York's young hopefuls produce a week of shows while Frosterley reveals tragedy from the First World War

IT'S that time of year again when the under 26-year-olds take charge at York Theatre Royal and run the week-long TakeOver Festival 2014. Those in charge may be young, but the programme aims to offer something for everyone in the way of theatre, dance and comedy.

Where else might you find well-established Lip Service asking the audience to take a fresh comic look at The Picture Of Doreen Gray (Monday) – yes, Doreen not Dorian – and the award-winning Birthday Suit Party (Wednesday), a double bill about sex and relationships.

The latter is presented by Fragility, a creative partnership between James Grice and Andrew Silverwood, who met while training at Rose Bruford College in 2009. Their way of storytelling merges physical theatre, contemporary theatre and stand-up comedy.

My First Ten Sexual Failures is an autobiographical story about the silly things that boys and girls do to each other. GameShow is a new show featuring the UK debut of Australian performer Kristian Pirotta and tests just how far he, as a performer, is prepared to go to win every night on stage in a totally improvised gameshow. Past shows have seen paintball guns, whole audience enjoy pie fights, French kissing, mouse traps and birthday cake.

"I can’t wait to put Kristian through his paces in GameShow. He’s a great sport but I love the challenge of trying to push his buttons every night. The York show will be riskier than anything else we’ve tried before," says Silverwood.

Phoenix Dance Theatre bring their autumn Mixed Programme (Wednesday and Thursday, at 7.30pm) comprising Didy Veldman’s See Blue Through, Document and new piece Mapping.

Helen (Friday, Nov 14) from Actors of Dionysus is an epic take on the mythical Queen of Troy, as an ageing glamorous Helen is held captive by her own obsessions. Expect aerial choreography to an original score.

The Studio theatre programme includes puppetry and original music in CELL, an evening of comedy with Noel James and Metal Rabbit presenting the UK premier of Oscar-winner Dalton Trumbo’s anti-war classic novel, Johnny Got His Gun. Antler Theatre present a show of polyphonic music and playful storytelling, Where The White Stops. Closing the week is Hanging Hook, an intimate solo play about Robert Hook, alias England’s Leonardo and Isaac Newton’s rival.

After a sell-out success at last year’s festival, Stuff and Nonsense return with Goldilocks And The Three Bears (Saturday, Nov 15), a show described as perfect for everyone over two.

York’s own SLAP (Salacious Live Art Performance) present a multi-disciplinary show of theatre, dance and performance art in the Victorian Ballroom in the De Grey Rooms, next door to the theatre (Wednesday).

Box Office: 01904-623568 and yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

ON Tuesday and Wednesday, the Black Bull at Frosterley is staging an original theatrical production written and performed by David Telfer as part of the NTC Theatre Company based in Alnwick. Notes from the Front consists of poetry, anecdote and song from the First World War.

On display in the pub will be one of the shells which bombarded Hartlepool on the morning of December 16, 1914. Duncan Davis the landlord of the Black Bull has many of his grandfather’s Great War relics from when he was a Royal Navy medical officer on the Hospital Ship SS Munich.

Hartlepool became the first place on mainland Britain to be bombed by the Germans. More than 100 people died as at least 1,000 shells rained down on the town. Among the casualties was Theo Jones, the first soldier to die on British soil in the Great War.

David Telfer lived at Westgate, in Weardale, and now lives in France. ?While working as a teacher he took his pupils on trips to the battlefields of the Somme and through his research unearthed stories of young men thrown into the horror and confusion of war. ?He knew his grandfather had served with the East Yorks Regiment and on a chance visit to Hull he found himself with time on his hands and visited the regimental museum in Beverley. He found an account of his grandfather’s death in Gallipoli, on August 8,1915. ?His grandfather’s platoon had found themselves in a hopeless position with most of the men killed. Surrender was the only option. ?What happened next shocked David. His grandfather having surrendered was run through with a bayonet and died after 20 minutes. The memorial in Beverley describes him as being murdered in action. No one from David's family has ever visited his grandfather's grave in Gallipoli and David plans to rectify this by being there on August 8, 2015 – a hundred years to the day since his grandfather’s death?The tragedy is balanced by humanity, humour and hope told through anecdote, poetry and song.?The play will take place in the Studio Theatre at the Black Bull Frosterley and will be preceded with a three-course supper.?Rob Urwin, head chef, is preparing an especially fitting mutton dish for the occasion. ?The audience is invited to bring along any personal artifacts or photographs of their own families involvement in the Great War. ?Supper starts at 7pm and tickets (for supper and theatre) are £35.95. Box Office: 01388-527784