Takeover 2024: In the Limelight

Takeover 2024 programme

13- 18 May 2024

Monday 13 May

Opening Launch event – The Lord Mayor of York will be cutting a ribbon for the launch of Takeover 2024. Come and celebrate the upcoming week with canapés and champagne and get to know the YSJ performers and event runners. Café. 5.30pm- 11pm.

Tuesday 14 May

Tea & Tour – Enjoy afternoon tea with a cake and scone accompanied with a tour around the York Theatre Royal seeing behind the scenes. With options of many board games to play. Café. 10m-1pm.

Dance Trail – Join the Dance Trail and experience the city in an entirely new way. York St John students share a series of site specific dance performances across the city centre. Follow our trail through the centre of York and watch original dance pieces which explore the promise of the unknown and potential revelation of new-found realities in familiar and unfamiliar places. Starting at 1pm.

Open mic night – A showcase of many different talents, from spoken word to singing and poetry, participants must book in advance. Patio. 4pm- 7pm.

Wednesday 15 May

Tea & Tour –  Enjoy another tour of the theatre to see how things run during a busy festival. your tour will finish with a hot drink and a snack. Café.

Women’s Day – Throughout this day you can expect a celebration of women, including stalls around powerful female icons, to discuss about the culture that surrounds women’s safety. This day is to empower women and to show that all women are powerful and celebrate all for who they are. You will be able to decorate candles, make bracelets and watch a female Morris dancing group later in the afternoon.

Thursday 16 May

Dreams & wellness Day – Fashion show based around the themes of hopes and dreams. There will also be a board where you are invited to leave your hopes and dreams during the show. Café. 1pm-3pm.

York Mind – This live podcast will included an exciting interview with special guests. Upper Foyer at 5pm-6pm.

Friday 17 May

Cocktail Classes – Learn how to make cocktails in this masterclass session at the York Theatre Royal. Upper Foyer. 2pm-4pm.

Urban myths of York – A chance to come to the theatre and listen to some urban myths and ghost stories of York with the opportunity to share your own stories. 5pm-7pm.

Jazz night – Come finish the day and wind down with a few more drinks and some chilled jazz songs to enjoy, spend time with your friends or talk to the students about the event. Café. 9pm-11pm.

Saturday 18 May

Kids Library – The opportunity to read new books, event runners are happy to read some books to the kids and even some character dress ups. Café. 10am-1pm.

Kids Disco – Come join classic kids disco songs whilst your little ones dance, get balloon animals and even their face painted. There will also be chalk available for the kids to let loose and scribble to their hearts content outside the theatre. Patio. 1pm-4pm.

Film showing – Will be screening an old school version of The Wizard of Oz. Upper Foyer. 4pm-6pm.

YSJ companies

Glass Broom: End.

Follow 5 survivors, that struggle to find the balance within an enclosed space. The apocalypse is more than what you think.“ May contain blood, swearing, violence and mentions of death, and jam. Studio. Thursday 16 May 11am.

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Final Girls: Final Girls.

A multimedia performance set in a forest, a group of unlikely people try and survive, best they can, against an unknown entity. Studio. Tuesday 14 May 12pm 

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Misery Loves: The Women of Whitechapel.

The most common perception of life after death is that one goes to heaven, but what if that’s not strictly the case? This musical explores the lives of canonical five victims of Jack the Ripper, it’s time to find out who these women were outside of their association with their infamous killer. Main House. Wednesday 15 May 11am.

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Blushed: Our Fault, Never Their Fault.

As a company, Blushed has created a short musical called Our Fault, Never Their Fault that takes you on a journey following the two main characters, Zoe and Kara, as they experience the journey of becoming a woman. It represents the trials and tribulations of finding your place in the world from early adolescents to early adult hood, highlighting the good, bad and little embarrassing parts that go along side growing up, going through puberty and becoming a woman. While focusing on some of the struggles we face growing up as women, the musical also shows the funny side of embarrassing and traditionally taboo experiences girls becoming women must face. It highlights the importance of being a woman and that despite the struggles we experience, shows how women are strong, powerful and beautiful – even more so when we’re united. Main House. Wednesday 15 May 12pm.

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Bounce Back: The Perfect Potion.

A performance based on friendship and resilience. To do this, we have been working with children aged 7 and 8, and we have been looking at their development at this age. We are aiming to create work that is inspiring and magical, with a fairy tale-esque feel to hold the attention of a young audience, We have explored the role of morals within storytelling and we are excited to share our work, we look forward to seeing you soon! York Library. Date TBC.

Tradesman: Life of the Party.

We are a theatre company of collaborators who explore existential themes through the lens of absurdist theatre. Our work aims to provide food for thought to our audiences, especially within the themes of the human condition. Main House. Thursday 16 May 12pm.

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Verbal Theatre: Foundations.

Her Home-Her Story-Her Voice.

Is a site specific performance that shines light on the stories of women and girls and the transition they experience from adolescence to adulthood. Foundations is performed in a house that takes the audience on an interactive journey that utilises audio recordings, spoken word and live performance to advocate to women and girls voices to be heard. Within the performance, the audience is facilitated, moments of time for reflection, conversation and to give response to the stories being shared. Invite only. Private location. Friday 17 May.

M.A.D: The Red Thread.

It’s fate, you can’t escape it. But how will it leave us? Alone or somehow forced together? Let’s find out what fate will throw at us this time. Studio. Friday 17 May 12pm.

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Outside Professional companies

Out of Character: Afterlife

If you could spend eternity with just one precious memory, what would it be?

Pop Yer Clogs: Alice in Wonderland Abridged

Presents the magical world of Alice in Wonderland. This timeless tale by Lewis Caroll follows Alice on her adventures underground as she encounters many weird and wonderful characters along the way. It is a tale full of fantasy and fun, where every time is ‘tea time’ and nothing is ever as it seems. Studio. Thursday 16 May 6pm.

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Hollie McNish

After a run of sold out shows up and down the UK, Hollie McNish is back with a brand new book, Lobster and other things I’m learning to love. A Sunday Times bestselling writer whose live readings are not to be missed, expect strong language and adult content, gift-wrapped in gorgeously crafted poetry.

In Lobster, Hollie brings her much-loved style to questions of friendship, flags and newborns, clocks, cocks and volvos, shining a ridiculous and beautifully poetic lens upon all those things we have been taught to hate, and which we might just learn to love again. Here, she will be joined by fellow poet Michael Pedersen reading from his latest brilliant books The Cat Prince and Boy Friends. Main House. Thursday 16 May 7.30pm.

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Colin Sutton: The Real Manhunter

Colin Sutton was a police officer for 30 years, serving as the head of a Metropolitan Police Murder Squad for the last nine of them.
After retirement in 2011, he wrote books about two of his major investigations; these were then adapted into the acclaimed ITV drama series Manhunt. In both seasons Colin was played by Martin Clunes.

The second season Manhunt: The Night Stalker was nominated for the Best Drama BAFTA in 2022.

Colin also writes and presents The Real Manhunter, a true crime documentary series on Sky Crime, which is now entering its third season.

In this show Colin will talk you through his career, how policing has changed, what it is like to chase a serial killer and how he made the step from policing to storytelling. Main House. Friday 17 May 7.30pm.

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VERVE: Triple Bill

In 2024 VERVE presents a bold programme of dance work, including new commissions by Artistic Director Matteo Marfoglia and choreographer Joy Alpuerto Ritter, alongside a restaging of ‘People used to die’ by the acclaimed international collective (LA)HORDE. Main House. Saturday 18 May 7.30pm. 

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Wright & Grainger: Helios

A lad lives half way up a historic hill. A teenager is on a road trip to the city in a stolen car. A boy is driving a chariot, pulling the sun across the sky. A story about the son of the god of the sun, HELIOS transplants the Ancient Greek tale into a modern-day myth wound round the winding roads of rural England-and into the everyday living of a towering city. It’s a story about life, the invisible monuments we build to it, and the little things that leave big marks. From ‘Masters of Storytelling’(FOURTHWALL) Wright& Grainger, HELIOS is the award-winning follow up to the internationally-acclaimed ORPHEUS,EURYDICE, and THE GODS THEGODS THE GODS. Join them in a little room with a tape player-and a delicate tale to tell. Studio. Saturday 18 May 7.45pm.

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Talent – recognises the talent and potential of young people, emerging young professionals and companies
Arts – creates an innovative and diverse arts festival programme
Knowledge – develops professional skills and knowledge with support from York Theatre Royal staff
Engage – engages with as wide an audience as possible – old and new
Outreach – widens participation within the arts and the York Theatre Royal community
Valuable – delivers a valuable experience for all participants and mentors and ensures TakeOver is a valuable addition to York Theatre Royal’s programme of work
Experience – offers real professional industry experience and mentorship
Relationships – develops relationships within York Theatre Royal , York’s community and the arts sector.