Writer Temi Majekodunmi talks new queer play ‘Positive’: “We are more than our trauma”

The Southwark Playhouse hosts the world premiere of this new piece dealing with black masculinity, queerness, and the HIV stigma through a humorous, uplifting approach. Guillermo Nazara chats with the author, to learn more about the development of a show set to infect audiences with hope and sympathy.

How does it feel to be bringing your play to the London scene as part of the FORGE festival?

It feels exciting, surreal, intimate, and exposing all at the same time. London has so many theatres, it’s good to be featured and highlighted and to be part of something like FORGE that champions fresh voices. This play has lived in my head and heart for a long time, so to see it brought to life is a Positive.

How did the idea for this play come about?

POSITIVE was born from a desire to explore Black queer friendship with real honesty. I wanted to write something that reflects the kinds of conversations I have with my friends, where joy and pain can exist side by side. The real driving force was love, the love between friends, and how we hold each other up and accountable through uncomfortable moments. 

We’ve come a long way ever since the AIDS crisis started. However, do you think the stigma still persists?

People living with HIV are still judged, shamed, or misunderstood. That’s why representation matters: we need stories that show people living full, complex, lives, not just as victims or statistics.

Do you think the stigma also happens within the LGBT community?

I don’t think stigma disappears just because someone is part of a marginalized group. In some queer spaces, HIV is still treated as taboo or led with fear. POSITIVE doesn’t shy away from that, it holds a mirror up to our own communities, but with some compassion.

For this play, you wanted to get away from the trauma and explore this subject by celebrating joy and vulnerability. How does that approach translate to the narrative?

The narrative is full of laughter, softness, and deep connection. Yes, there’s pain, but it’s not the whole story. Vulnerability is powerful, and in POSITIVE, it’s shown as a source of strength rather than weakness. It’s about living fully, not just surviving.

Do you think there’s a shortage of positive-minded shows when it comes to exploring themes like AIDS or homophobia?

Often, stories about AIDS are rooted in tragedy, and while those stories are important, they’re not the only ones. There’s space for narratives that uplift, that imagine new possibilities, that centre hope and joy.

Have you found any particular creative challenges while concocting this play?

Writing about something as emotionally layered as HIV, while still keeping the tone buoyant and funny, was a balancing act. I also wanted to avoid falling into stereotypes or over-explaining things for a non-Black, non-queer audience. Trusting that authenticity would land, if you get it, you get it, if you don’t, you don’t!

Apart from its approach, what would you say makes this show unique?

The heart of the play is a friendship between two Black gay men, something we don’t see nearly enough on stage. It’s intimate, funny, and emotionally raw. The play speaks to its community directly, without an apology or filter. 

What message are you trying to convey through this narrative?

That we are more than our trauma. HIV does not define a person. And that Black queer lives are rich, complex, and deserving of centre stage there’s so many flavours of people you definitely haven’t met all of them. 

Why come see POSITIVE?

Come for the banter, stay for the heart. POSITIVE is a fresh and affirming story that will make you feel seen or open your eyes to a world that isn’t your own. It’s about love, friendship,  living out loud and community, I think community is a big thing for me.

Headshot credit to Helen Murray.

Positive plays at London’s Southwark Playhouse until 17 May. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara