Written by Stephen Gilchrist for Theatre and Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for our thoughts to be shared. All opinons are our own.

Last night saw the debut performance reading of Raising Gays,” a brand new musical by Jordan Paul Clarke and Micha Mirto. Having seen a couple of the songs performed at a new musical showcase in May, the chance to see a concert reading of the full show was a very exciting premise. Settling into the Garrick Theatre for one night, and aptly falling on the same weekend as London Pride, Raising Gays was introduced to the West End.

Following parents in a small Somerset town, Jenny, one of the mothers, creates a parents support group for other parents raising queer children. It is quickly evident that all the parents have differing ideas and opinions, but at the heart of it all want the same thing - for their children to be loved.

We see the parents discuss matters as a group and understand how, rightly or wrongly, they’re all navigating raising their children. From researching gay sex, to their ultimate goal - walking in the first town pride parade, it’s a beautiful journey of learning and acceptance.

Mirto and Paul Clarke do not shy away from the heavier themes and beautifully expose the darker emotions, but in an impressive way that we are able to understand why people perhaps feel the way they do, and yet they perhaps also want to change.

The music is upbeat and lively - with many catchy songs and witty lyrics. Standouts during the concert included “When We March in the Parade”. Contrasting these big group numbers are many solo performances from the parents, which offer insight into their feelings and opinions, and provide great colour to the show. Joanna Riding has a lovely solo song which breaks the louder moments of the show and really exposes her inner thoughts. Melanie La Barrie’s solo shows her coming to terms with her own sexuality in a fit of panic and fear, and is brilliantly comedic at many moments.

The songs overall are very well written and range from light and jovial to more dark and intimate. The show overall has excellent intrigue, and the story is explored very well. Some of the ensemble numbers perhaps felt a little less refined than the brilliant writing of the solo moments - with some lyrics not flowing quite as well as hoped, but this is no doubt something that is easily reviewed.

It’s an incredibly interesting concept to have the entire cast be solely the parents. We see interactions with their children but only from the parents' side, which provides really impressive insight into how parents must navigate the queer world. We often (and rightly so) focus on the children themselves in the world and their journeys, so stories must shine a light on the other parties in these journeys and ensure we keep a dialogue open for everyone.

Raising Gays is a very special show and is raising important messages and conversations. I really look forward to seeing where this show goes next, and cannot wait to watch it again (hopefully in a fully staged production!)

Raising Guys recieved a concert reading performance at the Garrick Theatre on 5 July.

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