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 role that asks people to absorb trauma in real time, with no time to process, pause, or recover.
Sam Macgregor is delighted to announce that his critically acclaimed two-person show Hold the Line will run from 21–25 April at The Hope Theatre with press night on Wednesday 22nd April, following a very successful debut at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Inspired by writer and lead performer Sam Macgregor’s real-life experiences on the NHS 111 frontline, the show will then continue on to two further regional tour locations (Newcastle and Nottingham).
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?
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.
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.
Previously shortlisted for the Charlie Hartill Award and premiering with a full run at the Pleasance in Edinburgh, Hold the Line follows the success of Sam’s 2023 debut play, Truly, Madly, Baldy and marks his continued evolution as a bold new voice in politically engaged solo performance.
