbill Fringeboat, where Madge presented the show for guests. "It's like taking it back to its roots."
With the show's summer tour at an end, and intentions to bring the show back to the states sooner rather than later, Madge plays coy when asked to share their plans. "We'll see what 2025 brings! We're still working very hard on the New York of it all, there are lots of conversations happening. It's definitely not the end. I'm sorry to say to anyone who's sick of it, but we're still working hard!"
To see Madge discuss the emotional center of My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do), the importance of personal theatre in the face of prejudice, and the constructive power of social media, check out the video interview above with Playbill's Jeffrey Vizcaíno.
My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do) enters on Madge (Oliver!, Les Misérables) at age 12 as they attempt to create a full-scale Disney parade in their house for their grandmother.
Directed by Luke Sheppard (& Juliet), My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) premiered at London's Turbine Theatre in 2021 before becoming a sell-out at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. West End bows followed in 2022 and 2023, earning a 2023 Olivier nomination. A cast recording was released in 2022.
My Son's a Queer features songs by Pippa Cleary (The Great British Bake Off Musical), scenic and costume design by Ryan Dawson Laight, lighting design by Jai Morjaria, sound design by Tingying Dong, video design by George Reeve, and orchestrations by Simon Nathan. The Broadway production is produced by Tom Smedes, Heather Shields, and Peter Stern, by arrangement with Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor Mills.
