About
Out Of Character
Hello! Welcome to our theatre company!
We have devised, written, performed and collaborated on many projects both in York and nationally. Some of our work is about mental health, but not everything. We’ve created very personal pieces specifically for audiences interested in mental illness; we’ve devised site-specific durational performances; we’ve performed scripted works; and we’ve collaborated with York Theatre Royal, Intar, Love Arts, Arts & Minds, the Wy-Fi project, the NHS, and many medical schools and universities.
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The company grew from an inspiring initiative at York St. John University to provide introductory theatre courses to mental health service users. The course was initially led by Nick Rowe with support from York St. John students and focussed on arts practice rather than health. It formed the basis for Converge, an initiative established by Nick Rowe and Gemma Alldred, which now includes courses in dance, music, choir singing, writing and art. In 2013 Converge received national recognition by being shortlisted in the Times Higher Education Awards.
Out of Character was awarded the Excellence in Equality and Cultural Diversity Prize at the York Culture Awards in 2018.
Find out more...
Each year we receive a number of enquiries about our work from students and other interested individuals. Please find our responses to the questions we’ve been asked in the past here.
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Creative Team
Jane Allanach
Associate Director
Kate Veysey
Artistic Director
Hannah Munro
Assistant Director
Kate Veysey
our Artistic Director
Hannah Munro
Hannah's journey to joining OOC began in 2019 when she embarked on her Applied Theatre MA at York St John University. She began as a student volunteer, went on to become company administrator and then finally Assistant Director.
In her previous lives Hannah has been a primary teacher, university lecturer, local village panto director and sometime amateur actor. Being part of Out of Character is never dull, always surprising and hugely rewarding.
Jane Allanach
Jane Allanach has worked with Out of Character since 2010, first as a volunteer, and then as Artistic Director of their sister group, In the Moment. When the two groups merged in 2022 Jane became Out of Character’s Associate Director.
Jane is also a tutor with Converge and teaches on the Introduction to Theatre, and Working towards Performance Courses which run each year.
Jane has trained with York St John University, Red Ladder: Red Grit, Both Feet Actor Training and The Actors Space Barcelona.
Jane has performed numerous community theatre roles in Leeds and York, and devised and directed multiple theatre pieces, including two films: This Gift Comes with Side AEffects and an artistic response to Converge’s Evaluation Project.
Juliet Forster
Chair of Trustees
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Juliet Forster is Creative Director for York Theatre Royal. Her career in the theatre has been varied; from creating a theatre company, directing on national tours, lecturing and writing original work. Juliet often supports Out of Character by lending her theatre expertise to productions.
Trustees
Professor Nick Rowe
Treasurer
Nick is the founder of Converge out of which Out of Character developed. Nick says 'Engaging in theatre has made a valuable impact in my life and so I love being part of Out of Character, supporting its development and celebrating its remarkable work.'
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Matt Harper-Hardcastle
Vice Chair
Matt is a Theatre-Maker in its broadest sense - A Youth Theatre Practitioner for York Theatre Royal, an acting member of Playback Theatre York, and the Founder and Artistic Director of Next Door But One.
After being a supporter of Out of Charter since its inception, I was honoured to join its board of trustees; to support more people to engage in theatre, to showcase the fantastic work the company create and overall be the loudest applause that Out of Character deserve!
Simon Procter
Simon Procter is the director of Converge at York St John University and Professor within the School of the Arts. He is a musician (sometimes in theatres), a music therapist and a music sociologist: most of his academic work has been in relation to mental health and the ways in which engagement in creative processes (such as theatre) can be powerful for people in all sorts of (often unpredictable) ways.
