created and performed by Ceridwyn Parr and Sandra Shearer

‘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‘ ?

Losing it is an authentic story told with humour, music, honesty and sorrow. 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 a compelling watch.

The play is short and powerful – just 45 minutes long, and 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?

Sandra and Ceridwyn 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 writers, talked about their journals, diaries, poems and jottings over those years.

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

They are surprised and delighted that they have now become travelling performers in their Gold Card years, with a beautiful story to help and inspire others.

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.

see photos and follow the play on https://www.facebook.com/theplaylosingit/

Can we host Losing It ?

If you would like to host a performance of Losing It, please contact Ceridwyn and Sandra to talk about date, time, group, location. No set fee, but koha is appreciated, to cover costs, and to make a donation to local dementia organisations.

Email: losingit@xtra.co.nz

‘ 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

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.

I must say how much I appreciated your presentation last Sunday at St Matthew’s. It certainly gave me a greater understanding of Dementia, and the way in which it affects everyone it touches.’ David