Sam MacGregor Brings HOLD THE LINE To Edinburgh Fringe

Sam Macgregor will  debut his gripping new comedy-drama at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe; Hold the Line is a powerful two-hander show inspired by his real-life experiences on the NHS 111 frontline.

Set over the course of a single, nightmare shift in a London call centre, the play takes audiences into the rarely seen world of the unsung heroes of healthcare - the call handlers who juggle relentless targets, limited resources, and human lives on the line.

When Gary, a health adviser and unlikely everyman, picks up a routine call from a panicked son whose father is slipping into a diabetic coma, a normal shift suddenly spirals into chaos. With escalating stakes, impossible decisions, and the constant pressure to keep the lines moving, Gary is forced to confront the emotional and moral toll of a job that demands constant composure - even when lives hang in the balance.

Performed as a dynamic multi-role piece, the show blends sharp observational humour with deeply felt moments of connection, exposing the contradictions of a workplace where "productivity is key" - targets must be met, calls must be answered, and efficiency is always under scrutiny - yet where the fundamental mission is to keep people safe and well.

It captures the tension between the relentless pace of call centre work and the profound human stakes of healthcare, revealing a system that asks its staff to care deeply while moving quickly, to be compassionate without hesitation, and to absorb trauma without pause.

Most people think of NHS 111 as the number you call for minor ailments - a twisted ankle, a high temperature, a late-night worry - but for the people on the other end of the line, the stakes can be just as high as those faced by paramedics and emergency responders. This hidden, high-stress side of the job - where even a 'routine' call can become a life-or-death crisis - is at the heart of Hold the Line, revealing the unseen strain of a job that asks people to absorb trauma in real time, with no time to process, pause, or recover.

With characters drawn from lived experience and dialogue honed by first-hand insight, Macgregor shines a light on one of the NHS's most invisible jobs, capturing the quiet heroism and everyday tragedy of those tasked with holding it all together.

At its core, Hold the Line asks what it means to carry the trauma of strangers shift after shift, without time for reflection, relief, or recovery. What happens when human emotion collides with institutional indifference, and how do you keep going when the next call is always just a ring away?

Previously shortlisted for the Charlie Hartill Award and premiering with a full run at the Pleasance in Bunker Two, Hold the Line follows the success of Sam's 2023 debut play Truly, Madly, Baldy (also at Pleasance), and marks his continued evolution as a bold new voice in politically engaged solo performance.

Director- Laura Killeen- previous credits include Godot Is A Woma (Ed Fringe 2022 and 2023 Pleasance), Distant Memories of the Near Future (Arcola Theatre) and Jesus the musical (Underbelly Edinburgh Fringe 2025)

Co performer/producer- Gabi Chanova will be acting along side Sam as various multi roles, such as patients and middle management within the call centre. Gabi is also the joint AD of Stage Base Productions, a theatre company that champions and nurtures emerging talent in the theatre industry.

Sound designer- Johnny Phethean is a Manchester based sound designer who previously collaborated with Sam on his debut play Truly, Madly, Baldy. He also runs a record label called BakK Heia Records.

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