Review: Rob Madge's Regards to Broadway at Garrick Theatre
A hilarious response to Broadway dynamics premieres in the West End
If you are at all familiar with the contemporary theatre scene, then the name Rob Madge won't come as a surprise in the pool of talents emerging within the last few years. The non-binary actor has made a name for themself with their recent acclaimed solo show ‘My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do?)’, playing two West End seasons after acclaimed London and Edinburgh runs, with plans for a Broadway transfer… that is, until one phone call later, to Madge's despair, the long-awaited dream has been postponed.
The dramatic turning point amidst these events become the premises of what would be their new show Regards to Broadway, playing to the sold-out Garrick Theatre for two shows only, where My Son's a Queer first transferred. Part stand-up and part gig, Madge fuses their signature humour with a roller coaster-like retelling of events that led up to the inevitable disappointment - in fact, in their own words, ‘comedy wouldn't exist without tragedy as its antithesis’. But what makes this solo show stand out as one-of-its-kind, is its unique blend of laugh-out-loud comedy and exuberant staginess (yes, the theatrical kind).
The star steps onto the stage, met with rapturous cheers and applause even without a single word. Somewhat to the surprise of those non-stagey audience members, the lights go up as the signature motif from Sunset Boulevard plays, matched visually by Madge in the black slip as recently made famous by Nicole Scherzinger starring in Jamie Lloyd's redefining revival of the aforementioned musical. This is only the beginning for an abundance of musical theatre references masterfully sewn into Rob's personal story shared over the course of two acts (because they are stagey like that, thus justifiably informing the tone of this review), leaving the audience in stitches for all the right reasons.
The parody extends as more is revealed about the adrenaline-filled ride that is bringing the autobiographical play to the ever-competitive Broadway landscape. In most parts filled with self-sacasm drawn from dramatised experiences, Madge also, quite importantly, reflects on their journey navigating success to handle rejection along the way - something most, if not all, aspiring creatives often face. This is only admittedly made more challenging, unfortunately, for queer creatives who still have to fight discrimination; though on a more positive note, change, in whatever scale, is still happening step by step (perhaps starting with getting the principal of the Royal Academy of Music to say ‘queer’ at a prizegiving ceremony, quotes themself).
The continued series of monologues are often accompanied with both underscoring, existing and original songs on the piano by the equally brilliant Pippa Cleary, the composing mastermind behind My Son's a Queer and more, who just also happens to be a talented singer, making her onstage debut too! Following a round of mishaps, accidental puns and even more playful references, the second act shines a light onto the more serious undertones at the heart of this show; Uproarious laughter is balanced with moments of stillness, where Madge gives an insight into how personal and professional experiences can sometimes cross paths, and the importance of being open-minded to the fact that when one door (temporarily) closes, another might just be wide open, making way for this genius concept to develop into a sold-out show.
As the star remarkably notes, ‘You can't control the sh*t that happens, but you can control how you respond to it’ - the perfect summary to this wild ride the audience has been on; this may well be an affirmative ‘therapy session’ for some, and for others, a heartwarming journey through the joys, sorrows and everything in between of making art.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (5*)
Rob Madge's Regards to Broadway premiered at the Garrick Theatre on 26th May 2024. For further news on related shows and events, keep in touch with Madge's social media.
Tickets and Accessibility
🎟️ Tickets were kindly gifted by the press representatives for the show. All views are my own, without any input or approval from the venue or producers. Standard tickets were at a range of price points from £22.
♾️ There were no sudden loud noises used in the show. Some moving lights point out to the few rows of the stalls, but no flashing or strobe lights are featured due to the nature of the event.