The AIDS Plays Project

An anthology showcasing eight plays by lesser-known but pioneering queer writers who died from HIV/AIDS-related illnesses, interwoven with oral histories by those who knew them and responses from a generation of writers who have come of age in the wake of the epidemic.

Trailblazing, visionary, and too often neglected – this collection honours and celebrates seven queer playwrights from America, Ireland, and Britain whose lives were cut short by HIV/AIDS.

Curated by The AIDS Plays Project, and edited by its director, Alastair Curtis, this anthology revives seven plays written by pioneering queer playwrights, providing a platform that restores and mends the link between queer artists and their audiences that has largely been severed by the ongoing AIDS crisis.

The plays in this collection showcase a striking a striking, eclectic range of styles and stories - from a nineteenth-century drag-infused riff on La Traviata to a comedy about a bisexual ghost haunting rural Massachusetts, to a San Francisco-set tragedy about phone sex and an urgent exploration of Irish politics in a London pub. It also highlights these writers' lasting impact on queer culture and activism—whether by introducing the first bisexual characters on Broadway, performing agitprop theatre on the streets of South London, or promoting sex positivity during the darkest days of the epidemic.

The lives of each playwright are retold through moving accounts by those who knew them, brought their writing to life on stage, or championed their work. These are paired with responses from contemporary queer theatre-makers, forging an intergenerational connection and contributing to an ongoing exploration of twentieth-century queer history.

Ultimately, the collection acts as a blueprint for how studying and performing the queer past can shape the future of queer playwriting and performance, and ensures that the voices of the writers lost in the AIDS epidemic are not forgotten.