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University of York

York students to work alongside top theatre professionals


Students Amy Warren, Jason Ryall and Fiona Kingwill with Sophie Lifschutz (Company of Angels director)

More than 50 University of York students are breaking new ground by working with professional theatre-makers on ‘Theatre Café’ at York Theatre Royal.

It is the first time that Theatre Café’, a celebration of newly-translated plays by European playwrights produced by London-based Company of Angels, has been held outside the capital. The second-year undergraduates studying Theatre: Writing, Directing and Performance in the University’s Department of Theatre, Film and Television will take part in a series of readings, performances and talks at York Theatre Royal from 26 February – 1 March. The Company of Angels and York Theatre Royal are collaborating in the project in which the University is a partner.


Fiona Kingwill and Sophie Lifschutz The students will work as actors, directors, designers, stage-managers and dramaturgs for a fortnight as they rehearse and develop these new plays. Professionals will mentor them in every area of theatre-making and their work will be performed to an audience of both industry professionals and the public.

Dr Tom Cantrell, Lecturer in Theatre, who has developed the University’s involvement in the project, said: “This is a great opportunity for our students. They will have the opportunity to collaborate with industry professionals, to learn from them, and to gain the experience of working on professional productions. We’re thrilled to be working with York Theatre Royal and Company of Angels, and for our students to be actively involved in staging some of the best new work from Europe.”

Teresa Ariosto, Artistic Director of Company of Angels, added: “For the first time at Theatre Café, six emerging British playwrights have written short response plays inspired by the European texts. These responses will be performed and directed by second year students from the University of York. It is very exciting to be working with the University of York and have 50 students from the Theatre, Film & Television Department involved in every aspect of Theatre Café York: as performers, directors, dramaturgs, producers and stage managers.”

For detailed information day-by-day, and to book tickets, see here:
www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/shows/Theatre_Cafe_Festival_York.php#.UvDnND1_uxo

Further information

  • Company of Angels and Theatre Café
    ‌Company of Angels is an internationally-recognised theatre company specialising in translations of new European plays for young people.  In February 2014, for the first time, one of their most celebrated events, Theatre Café, will be held in York as part of an international series of events. This will see the translation of six new plays from around Europe, which will be rehearsed at York Theatre Royal and the University of York. Each play will be developed by a professional director, writer and a cast of professional actors working alongside theatre students from the Department of Theatre, Film and Television. These six pieces will be performed over three days at York Theatre Royal to an audience of industry professionals as well as the general public.

    For more on Company of Angels, please visit: www.companyofangels.co.uk/about-us

    For more information about ‘Theatre Café’, see here: www.companyofangels.co.uk/theatre-cafe-festival-york/