Grandmother’s Closet

An autobiographical musical adventure that promises mischief and mashups, dresses and divas, and a whole lot of heart.

Growing up in a close-knit south Wales community, Luke Hereford relied on his Nan as a personal cheerleader to guide him through his queer childhood. On his first tentative steps down the yellow brick road, Luke takes on Broadway, experiences his very first pride event, and finds his perfect shade of lipstick - all to the tune of Madonna, Kylie, Kate Bush and all of his favourite pop divas. Join Luke as he stumbles along his journey of queer self-discovery through the glamorous spirit of his Nan, capturing their brightest memories - before they start to fade forever.

Luke is a Queer theatre maker, based in Cardiff, who trained at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. As Director and Assistant/Associate Director, projects include Queerway (Leeway Productions / WMC), Vincent River (Welsh Premiere, No Boundaries), Where Do Little Birds Go? (Cardiff Fringe Theatre Festival), The Last Five Years (Leeway Productions), The Motherf***er with the Hat (Tron, Glasgow / Sherman Theatre, Cardiff), The Wind in the Willows (Sherman Theatre, Cardiff) and Blackbird (The Other Room). As visiting Director for University of Wales Trinity St. David / WAVDA he has Directed Xanadu, A New Brain, Spring Awakening, Growth and a new Stephen Sondheim revue Every Day a Little Death co-conceived with David George Harrington. In 2018, Luke was a part of The Carne Trust / JMK Directors Programme for Sherman Theatre, and in 2019 he was the Welsh representative for Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab in New York. Luke is also an accomplished Drag artist, Esther Parade, winning Drag at the Stag in 2021, the inaugural Drag competition at Above the Stag Theatre, and was a national semifinalist for Drag Idol UK in 2022. Esther runs a monthly Drag cabaret night in Cardiff, CHAOS.Grandmother’s Closet is Luke’s playwriting debut.