FAMILY VISITATION is such a heart breaker of a short play. Yes it's set in the 80s, centuring the stigma of the time, AIDS. Yet you can't help but know that this still goes on in 2025.
This poor young man wants to say his final goodbye to his lover, and being on first name terms with the nurse this should be straightforward. Yet this nurse soon shows her true, ugly colours.

A very poignant play with a gut wrenching final stage direction.

Beautifully written.

It is astounding how much a person can say in twelve pages. “Family Visitation” shows us the people affected by of one of the darkest eras of queer history. What is truly heartbreaking is the way love is depicted in this play— With Randy’s true love being forced to stay hidden in the hallway, while his lover’s family’s superficial love gets to be put on displace in order to maintain appearances. The final moment of the play, depicting Estelle with the teddy bear, reminds us just how much louder actions speak than words. Beautifully done, Paul.

"Family Visitation" is a punch to the gut (and a good history lesson for those who have yet to learn their queer history). The conflict between these two characters is subtle yet has a strong impact, making this piece an uncomfortable experience in the best way possible.