THE QUEEN IS MAD
Joanna is fiery and dares to speak her mind. When she unexpectedly becomes Queen, her father and husband are determined to silence her. She went down in history as Joanna the Mad; what if she wasn’t insane, but furious? SIX meets Sondheim in this dark saga inspired by Catherine of Aragon’s older sister.
★★★★★
“Supremely well crafted
and faultlessly performed.”
Musical Theatre Review
★★★★★
“A magnificent piece of theatre.”
Theatre Weekly
★★★★
“Would not be amiss
on a Broadway stage.”
Fest Mag
The Queen Is Mad ran for 21 performances at Edinburgh Fringe 2025, in the Studio at ZOO Southside.
Starring Maria Coyne, Robert Finlayson, and Brian Raftery. Photos by Lexi Clare.
CREATIVE TEAM
Tom James McGrath (music, book & lyrics) is a composer-lyricist from Tipperary, Ireland. His background is in classical and Irish folk music. He has a master’s degree in contemporary composition from Trinity College, Dublin. His musicals have been performed in the Camden Fringe, London and Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin. Tom works part-time as an NHS doctor. He is a member of the Book, Music & Lyrics workshop. @TomJamesMcGrath www.tomjamesmcgrath.com
Amy Clare Tasker (book & lyrics) is a theatre maker and musical theatre writer. Her previous work with Pinecone Performance Lab includes Home Is Where…, HOT (Helen of Troy), and Ukulele Days. She is also a creative producer for the Theatre Maker artist development programme at The Cockpit, and former director of the Voila! Theatre Festival. Amy has a BA in Drama from the University of California, Irvine. She is a member of the Book, Music & Lyrics workshop, Mercury Musical Developments, and Musical Theatre Network. @AmyClareTasker www.amyclaretasker.com
Jessie Berman (associate producer) is an emergent producer of straight plays and musicals. She co-founded new writing company Seamoss Theatre and is currently Associate Producer on musicals Unfolding, The Queen is Mad, and RISING, and on straight play The Wolf of Poyais. She cut her teeth on the Tokyo English-language fringe scene in stage management, set, props, and production assistance. They are also a playwright, shortlisted for the 2021 Alpine Fellowship and 2024 Papatango longlister, with two scrips in development.
PARTNERS
Pinecone Performance Lab 