Truly, Madly, Baldy at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★
★★★★ Truly, Madly, Baldy | Pleasance Courtyard | Aug 18-20, 22-27 | 12:30pm
Truly, Madly, Baldy is a deft two man show about self and societal acceptance after experiencing hair loss.
Sam MacGregor explores his experience with alopecia through the lens of a funeral. The performance jumps between this funeral for MacGregor’s hair and scenes from his life as he works through what his hair meant to him. The use of this framing device emphasises the real grief associated with hair loss but the performance is light and funny and touching. Autobiography is blended with documentary elements, as statistics about hair loss and its impacts are shown on screen. Both performances are quick and sharp, the show moving quickly between the comic and the emotional with ease.
The jokes don’t always quite land, but it’s a charming hour with energetic performances, and MacGregor tackles a complex emotional issue with grace.
Polly Chedgzoy is a writer and performer from Newcastle upon Tyne, now based in East London.
