Heart-breaking North East drama "I, Daniel Blake" to arrive at Northern Stage in 2023
The award winning film - set in Newcastle - about the struggles of people let down by the state, is returning to the North East as a stage show, as part of Northern Stage's 2023 season
Last updated 17th Nov 2022
Ken Loach's award winning drama - I, Daniel Blake - made waves across the world on its release in 2016, set and filmed mainly around Byker.
Now, Dave Johns - the North East comedian and actor who brought the heart breaking character of Daniel to life in the film has written a new stage adaptation of the story, which will be arriving at Northern Stage Theatre as part of their 2023 season - "This Is Family".
Written by Dave, and directed by Mark Calvert - the show will premier in Newcastle before it goes on tour around the UK.
The film, which tells the story of a man who is denied benefits by the DWP, despite being declared unfit to work by his doctor, and the story of Katie, a struggling single mother.
It was lauded for it's presentation of the realities many people in the UK were living under - including benefits sanctions, and the consequences of that, as well as bringing to the forefront the reliance of thousands of people on foodbanks just to keep their families fed.
Dave tells us he hopes his new adaptation will highlight some of the recent issues of the cost of living crisis;
"The story is very relevant - even more so because the film came out in 2016, and we're 2023 when it'll be coming to the stage - and it's very depressing - nothing has changed."
He explains more people in the UK are relying on foodbanks now than when the film was first released, and the issues raised 7 years ago are even more prevalent now.
Dave has said in the past the success of the film changed his life, and has the approval of Ken Loach himself for this new project.
Ken Loach said, “This story is more relevant now than ever.
"And who better to put it on stage than Dave Johns, the original Daniel Blake?”
Dave Johns - who won the Best Actor award at the British Independent Film Awards and Best Newcomer at the EMPIRE Awards for his role in the film said he was thrilled to be asked to take on the stage adaptation, tells us;
"The story is still as relevant as it was in 2016; maybe even more so now with the cost-of-living crisis making it even harder for those who are already struggling to find a way out of poverty.
"Daniel and Katie’s story could be anyone’s.”
"It'll have its emotional beats, but also we've been able to write up Katie and the kids' story and bring it up to date...
"It's not a historical piece, it's a contemporary piece
"One of the depressing things is when I was researching it to see what had changed - NOTHING has changed."
But he's also keen to show there are lighter moments, and hopes audiences will react to them as well;
"The stage play will have hope.... because we all need that and it'll have humour, it'll have the sadness and anger
"We just want to present it to the audience and say - this is what's still happening, what do you think?"
I, Daniel Blake, will be arriving at Northern Stage next year, as part of the This Is Family season - the third in a trilogy of "This Is..." cultural spotlight seasons from the theatre's artistic director Natalie Ibu.
Northern Stage members can access tickets now, and general release happens next Thursday.
You can find out more about the show and the new season via Northern Stage's website.