Introducing ‘TakeOver – In The Limelight’ happening this May!

Many brilliant shows and events are taking place at York Theatre Royal for the 2024 TakeOver festival which will be running from the 13 -18 May. This event is run yearly in collaboration with York St John University where the third-year drama students are completely in charge of the theatre and its events. This allows the students to gain valuable real-life experience along with support and mentoring from professionals. 

“TakeOver is a fantastic opportunity for students to experience running and taking part in a theatre festival that is entirely unique. We are able to learn so many new skills and create something that we can really be proud of.” said Ruby, a student on the producing team. 

The students are completely in charge of programming the festival and have lined up a series of great events, some of the highlights are listed below. 

After a run of sold out shows up and down the UK, Hollie McNish is back. A Sunday Times bestselling writer whose live readings are not to be missed will be presenting her brand new book: Lobster and other things I’m learning to love.  

In Lobster (Thu 16 May at 7:30pm), Hollie brings her much-loved style to questions of friendships, flags and newborns. Shining a ridiculous and beautifully poetic lens upon all those things we have been taught to hate, and which we might learn to love again. Here, she will be joined by fellow poet Micheal Pedersen reading from his latest books The Cat Prince and Boy Friends.  

See where dance is right now, and where it might go next with Verve: Triple Bill on Sat 18 May at 7.30pm. Presenting a bold programme of work, including new commissions by artistic director Matteo Marfoglia and choreographer Joy Alpuerto Ritter, alongside a rework of ‘People used to die’ by the acclaimed international collective (LA)HORDE. 

Verve is the internationally-touring postgraduate company of Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Each year the company commissions choreographers from all over the world to create an artistically distinct, physically daring, and engaging programme of dance work. 

Festival Programme Details:  

The festival will begin on Monday 13 May with an opening ceremony where free snacks and drinks will be available for all guests. In the evening, This is York Pecha Kucha (7:30pm) will be in the Upper Foyer with vol 30: Bearing Fruit in collaboration with York Creatives. You will hear rapid fire talks from more than seven speakers on a whole range of topics that are created to leave you feeling entertained, educated and inspired. 

On Tuesday, there is a full-day of shows and activities planned. Starting the day will be two York St John Companies: Bounce Back – An interactive children’s theatre experience that introduces its audience to the world of fairytale; and Final Girls – a multimedia performance set in a forest where a group of unlikely people try to survive, best they can, against an unknown entity. This will be followed by an exciting dance trail that will take the audience around the city of York before returning to the theatre.  

At 6pm, Peachy & Me will be inviting family audiences into a world of storytelling, music, magic and comedy. Performer Beverly Bishop appears as both herself and her clown alter ego to overcome the complexities of the modern world. Out of Character Theatre Company will be bringing their performance of Afterlife (7:30PM) to the festival. In this piece, a group of strangers find themselves in a waiting room between life and death where they must go through their past lives to choose their forever.  

We have three exciting performances on Wednesday 15th May. Misery Loves will be sharing their production of The Women of Whitechapel. This newly devised musical will be re-telling the stories of Jack the Ripper’s victims as it’s time to find out who these women really were. Blushed have created a show called, Our Fault, Never Their Fault which follows two characters as they experience the journey of becoming a woman. It highlights the good, bad and little embarrassing parts that go alongside growing up.  

In the evening, we have Pinch Punch Improvisation with their show Locomotive for Murder (7:30pm). Using audience suggestions, the four characters will have to unmask the murderer before they all get killed. 

On Thursday, Glass Broom (YSJ) will be performing their post-apocalyptic show End, where five people are trapped in a house together. With tensions running high, the characters are forced to find a way to survive with each other. Shortly after this Tradesman – another York St John company – are bringing their work called Life of the Party to the York Theatre Royal stage. This group of collaborators explore essential themes through the lens of absurdist theatre, aiming to question the themes of the human condition. 

Pop Yer Clogs will be performing Alice In Wonderland Abridged (6pm). This timeless tale follows Alice as she encounters many weird and wonderful characters where every time is ‘tea time’ and nothing is ever as it seems. The evening will finish with Hollie McNish and her reading of Lobster and other things I’m learning to love (7:30pm). 

Friday starts off with a performance of two dance routines that have been created by Izzy (York St John student). One of which is a commercial style with an upbeat feel that tells the story of cheating and betrayal. The other is a lyrical piece that focuses on survival and standing together as one. Subsequently, we have the final York St John company named M.A.D. 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. 

That evening we have The Real Manhunter Colin Sutton (7:30pm) joining us. Colin was a police officer for 30 years, serving as the head of a Metropolitan Police Murder Squad for the last nine of them. In this show he 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. 

Lastly on Sat 18 May we have Verve: Triple Bill (7:30pm) on the main stage. Meanwell, in the studio Helios will be performing their show at 7:45pm. We really hope that you can join us for this brilliant festival. 

Alongside the shows, there will be many opportunities to get involved throughout the week:  

On Mon 13 May there is going to be a heels workshop (2pm) which is a style of dance that inspires confidence and is aimed at any level of experience. 

After this, a show based on social media and lockdown will performed by year 10 students from Joseph Rowntree School (5pm). 

Throughout the week there is going to be plenty of tours including an afternoon tea experience to join and on Tuesday an open mic night will be taking place (4pm).  

Other exciting events include a fashion show (1pm) on Thursday, adult cocktail classes at 2pm on Friday, and a dance workshop based on The Lion King for 5-10 year olds (on Saturday at 2pm). 

 Tickets are on sale now: Box office 01904 623568 | yorktheatreroyal.co.uk 

For press interviews and press tickets contact press@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk  

Please contact YTRtakeover24@outlook.com for all shows and general enquiries.