Following its successful premiere at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023, Truly, Madly, Baldy is coming to Laurels, Whitley Bay this Spring. This autobiographical production by Sam Macgregor is a hilarious and poignant look at living with Alopecia, and is long-listed for the prestigious Theatre503 International Playwriting Award and Royal Shakespeare Company’s 37 Plays.
Baldy 1 and Baldy 2 are giving eulogies at the cremation service for their hair, reflecting on the funny and sad events leading to their tragic hair losses. From deluded doctors’, first dates and unwelcome opinions from random passerby, our bald protagonists must tackle society’s views on image and beauty. This moving production takes audience on a journey through identity, body image and beauty standards, ultimately seeking acceptance and liberation.
After he developed Alopecia in 2019, writer and performer Sam Macgregor brings to life his lived experience on stage, highlighting the tales of those living with Alopecia and confronting society’s pre-held conceptions on beauty standards. Eilish Stout-Cairns directs, with Jack Robertson starring alongside Macgregor.
Writer and performer Sam Macgregor comments, Truly, Madly, Baldy is a personal story that literally wrote itself. The emotion in the story is real, and it’s giving something back to the Alopecia community. People will be educated about this lesser known condition, and that can have a long term impact on how people experience Alopecia, whether that be directly or indirectly. Body image, beauty standards and identity are all linked, and it’s good to see theatre that explores those topics through drama and comedy, and I like to think this play does that.
Truly, Madly, Baldy is generously supported by Alopecia UK, as part of their Alopecia Awareness Programme.
