An unvarnished account of the experiences that led to his debut article for The New Yorker magazine, The Monkeypox Gospel is a compelling, enlightening and expertly recounted piece of podcast theatre.
In the summer of 2022, Ngofeen Mputubwele is conflicted about the global Monkeypox outbreak (later renamed MPox). He knows that, as the queer son of Congalese immigrants now living in the US, he has a singular perspective on the situation, but writing this story will also mean outing himself publicly. Getting the word out is critical, as New York Pride is fast approaching, and the virus seems to be predominantly spreading in the queer community. Should he risk everything to raise the alarm?
Having only recently broken a lifelong vow of celibacy, and started dating men, Ngofeen remains unsure about living as a gay man and the impact it would have on his relationships with his family and religious community. Driven by the parallels with the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which also disproportionately affects both African and queer people, he cannot stay silent, and eventually agrees to write the article, The Agony of an Early Case of Monkeypox, on which this piece is based.
The thoroughly researched and well presented story uses the ticking clock of the coming Pride celebrations to propel the narrative, utilising interview snippets and taped conversations to put the audience back in the moment his story was birthed. He highlights the aftermath of colonialism, when Congalese people were banned from education past the 5th grade. This meant that there were no doctors to identify HIV/AIDS or Monkeypox when they emerged, with the first human case of the latter appearing in 1970. Congo is an endemic region for MPox, yet the US allowed 28 million vaccines to expire rather than sending them to the region. In 2022, his parents struggle to get tested before travelling home, while at the same time his queer friends are queuing to get one of the paltry 200 doses a day that are being administered like they are trying to get into a hot new club. There is not enough testing, and even if identified there is hardly any treatment available.
With a microbiologist as one of his best friends, and another good friend who has an early case of MPox, Ngofeen has the facts and figures to underscore and illustrate his personal account. The account of the failure of public health messaging and action is sobering, particularly as it occurs after the Covid pandemic. As before, it is the queer community who fight to improve access to tests and force a change to the CDC guidelines, but despite their best efforts, cases soar after Pride.
Mputubwele is engaging from the outset, charismatic and self-effacing in equal measure. He also has an exceptional voice, both in the spoken elements and his strong singing voice. He builds a quick and easy rapport with the audience, with the podcast style making it feel like a confessional of sorts. His internal conflict is palpable and sincere, adding a highly personal layer to what could otherwise be a straightforward news story. Some elements of his own experience feel unresolved, so there is much to look forward to in his future work, including the forthcoming podcast of the same name.
By Deborah Klayman
The Monkeypox Gospel plays at Underbelly Cowgate, Edinburgh until August 24th, 2025.
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