Alopecia: 'It takes a bit more courage to get on stage'

Cameron Scott, 10, is appearing in Norwich Theatre Royal's pantomime for the second year running

A child star of a pantomime has told how she embraced a life-changing health condition to perform in front of thousands of people.

Ten-year-old Cameron Scott, who lost her hair due to the auto-immune disease alopecia totalis, is performing in Jack and the Beanstalk in Norwich.

It is the second year running she has appeared in pantomimes after successfully auditioning for parts.

"I think it's pretty awesome," said Cameron.

During Norwich Theatre Royal's four-week run, she will play to 1,300-strong audiences, performing the good and evil dual roles of Beau and Boff.

Cameron, whose ambition is to appear in the West End and is one of the ensemble's eight junior cast members, said being able to get up on stage again was her "living the dream".

She has also had to get used to seeing her face appear on buses and billboards in Norfolk - alongside her co-stars - as part of this year's publicity campaign.

Cameron has seen her image appear on buses and billboards around Norwich

Cameron, who lives in Norwich with parents Victoria and Alex Scott, both 41, and sister Soraya, aged seven, said her classmates were also embracing her new-found fame.

"[A friend] came into class and said, 'I saw your face on a billboard and it was massive'," she said.

"I like being famous. It's quite cool because you walk past and there's a massive bus with your face on it.

"All the time I go, 'Jack and the Beanstalk - look it's me!'. It's really funny."

Cameron had already lost a third of her hair when she was pictured during a cast day in October 2021

This production is the first time she has performed without a wig.

It was while appearing in Dick Whittington last year that Cameron had to deal with her hair falling out in clumps with such frequency it blocked the shower drain.

She wore a wig on stage to hide her alopecia as she came to terms with it, having first experienced some spots of hair loss when she was seven.

"This year… I like being bald better," said Cameron.

"It makes me different and I like standing out."

Cameron pictured with her sister Soraya, mother Victoria and father Alex

But she also felt appearing on stage now required drawing on some additional bravery.

"It takes a bit more courage and you have to be willing to know what people think of you," she said.

"They might think you're awesome and the coolest thing ever or they might think you're a bit weird.

"But as long as you think you're awesome, then don't bother about what other people think."

This year's junior cast is made up of budding actors between the ages of nine and 12

For her parents, Cameron's stage success has been an immense source of pride during a tough time.

"The first time I saw her I cried," said her mother Mrs Scott.

"She's in her element and you can see she's living her best life when she's on the stage.

"It means a lot to see her so happy and thriving."

Her parents said while Cameron has been offered medical treatments to try to stimulate hair growth, there were question marks over their efficacy as well as possible nasty side effects.

"The challenge for us was the feeling of helplessness - not being able to do anything to stop it," said her father Mr Scott.

"I come from a medical family and there is no easy fix - there is no injection or medicine to stop it or turn it back.

"She jokes about it now, but the blocking of the sink was really quite harrowing."

At school, Cameron has been championing the condition - thought to affect about 65,000 people nationwide - by giving assemblies and fundraising for charity Alopecia UK.

She has also penned a blog for them.

The charity's chief executive, Sue Schilling, said: "It's so wonderful to see Cameron living her best life. Bring on the West End!"

Cameron's parents said their daughter had received immense support from Sian Reeves

The theatre said Cameron was among the young talents who had impressed them from auditions onwards.

"We are delighted with this year's junior cast who contribute massively to the vibrancy of the show," they said.

Cameron's family said they had been touched by the extent to which some of her co-stars had taken the young actress, who has spent countless hours memorising her lines, to their hearts.

While comedian Rufus Hound, who plays King Nigel, has won her over by playing games and giving out sweets, Cutting It star Sian Reeves has a special place in affections since last year.

Reeves is currently directing a documentary called Cam I Am with Cameron about her hair loss and she has also appeared in a short film she has directed too.

Mrs Scott said: "The panto was a lifeline for her because there's so much difference in the theatre world and so much celebration of difference. The theatre's just so supportive of her."