The Sheffield University Theatre Company (SUTCo) is in crisis, as the committee has been hijacked by their own chair. In a stunning move, Caitlin Wood (Chair of SUTCo) took over the working committee yesterday and dismissed all other committee members.
A statement put out yesterday on the society’s social media and website proclaimed that: “Following months of taking on responsibilities associated with other roles on the SUTCo Committee, all operations have been placed in the hands of Caitlin Wood as Chair”. The statement went on to detail how her role would take shape: “In order to ensure a smooth transition, the other members of the SUTCo Committee have been relieved of their duties. The Chair will be filling all roles and responsibilities of the society until further notice”.
An image later appeared on the SUTCo website, replacing one showing the 2023/24 committee members with a similar image titled ‘SUTCo Committee 2024 Onwards’. The image, which has been denounced by various society members, shows Chair Caitlin Wood in every committee position, with no mention of her former committee colleagues. This contradicts established rules on society management from the Students’ Union but appears to have been ignored by the new society leadership.
The announcement was met with alarm from SUTCo committee members, who found themselves unable to access accounts owned by the theatre company. Secretary Isobel Treacy was locked out of the society’s official email account, and Publicity Co-ordinator Alex Chan has found society publicity files transferred to an alternative user, and has been replaced on the weekly ‘In The Wings’ show on Forge Radio, again by Caitlin Wood.
However, Inclusions Officer James Platt was less concerned about the unfolding events: “I’m honestly glad Caitlin’s taking over. It’s way easier to be Inclusions & Welfare Officer when you only have to worry about including one person”. Other SUTCo sources have pointed out that Platt shares a house with SUTCo’s Chair, so we cannot currently determine the independence of this statement. But James appears not to be the only person with other concerns. Treasurer Luke Hookham, when informed of these developments asked simply: “Does this mean I have to give her my committee fleece? I was quite fond of it”.
The coup d’état, which has been condemned by past and present committee members, has resulted in emergency meetings taking place between representatives of the University of Sheffield Students’ Union and the ousted society members in order to resolve the situation. There have also been reports that Katie Carthew, former Chair of SUTCo, has returned from her year abroad to hold crisis talks about the future of the society, with Heather Ellis, former Chair of SUTCo, also in attendance.
These events have thrown into question future productions, with one of the co-directors of As You Like It, the society’s Shakespeare in the Park play in week 11, unable to be contacted. Abbie Wright sat as SUTCo’s Digital Publicist before the Chair’s takeover, and her whereabouts or wellbeing have not been confirmed since the announcement was made, with co-director Izzy Wood’s pleas for help from the Chair going unanswered.
Following this move, the future of SUTCo and its members is unclear. Speculation has already begun as to whether members will attempt to regain control of the society from Caitlin Wood or form an alternative group, but with no sign of a SUTCo AGM coming this election season following the takeover, Caitlin Wood’s time leading the society appears to have been extended indefinitely.
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