York Actors Collective (YAC) present Beyond Caring at Theatre@41 York

From 6 to 10 February 2024.

Director Angie Millard

Cast Victoria Delaney, Claire Halliday, Mick Liversidge, Chris Pomfrett and Neil Vincent.

Rehearsals have begun for York Actors Collective production of Beyond Caring at Theatre@41 in York from February 6-10. This follows the company’s debut production last year of Joe Orton’s Entertaining Mr Sloane.

Beyond Caring tells the story of three women living with the reality of low wage, zero contract employment. They are agency cleaners at a meat factory. They are never sure of how many hours they have to work, when they will be paid and whether their ‘job’ will continue.

The ‘quietly devastating’ (Financial Times) play Beyond Caring was devised by Alexander Zeldin and the original cast and premiered at the Yard Theatre in East London in 2014. The production later transferred to the National Theatre and then toured the UK.

In a four-star review, The Stage called the play “an angry, urgent yet precious piece about the social damage done by zero hours contracts”.

In the YAC cast are Victoria Delaney, Claire Halliday, Mick Liversidge, Chris Pomfrett and Neil Vincent. Angie Millard directs with Em Peattie as stage manager.

Director Angie Millard said: “This play is remarkable in its structure and power. It totally represents 2023 where many workers are on the breadline, trapped in employment with no guarantee of further work and no way to improve their position. 

“What drew me to the play however, is the message it conveys about people surviving and keeping a sense of humour. I loved the intensity of the piece with its silences, its disappointments and its determination to get pleasure out of the smallest things. It gave me hope.”

The production will play nightly at 7.30pm with two matinees on Saturday at 2.30 and 5.30pm.

Angie said: “Ticket sales for our last production indicated that a Saturday matinee was very popular. We thought that having two early shows on Saturday (2.30 and 5.30pm) would give the audience an opportunity to see the show and still have time to go for a drink or meal afterwards, making a night of it”.

Listings Information

York Actors Collective presents

Beyond Caring

• Theatre@41, York
• February 6-10 2024
• Tues-Fri 7.30pm. Sat 2.30 and 5.30pm
• Tickets available from tickets.41monkgate.co.uk