‘What a wonderful evening. The play was incredible, so true, so poignant, and the setting incredible…raw emotions, the grief and laughter within that room’. Jane

What is ‘Losing It‘ about?

Losing it is a short 45 minute play written by two Waikato women Sandra Shearer and Ceridwyn Parr. It tells the story of a couple facing a diagnosis of dementia for one of them, and how both of their lives change.. The play draws from lived experience and verbatim conversations, and is acted with authenticity, compassion, music and drama, as well as unexpected humour and a thoughful ending.

Losing It can be presented in a private home to invited guests, or to a service group, in a small theatre area, or as part of a conference or professional development program.

How did the play begin?

Ceridwyn and Sandra met over a cup of coffee after a Riverlea Theatre Drama class. They shared their separate experiences of family members with dementia and, because they are both wirters, talked about their journals, diaries, poems and jottings mover those years.

So they said, ‘Let’s write a play!’ And they did.

Who is the play for?

Over 400 people saw the play in 2025. After every performance, Ceridwyn and Sandra are invited to take the play to another group of people

.They have presented at events and locations in the Waikato and in Auckland, from a large RSA meeting, to retirement villages, a church, a golf club, a theatre, and private sitting rooms.  Audiences numbers range from 15 to 85 and usually consist of carers and family of those with dementia, as well as professional staff, and others from the community who are seeing with concern the increase of dementia in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

‘ Sandra and Ceridwyn, you presented the reality of how caring for a loved one had been physically, emotionally and spiritually for you,.  A sensitive, hidden and often taboo subject handled with such dignity and understanding. So courageous of you both to bring this cruel disease out in the open‘. Barbara

Booking the play, Losing It

Losing It can be presented

Sponsorship and Funding. The writers now have an exciting new development. With sponsorship funding from Waipa Networks they are planning to take the play to other centres in Waipa.

What is the purpose of the play?

The purpose of Losing It is to highlight the growing number of people with dementia in the community, and the way in which the life of the carer/s is deeply impacted.

The intention is to address the isolation often experienced by families of people with dementia, to name and open up the issue, to bring together people interested and affected, and most importantly, to build community and support among those people and communities.

Losing It tackles the difficult aspects of dementia, with authentic voices of real experience. It includes sorrow, laughter, music and hope.

and finally

Losing It was written by two local women who are surprised and delighted that they have become travelling performers in their Gold Card years, with a beautiful story to help and inspire others.