Cast announced for POSITIVE revival reading at Seven Dials Playhouse
Photo credit: Robert Workman
Full casting has been revealed for the World AIDS Day reading of Positive, the acclaimed debut by Shaun Kitchener (HERE & NOW: THE STEPS MUSICAL, UK & Ireland tour; HOLLYOAKS, Channel 4) as it returns to London after 10 years as a fundraiser for the National AIDS Trust on 1 December.
The heartfelt comedy - which was compared to an "exceptional sitcom" by The Stage and dubbed "equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking" by Attitude - follows Benji, a Britney-obsessed gay millennial trying to reboot his love life after an HIV diagnosis dented his confidence. With a big nudge from his flat-mate Nikki, who is on her own journey with the virus, is it about time he got his mojo back?
Returning from the 2015 Park Theatre production are real-life son-and-mother duo Timothy George (ROARING TRADE, Park Theatre) as Benji and Sally George (PEOPLE PLACES AND THINGS, National Theatre & West End) as Margo. Shaun Kitchener himself reprises the role of Matt.
Joining them are Jemma Geanaus (TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, West End) as Nikki, Lewis Brown (BLACK SUPERHERO, Royal Court) as Greg, Helen Colby (HERE & NOW: THE STEPS MUSICAL, The Alexandra) as Jennifer, and Ross Tomlinson (THIS IS GOING TO HURT, BBC) as Olly, with Akshay Sharan (JACK ABSOLUTE FLIES AGAIN, National Theatre) reading stage directions.
The reading is directed by James Robert Moore (associate director, THE HUNGER GAMES: ON STAGE - Troubadour Theatre Canary Wharf).
Positive started as a one-act play at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2013 before being redeveloped into a two-act piece at Waterloo East Theatre one year later. In 2015, it was picked up by the late, great producer Ann Pinnington for production at Park Theatre. It received an Offie nomination for Most Promising New Playwright and was published by Playdead Press. Now, after a refresh and update for 2025, it will be at The Pen studio at Seven Dials Playhouse for one night only on 1 December for a special script-in-hand presentation.
