Sam Macgregor’s Hold the Line Illuminates The NHS 111 Frontline At Edinburgh Fringe 2025

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment eBook magazine UK“, Hold the Line, Sam Macgregor’s gripping comedy-drama at Edinburgh Fringe 2025, exposes the high-stakes world of NHS 111 call handlers with sharp humour and raw emotion, running July 30–August 25 at Pleasance Courtyard.

Hold The Line

Sam Macgregor’s Hold the Line makes its electrifying debut at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, offering a raw, poignant, and darkly funny glimpse into the high-stakes world of NHS 111 call handlers. Running from July 30 to August 25 (excluding August 18) at Pleasance Courtyard’s Bunker Two, this powerful two-hander comedy-drama draws from Macgregor’s own experiences as a health adviser, exposing the unseen pressures and quiet heroism of those who navigate life-and-death decisions in a relentless call centre environment.

Set during a single, chaotic night shift in a London NHS 111 call centre, Hold the Line follows Gary, an unassuming health adviser whose routine call from a panicked son spirals into a crisis as his father slips into a diabetic coma. What begins as a typical shift—juggling targets, limited resources, and a barrage of calls—quickly escalates into a maelstrom of impossible choices and emotional weight. The play captures the tension between the call centre’s demand for efficiency and the profound human stakes of healthcare, where every second counts, and every call could be a matter of life or death.

Dynamic Performances and Real-Life Insight

Performed as a dynamic multi-role piece by Macgregor and co-performer Gabi Chanova, Hold the Line blends sharp observational humour with moments of raw connection. Chanova, also joint artistic director of Stage Base Productions, brings to life a vivid array of characters, from distressed callers to middle management, alongside Macgregor’s portrayal of Gary. The duo’s interplay exposes the contradictions of a system that demands both compassion and speed, revealing the toll it takes on those tasked with “holding it all together.”

Macgregor’s script, honed by his firsthand insight, shines a light on one of the NHS’s most invisible roles. Far from the public’s perception of NHS 111 as a service for minor ailments, the play reveals the high-stress reality where routine calls can become life-or-death crises. It asks profound questions: How do you carry the trauma of strangers shift after shift? What happens when human empathy clashes with institutional pressures? And how do you keep going when the next call is always just a ring away?

A Stellar Creative Team

Directed by Laura Killeen, whose credits include Godot Is a Woman (Edinburgh Fringe 2022, 2023) and Jesus the Musical (Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe 2025), the production is a masterclass in storytelling. Manchester-based sound designer Johnny Phethean, who previously collaborated with Macgregor on his 2023 debut Truly, Madly, Baldy, crafts an immersive auditory backdrop, while Stage Base Productions, alongside Seven Dials Playhouse and Rosemary Branch Theatre, supports this bold new work.

A Rising Voice in Theatre

Following the success of Truly, Madly, Baldy and a shortlisting for the Charlie Hartill Award, Macgregor cements his reputation as a bold voice in politically engaged solo performance. Hold the Line is a must-see for Fringe audiences, offering a compelling mix of humour, heart, and unflinching honesty about the unsung heroes of the NHS.

Performance Details

• Where: Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker Two)
• When: July 30–August 25, 2025 (not August 18), 16:25
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Tickets: Available through Pleasance Courtyard or Edinburgh Fringe box office

Don’t miss this unforgettable journey into the heart of the NHS 111 frontline, where every call tests the limits of compassion, resilience, and humanity.